Monday, February 1, 2010
12:30 - 1:30PM
Doors at 11:30AM
Students' Union Building Myer Horowitz Theatre
University of Alberta Campus

Keynote Address: Civic Engagement, Creating Lasting Change
Donna Brazile

What does it truly mean to be informed and involved in the world around us? How can we work together towards a common future to address such serious issues as climate change, peace and security, poverty, gender parity and other local and global social inequities? Knowing about and speaking out on issues that affect you and your neighbours is an important start. Broadening that commitment to your global community and becoming connected to the political processes that shape policy need not be a daunting a task. Inclusive civic engagement and grassroots advocacy play key roles in addressing challenges in our local and global communities, and must lead to institutional change if we want that change to be lasting and meaningful. So what are we waiting for? Let's stir the pot!

DONNA BRAZILE

Ms. Brazile began her political career at the age of nine when she worked to elect a City Council candidate who had promised to build a playground in her neighborhood; the candidate won, the swing sets were installed, and a lifelong passion for political progress was ignited. Four decades and innumerable state and local campaigns later, Ms. Brazile has worked on every presidential campaign from 1976 through 2000, when she served as campaign manager for former Vice President Al Gore, becoming the first African-American woman to manage a presidential campaign.

A veteran Democratic political strategist, Ms. Brazile is an adjunct professor, author, syndicated columnist, television political commentator, Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation at the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and former chair of the DNC's Voting Rights Institute. Aside from working for the full recovery of her beloved New Orleans, Ms. Brazile's passion is encouraging young people to vote, to work within the system to strengthen it, and to run for public office.

In August 2009, O, The Oprah Magazine chose Ms. Brazile as one of its 20 "remarkable visionaries"; she was named among the 100 Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian magazine, Top 50 Women in America by Essence magazine, and received the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's highest award for political achievement.