Southeastern Social Justice Speaker Series welcomes Honore, Rolfes
Thursday, February 20, 2020
by: Tonya Lowentritt
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SOCIAL JUSTICE SPEAKER SERIES PANEL- Southeastern Louisiana University’s Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice will present retired United States Army Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore’ and Anne Rolfes, director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, as part of Southeastern’s 2020 Social Justice Speaker series. Free and open to the public, the event will take place in the Student Union Grand Ballroom on Southeastern’s campus March 12 at 2 p.m.
1) Russel L. Honore’
2) Anne Rolfes
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University’s Department of Sociology and Criminal
Justice will present retired United States Army Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore’
and Anne Rolfes, director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, as part of Southeastern’s
2020 Social Justice Speaker series.
Now in its 15th year, the Social Justice Speaker Series will focus on environmental
justice as the theme of the panel discussion scheduled at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March
12. Free and open to the public, the event will take place in the Student Union Grand
Ballroom on Southeastern’s campus.
Associate Professor of Sociology and Co-chair of the Social Justice Speaker Series
Committee Marc Settembrino said the panel discussion is about environmental activism
in Louisiana and will be moderated by Associate Professor of Sociology David Burley.
“Many of our students are concerned about climate change and coastal land loss
in Louisiana. They want to protect the environment but don’t know how to get started,”
said Settembrino. “Gen. Honore and Anne Rolfes have decades of experience to draw
on and will inspire Southeastern students to make a positive change in their communities.”
Honore’ is a native of Lakeland, La. Prior to his command of Joint Task Force
– Katrina – leading the Department of Defense response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana – General Honore’ served in a variety of command
and staff positions which focused on Defense Support to Civil Authorities and Homeland
Defense.
Rolfes began her career in Nigeria, collaborating with local communities to address
oil companies’ destruction of the Niger Delta. She returned to Louisiana in 2000 and
founded the Louisiana Bucket Brigade to end petrochemical pollution in her home state.
The organization has prioritized media as a tool to amplify the voices of the leaders
along “Cancer Alley” and has created innovative tools to document and expose the industry’s
abuse of the state.
The Sociology and Criminal Justice Department organizes the annual Social Justice
Speaker Series as a means of bringing nationally and internationally recognized social
justice activists to the Southeastern community. Previous speakers have included Sister
Helen Prejean on the death penalty, Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty and Law Center
on race and racism, and Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink, on war and human
rights.
For more information, contact the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
at 985-549-2110.
