Jackson Free Press

So after a jam-packed week in Seattle and then in Portland), I got up Sunday morning to drive the hour or so to a town I'd never visited to speak to a church about race relations in Mississippi (and in Oregon, and everywhere in between). My talk to the First Christian Church, as described today in the Albany (Ore.) Democrat-Herald, came about because of an interview I did on NPR back in January after the Seale indictments.

Democrat-Herald Editor Graham Kislingbury said he pulled over to the side of the road to listen to me talk about race relations in Mississippi and why telling these stories is so important. He called and asked me if I would meet with a group of kids his church was bringing to Mississippi, which I did, along with JoAnne Morris and Natalie Collier. (See my column inspired by their visit.)

After the visit here, the ministry organizers asked if I would speak to an adult forum while I was in Oregon this month. The turnout was wonderful, and the conversation was very dynamic. Albany is a very "white" town, but people at that forum at least are really interested in the importance of using history to teach and learn from. It was exhilarating, and I apprecate them inviting me to do it.

Previous Comments

ID

113273

Comment

BTW, here's a cute picture of Todd from his very-popular presentation an AAN.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-19T15:49:55-06:00

ID

113274

Comment

Yay, Donna! Also, Todd looks like he's running for office in that picture. :-P

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-06-19T16:42:48-06:00

ID

113275

Comment

Yeah, goatee, tux shirt, faded jeans and all! That's my kind of candidate. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-19T16:59:38-06:00

ID

113276

Comment

The question was: Who needs a bathroom break? Am I right?

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2007-06-19T17:08:22-06:00

ID

113277

Comment

ROTFL

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-06-19T17:09:27-06:00

ID

113278

Comment

Snicker.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-19T17:19:14-06:00

ID

113279

Comment

I think that was the part where I was saying "please, please...sit down...that is enough adulation." Either that or I was giving the benediction. Or admitting I'm a blog-aholic. Or showing off my new prosthetic arm. I hate pictures of myself. ;-)

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2007-06-19T19:19:24-06:00

ID

113280

Comment

I hate most of my pictures, too. To me, my head looks like a big meatball. :-P

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-06-19T19:26:32-06:00

ID

113281

Comment

I heard that Todd was asking for a show of hands of who wanted to meet him for karaoke later at the hotel bar.

Author

Dr. S

Date

2007-06-20T16:14:26-06:00

ID

113282

Comment

Something interesting in the Albany Democrat-Herald article: "She found both, however, while working in DJ jobs in northern states." Donna, I didn't know you were a DJ. Cool! Any maybe it's just me, but Todd looks like a younger (and sober) Billy Joel.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-06-20T19:56:56-06:00

ID

113283

Comment

Yes, I was a club deejay for about a decade in several states. That's what funded my early writing careeer. ;-) I was a radio jock for a couple years. That was OK, but it didn't pay as well as club work, and it was lonely.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-21T09:12:58-06:00

ID

113284

Comment

donna do you still do any deejaying?

Author

jd

Date

2007-06-21T09:21:10-06:00

ID

113285

Comment

No, not really. I'm way out of practice. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-06-21T09:39:30-06:00