January 31, 2017

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MILWAUKEE — As part of Marquette University's annual Mission Week, activist Bree Newsome, Rev. Bryan Massingale and Rev. Jim Wallis will be the featured guests for an "On the Issues with Mike Gousha" on Tuesday, Feb. 7. That evening, Rev. Wallis and Newsome will present the Mission Week opening keynote address.

During Mission Week, Marquette invites students, faculty, staff and members of the Milwaukee community to join in a week of study, listening, dialogue and prayer. This year's theme is "Racial Justice: Black, White and the Call of the Church."

Newsome is a filmmaker, musician, speaker, and activist. On June 27, 2015, in the aftermath of the hate-fueled killing of nine African-American churchgoers in Charleston, Newsome scaled the flagpole on the South Carolina statehouse grounds and removed the Confederate flag.

Rev. Massingale is a theology professor at Fordham University. A former Marquette professor, he is one of the world's leading Catholic social ethicists and scholars of racial justice, African-American theological ethics and liberation theology. Rev. Massingale also will give the Mission Week closing keynote.

Rev. Wallis is the president and founder of Sojourners, and is a public theologian, speaker, and best-selling author. His latest book, published in 2016, is titled "America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege and the Bridge to a New America."

Wallis, Newsome and Massingale for "On the Issues" from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. at Eckstein Hall. This event is at capacity for members of the general public; registration for a waiting list is available online.

Wallis and Newsome then will join Dr. William Welburn, the executive director of Marquette's Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, for a discussion of the history of racism in America, the legacy of racism in the South and the Gospel call to social action. The event, held in the Alumni Memorial Union from 6 to 7 p.m., is open to the public; registration is required and is available online.

Members of the media who would like to attend either event, or any of our other Mission Week events, can contact Chris Jenkins in the Office of Marketing and Communication at (414) 288-4745 or christopher.t.jenkins@marquette.edu.

A full schedule of Mission Week events is available online. They include:

Sunday, Feb. 5

Mission Week Mass11:30 a.m., Church of the Gesu

Monday, Feb. 6

The Making of Milwaukee 53206: A Community Serves Time
Noon - 1 p.m., Alumni Memorial Union, Monaghan Ballroom

Film Screening: Milwaukee 53206
5 - 6 p.m., Weasler Auditorium

Dialogue Dinner: Milwaukee 53206
6 - 8 p.m., Alumni Memorial Union, Monaghan Ballroom

Wednesday, Feb. 8

March on Milwaukee 50th: 200 Nights of Freedom — Community Brainstorming Workshop
4 - 6 p.m., Alumni Memorial Union, 163

Ex Fabula Storytelling Event
5:30 - 8:30 p.m., Alumni Memorial Union, Monaghan Ballroom

Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017

"Thank You M'am": A Shared Inquiry Discussion of a Story by Langston Hughes
Noon - 1:15 p.m., Alumni Memorial Union, Room 227

Closing Keynote: Racial Justice: The Call of the Church
6 - 7 p.m., Weasler Auditorium

Friday, Feb. 10

Closing Symposium
9 a.m. - Noon, Alumni Memorial Union, Monaghan Ballroom