Philanthropy Breakfast Celebrating Black History Month, Featuring Dr. Dorothy Cotton

Date: 02/22/2012 Time: 07:30 AM – 09:00 AM Location: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, 451 N Lexington Pkwy, St. Paul, MN, 55104

Hosted by Youthprise, AALF, Minnesota Blacks in Philanthropy, Cultural Wellness Center, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, Headwaters Foundation for Justice, and Minnesota Council on Foundations

Fee: Free, Registration Required

Register Online through Eventbrite at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2788220643

Description: "When We Believed: Renewing Hope in the Power of Minnesota's Youth" Black History Month Philanthropy Breakfast Featuring Dr. Dorothy Cotton, former Education Director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference

As a member of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s inner circle, Dr. Dorothy Cotton championed the power and promise of youth during a time when civil rights leaders worked proactively to build collaboration between young and old influencers alike. Dr. King and others promoted the vision of the "beloved community" where all of our destinies are integrally interwoven, with an unshakeable belief that investment in the potential of each individual would benefit each community and ultimately the entire nation.

We invite you to join us for breakfast and songs from the movement as Dr. Cotton shares her lessons from the historic civil rights movement that can reignite our individual and collective hope for the future our youth deserve.

This event is sponsored by Youthprise in partnership with the African American Leadership Forum, Minnesota Blacks in Philanthropy, Cultural Wellness Center, Headwaters Foundation for Justice, Minnesota Council on Foundations and Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. The event is just one of many efforts in Youthprise’s ongoing endeavors to change Minnesota’s culture around youth, by transforming the common perception of youth to a vision of this population as viable, contributing members of society, fully able to realize their full capacity and potential. Youthprise is a new intermediary focused on increasing the quality, accessibility, sustainability and innovation of learning beyond the classroom so that all Minnesota youth thrive.

About the Speaker: Dorothy Cotton was the education director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for twelve years. Working closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Cotton served on his executive staff and was part of his entourage to Oslo, Norway, where he received the Nobel Peace Prize. She served as the vice president for field operations for the Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta.

She was the director of student activities at Cornell University for nine years and served as the Southeastern Regional Director of ACTION, the Federal Government's Agency for volunteer programs, for three years. She holds a Masters Degree from Boston University in the area of Special Education.