Spring Break
Anti-Defamation League, Nutter speak out at Drexel CoL
Ashley Peskoe
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: News
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The conference, held in Drexel University's College of Law, targeted high school students.
The University's College of Law has been working with the ADL for the past four months to schedule this event. The school donated the use of the building for the event as well as for a breakfast for the students.
"The University has tried to contribute their space to community organizations that need the space when we have it available," Roger Dennis, dean of the College of Law, said.
The conference consisted of 70 to 100 high school students from about 20 different area schools. "No Place for Hate" directly contacted some of these schools through the ADL, while other schools contacted the ADL after hearing about the program from schools already involved, according to Boyette. Most of the attendees were juniors and seniors in high school.
"It was a really nice outreach for us," Leslie Friedman, assistant to the dean of the College of Law, said.
During the conference, the students broke into groups and participated in three different workshops on identity, prejudices and stereotyping through videos, discussions and speakers, including Michael Nutter Mayor-elect.
Nutter was invited to speak at the conference by the ADL.
"He talked about the changing face of Philadelphia and society as a whole and the importance of learning to live in a diverse community and the value of diversity," Lisa Stewart, project director for "No Place for Hate," said. "He talked about learning to respect differences and the things students can actually do to change their environment and their communities."
At the event, Nutter said, "The work that the Anti-Defamation League's Youth Conference is engaged in is critically important to the future of this city. We need to confront prejudice and hate wherever it rears its ugly head and celebrate, not hide our diversity."
According to Boyette, Nutter was very responsive to students during the question-and-answer session after he addressed them.
"He asked the students the very next day to just say "help" to somebody they didn't know. He also told the kids when they were 18 to vote because he said that that was their voice," Boyette said.
The law school was not responsible for the content of the program, according to Dennis.
However, Dennis said, "[It was] nice positive publicity for the Law School getting our name out there and getting a little clip on TV with the mayor here showing off the quality of the venue."
Overall, the ADL considered this a successful conference and hopes to expand it next year, according to Boyette.
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