University Park, IL—(ENEWSPF)— “Storming the Gates,” a 25 minute documentary film, on minority access to higher education will be screened at Governors State University on July 14, at 5 p.m., in Engbretson Hall. A panel discussion will follow to investigate the issue further.
The Illinois African American and Latino Higher Education Alliance (IALHEA) produced the film, which chronicles the African American and Latino quest for access and equity in Illinois colleges and universities. Minority presence on college resulted from tremendous struggle and sacrifice, and the struggle continues. “Storming the Gates” illustrates the links between access and the civil rights movements of Blacks and Latinos in the sixties and seventies. It highlights the importance and the central role Illinois played in the national struggle for access and equity.
A panel of education leaders and experts, many who appear in the documentary, will discuss the contemporary significance of the struggle. Panel members will include D.J. Wells, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, Urban Health Program, University of Illinois at Chicago and adjunct professor at GSU, and Dr. Michael Toney, Executive Director, Urban Health Program, University of Illinois at Chicago and producer of the video.
The event is free, open to the public, and sponsored by Access to a College Education Student Support Services (ACESSS) and Student Life at GSU. Governors State University is located at 1 University Parkway, University Park, Illinois. For more information, call (708) 534-4552.
