Corinne Ramey

Missed the Benefit? Check it out on YouTube!

At DMI's Annual Benefit last night, we heard from some great speakers -- including our three Drum Major for Justice honorees -- NYC Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito, PowerPAC.org founder Steve Phillips, and David Simon, the creator and producer of The Wire -- on issues of cities and the importance of public policy. Just in case you missed the Benefit, I'm posting some clips from the speakers below.

David Simon spoke on the issues that have been ignored this election and the role of the media. "If you want to watch this election and find out what anyone thinks about housing policy or cities or No Child Left Behind, short of the most grandiose statements -- knowledge is good, education is good, everyone should have housing -- it is a vacuum," he said. "We elect people in a vacuum."

Andrea Batista Schlesinger spoke on the importance of cities and the absence of urban issues from the national conversation. "We have yet to have a substantive conversation about urban America," she said. Watch the YouTube clip here, and for more on cities check out the new interview on MayorTV.

New York City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito discussed her role as an elected official and the work that she believes still needs to be done for her constituents. "There are those of us who are truly inspired by the people we meet each and every day, that are moved by the educational, economic, health, and social disparities that are too often the reality in this land of plenty," she said, speaking of herself and other elected officials.

Check out her entire speech on YouTube:

Samantha Contreras, a DMI scholar, spoke about the hardships she encountered as an undocumented immigrant and the role that public policy has played in allowing her to attend college.

When she graduated from high school, Samantha realized the difficulties that she faced. "I learned the reality of my immigration status," she said. "I couldn't work, I couldn't go to college, I couldn't drive, I couldn't even get a Blockbuster membership card."

Watch her speech on YouTube.

For these videos and more, check out DMI's YouTube Channel!

Corinne Ramey: Author Bio | Other Posts
Posted at 2:29 PM, May 21, 2008 in Drum Major Institute
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