On Monday, Feb. 24, the Drake University Legal Clinic hosted an event in collaboration with the Des Moines chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to recognize the extraordinary life of Nelson Mandela in celebration of Black History Month.
The event, “The Nelson Mandela Story: A Remarkable Life and Legacy,” featured three speakers:
Mark Kende, James Madison Chair in Constitutional Law, director of the Constitutional Law Center, and professor of law at the Drake University Law School, offered his biographical experience living in South Africa for a year, focusing on the development of a democratic non-racist government under President Mandela’s direction.
Representative Ako Abdul-Samad, founder and CEO of Creative Visions Human Development Institute, gave a personal testimony on the ways he has been inspired as a social activist and community organizer by Mandela.
Professor Kesho Scott, professor and chair of the sociology department at Grinnell College and diversity training expert, discussed her philosophy on how Mandela has affected society’s ability to live in a less racist world.