OLASTEO Presents: Genocide Awareness & Prevention Month Community Events

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Apr 02, 2021, 08:46 ET

LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OLASTEO (our lives as seen through each other) is hosting four virtual community events throughout April in honor of Genocide Awareness & Prevention Month (GAPM).

"The foundation of OLASTEO programming is rooted in educating our scholars about both past and contemporary genocides so that they can embark on missions to combat these mass atrocities in the future. It is essential that we shine a light on those voices and films telling the stories young people should hear as they strive to be upstanders," said Ceci Friedman, Co-Founder of OLASTEO.

OLASTEO (our lives as seen through each other) is hosting four virtual community events throughout April in honor of Genocide Awareness & Prevention Month (GAPM).

The OLASTEO GAPM event lineup kicks off on the evening of Tuesday, April 6, at 6:00 p.m. PDT with a special community movie night featuring the eye-opening 2005 film, Sometimes in April. Starring Idris Elba, this historical drama is focused on the 1994 Rwandan Genocide Against the Tutsi. The following evening, Wednesday, April 7, at 5:00 p.m. PDT marks the first of two OLASTEO GAPM Speaker Series events, with Dydine Umunyana, a storyteller, human rights advocate, a survivor of the Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi, and Co-Founder of Umuco Love.

On Thursday, April 22 at 6:00 p.m. PDT, the second of the two OLASTEO community movie nights will feature the powerful 2016 film, The Promise. Starring Angela Sarafyan, Charlotte Le Bon, Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac, and Shohreh Aghdashloo, this historical drama's purpose was to bring attention to the story of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

The final event for OLASTEO's 2021 GAPM programming will showcase the story of Arno Michaelis, who was once a leader of a worldwide racist skinhead organization and a reverend of a self-declared Racial Holy War. But single parenthood, love for his daughter, and the forgiveness shown by people he once hated all helped to turn Arno's life around, bringing him to embrace diversity and practice gratitude for all life. This highly anticipated GAPM Speaker Series event will occur on Wednesday, April 28, at 5:00 p.m. PDT.

The first 20 students to register for either or both of the GAPM Virtual Movie Nights will receive curated "snack packs" delivered to their doors, filled with goodies from culturally relevant small businesses and partners such as Silverback Coffee of Rwanda, Jaliz Cuisine of East Africa, La Monarca Bakery & Cafe, Rose and Rye, Papillon Bakery, Sasoun Bakery, Ara the Rat, Pipsnacks, PathWater, and more.

Follow OLASTEO on social media (@OLASTEO) to learn more about our April Speaker Series & Virtual Movie Night events. The registration links are as follows:

ABOUT OLASTEO

At OLASTEO (our lives as seen through each other), our mission is to create experiences that empower students to serve as catalysts for social impact. We do this by curating a roster of influential speakers, interactive workshops, and immersive trips, exposing our scholars to a broad range of perspectives and possibilities. With expanded mindsets, OLASTEO alumni are better prepared to take on the world and give back to their communities. Our work is centered around the South Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts, where we provide diverse and unique opportunities within and beyond LA.

Contact:

Aaron Friedman, Executive Director
OLASTEO
(504) 782-4820
[email protected]
https://olasteo.org/

SOURCE OLASTEO