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Contact:
Lila Cabbil, President Emeritus
(313) 965-0606
lcabbil@rosaparks.org

Thursday, March 02, 2006

Rosa Parks Institute’s European Lecture Series Scores Success for the United States

DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Ms. Anita Peek, Executive Director of the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development which is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, was awarded a U.S. Speaker and Specialist Grant by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Information Programs. Ms. Peek and Makia Gibson, a Rosa Parks Pathways to Freedom Alumnus, have conducted a lecture series in Paris, France, Pristina, Serbia and Montenegro, Tirana, Albania and Skopje, Macedonia. The Rosa Parks Institute had experienced a flood of request from all over the world and this grant provided a means of responding by rendering Mrs. Parks legacy in a program titled “Rosa Parks and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.”

Ms. Peek said “It has been a very ambitious undertaking with only one day off during the period from February 12th through March 2nd, 2006. But I keep getting re-energized by the response of the young people I meet. They love Mrs. Parks and consider her their heroine as well.” At each stop Makia Gibson shared opportunities for participating in future programs such as the 2006 Pathways to Freedom Program “Retracing the Life and Works of Rosa Parks.”

The Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute, founded in 1987 by Mrs. Rosa Parks, is her legacy organization carrying on her life work. “The mission is to motivate youth ages 11-17 to reach their highest potential”, said Ms. Elaine Steele, co-founder. Programs are based on the character and focus areas of Mrs. Rosa Parks. Because she was a global citizen, the Institute provides an international component “Crossing Borders” that prepares young people for interacting in multicultural settings.

Ms. Peek will be drafting an extensive report of the project for the State Department as well as sharing it with the seven (U.S. and international locations) Pathways to Freedom chapters, Institute partners, sponsors and friends. To learn more about the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute visit the website at www.rosaparks.org.