Hope Over Hate - A Community Conversation
Thu 5/9
6:00 pm - Doors Open |
7:00 pm - Presentation
Location:
Main Theatre
2024
Runtime:
90 minutes
Genre:
Biography
General Admission - FREE - BY RESERVATION ONLY.
Please join us for a special community event, “Hope Over Hate”, on Thursday, May 9 at 7pm.
Rev. Dr. Joe Cobb will serve as a moderator for a discussion with the co-founders of Serve2Unite, an organization that seeks to address the root causes of hate-motivated violence. The speakers are Pardeep Singh Kaleka whose father, the leader of a Wisconsin Sikh Temple, was one of six people shot and killed by a white supremacist, and Arno Michaelis, who helped found that very same white supremacy organization. The story is of how understanding, hope, and friendship can overcome hate.
Pardeep Singh Kaleka - a native of Punjab, India, Pardeep grew up in Milwaukee and received his B.A. at Marquette University and an M.S. at Alverno College. Prior to becoming the Executive Director of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, he served his community as a police officer and educator in the inner city, and as a therapist and counselor working in holistic trauma-informed treatment with survivors of assault, abuse, and acts of violence. With Arno Michaelis, his is the co-founder of Serve2Unite, an educational organization engaging students to address social issues including racism, sexism, homophobia, religious intolerance, Holocaust rememberance, and genocide prevention.
Arno Michaelis - is an award-winner speaker and educator who in the late 1980's and early 1990's was a founding member of the white supremacist group known as Hammerskin Nation and lead singer of the hate-metal band Centurion. Single parenthood, the love for his daughter, and the forgiveness shown by people he once hated all helped to turn his life around, leading him to embrace diversity and practice gratitude for all life, while speaking out against hate and violence. He is the author of MY LIFE AFTER HATE and co-founder with Pardeep of Serve2Unite. Arno enjoys spending time with his daughter, art, music, and all forms of fearless expression.