The conference will include a keynote address by Assistant Albany CountyAttorney, Douglas Astralaga, panel discussions titled, "The Color Issue: NotEnough of This or Too Much of That" and "Self Determination," and a workshop,"What Does it Mean to be a Man of Color?"
Astralaga, a former assistant program director for the Higher EducationOpportunity Program (HEOP) at Hamilton, received his B.A. from SUNY New Paltzin 1989 and his J.D. from Thomas Cooley Law School in Lansing, Mich. in 1993.During his career, he has served as session assistant for the N.Y.S. Senate,and is a member of various organizations such as the American Trial LawyersAssociation, the American Bar Association and the United Way of Central NewYork.
John Robertson, a psychologist in private practice in Utica, will lead thepanel discussion, "The Color Issue: Not Enough of This or Too Much of That."Robertson received his B.A. from Michigan State University, his M.Ed. fromColumbia University-Teachers College and his Ph.D. from New York University in1984. Robertson is a former director of an alcoholism treatment center and isa member of various professional and community organizations including theNational Black Alcoholism and Addictions Council, the Utica Chapter of theNAACP and the American Psychological Association.
Greg Thomas, who will speak at the workshop, "What Does it Mean to be a Man ofColor?" graduated from Hamilton in 1985. Following graduation, he worked withthe Buy Freedom campaign, an economic and community development programspearheaded by broadcast journalist Tony Brown. His success in the campaignled to Thomas being designated as the campaign's national administrator. Inthe late 1980s, he wrote, produced, directed, narrated and edited several video documentaries,including an award-winning work titled "Traditional and Wholistic Healthcare in the African-American Community." Currently, Thomas is an academic coordinator with the COMET program, a community development organization which works in coordination with the school administration and faculty of JHS 117 in Brooklyn and parents, to ensure that their children graduate with the academic and lifeskills necessary to succeed.
Finally, the Honorable Jawaad Abdur-Rasheed will lead the second paneldiscussion, "Self-Determination," at the conference. Judge Rasheed presidesover the Rome Family Court and has served on the boards of several profit andnot-for-profit corporations including Save Our Children, the Urban League, theBlack Scholars Program and the ABC Program.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. in the Bristol Campus Center. For moreinformation, call Tom Royal at 859-4397.
