18th Annual Bill of Rights Dinner

Texas Civil Rights Project

Celebrating Civil Rights and the Arts:
From Sojourner Truth to “La Causa,” Still Lifting Our Voices, Still Raising Our
Consciousness — An Evening of Song, Theater, and Visual Arts

Join us for a special performance by Broadway star

and human rights activist

Vinie Burrows

for her widely acclaimed one-woman show

and an interpretive reading from Sojourner Truth.

Including

A political cartoon display by Pulitzer Prize winner Ben Sargent

John Langmore’s photographic exhibit “Fault Line: A Portrait of East Austin”

Songs from “La Causa” by Austin musician Gustavo Rodriguez

Austin Jazz Workshop

Plus a special guest performance by the kids of Paul Green School of Rock

Friday, October 3rd, 2008
University of Texas Alumni Center (Map)

Sponsors Reception 6:00pm

General Reception 6:30pm
Dinner 7:30pm

Emcee, Sarah Weddington
Event Committee:
Ada Anderson
Ouisa Davis
Dick DeGuerin
Mike McKetta
Lynn and Tom Meredith
Frank Newton
Renato Ramirez
Bernard & Audre Rapoport

For more information please contact Susan Harry at (512)542-9744 or susan@susanharry.com.

***************************************************

The Bill of Rights Dinner celebrates the Bill of Rights of the United States, and honors individuals striving for human rights while raising funds to help low-income Texans.

At the 2008 Bill of Rights Dinner, please join us in honoring:

VINIE BURROWS, with the Michael Tigar Center Human Rights Award

As a young performer, Vinie Burrows was undaunted by the dearth of quality roles on the legitimate stage for black performers. And so she created her own solo productions, which quickly became widely acclaimed and earning her numerous theatrical awards. The major thrust of her life has been to carry the message of peace, justice, and reconciliation through theatre art. Now — as an actor, writer, director, producer, and human rights activist, Vinnie, a great-grandmother, now belongs to the Granny Peace Brigade. TCRP is proud to honor Vinie Burrows, not only for her contributions as an artist, but for her activities on behalf of women and people of color.

BEN SARGENT, with the Molly Ivins “Give ‘em Hell” Award

A sixth-generation Texan, Ben Sargent was born in Amarillo in 1948 into a newspaper family. He learned the printing trade at age 12 and started working for the local daily as a proof runner at 14. Ben attended Amarillo College and later transferred to The University of Texas at Austin where he received a bachelor of journalism degree in 1970. He worked as a reporter for five years, mainly covering the State Capitol, for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Long News Service, the Austin American-Statesman, and United Press International. He started drawing editorial cartoons for the Austin American-Statesman in August 1974, which are distributed nationally by Universal Press Syndicate. Ben’s political cartoons are among the best in the country, and often focus on human rights and civil liberty. Ben’s artistic work and political acumen were recognized and rightly honored with the Pulitzer Prize in 1982. Ben uses his drawing pen and artist’s eye to be one of Texas’ foremost advocates of justice and fairness.

DR. ELOISA G. TAMÉZ, with the Henry B. González Award A Dr. Eloisa Taméz owns land that was part of a Spanish land grant given to her family since approximately 1767. Dr. Taméz was the first landowner to stand up against the Department of Homeland Security’s plan to build a non-continuous wall as much as a mile north of the Texas Mexico border. When many others were scared of speaking out against the U.S. government or felt like there was no use, Dr. Taméz demanded that the government provide her details about their plans for her land and was a vocal critic of the injustice of a 18 foot fence planned to run through the middle of her ancestral lands. She worked to organize community meetings to educate herself and other landowners on their rights, built a national coalition of people working against the Wall, and was sued in federal court for her resistance. She demanded that the federal government follow the law when trying to gain access to her land, and she received a positive ruling from a federal district court. Dr. Taméz has also been working to include cities and counties along the border as parties to the action to stop the Wall from being built.

Austin Jazz Workshop Musicians:

Michael Melinger (saxophone) has performed with Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Sample of the Crusaders, Marty Ehrlich, and many others. He has a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, and has performed and taught in Texas and Oregon for twenty-five years. Michael founded the Austin Jazz Workshop project in 1994.

Jimmy Shortell (trumpet) is much in demand as a freelance trumpet player, having recorded twenty-five CD’s with such artists as Ruben Ramos, Townes Van Zandt, and Little Joe y la Familia. He plays in the Austin area with Los Jazz Vatos, the Tony Campise Orchestra, the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble, and many others.

Randy Zimmerman (trombone) is a regular member of the Creative Opportunity Orchestra, the Austin Jazz Orchestra, Pinnacle Brass Quintet, Jazz PR, and many others. A University of North Texas graduate, he has over twenty-five years of performing and teaching experience.

Russell Scanlon (banjo) has been the driving force of many great Austin bands, including Susanna Sharpe and the Samba Police, Tamasha Africana, and the Crying Monkeys. A tremendously talented guitarist, he also strums a mean banjo.