Morris Dees, chief trial counselor for the Southern Poverty Law Center and a renowned human rights activist, said Wednesday that young people should be aware of discrimination and how to combat it.
"I think it's important that young people see the big picture, in addition to what's going on day to day," he said. "This helps them to get a real understanding of the problems facing our nation, and how we can go about dealing with them."
Dees spoke to a crowd of more than 300 at Woodward Hall Wednesday night about issues ranging from tolerance to political corruption.
Dees took the podium to a standing ovation from an audience that was as diverse in age as it was in ethnic diversity. His speech used examples of human rights leaders from America's past such as Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Eleanor Roosevelt to illustrate his message of peace and prosperity through understanding.
The center, an organization that Dees co-founded, "combats hate, intolerance and discrimination through education and litigation," according to its mission statement.
Dees was brought to Albuquerque by the New Mexico Foundation For Human Rights Projects, and Wednesday's event was put on with the help of the UNM School of Law, said Regina Turner, director of NMFHRP.
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"We are a small, nonprofit organization, but we do big things," Turner said. She added that NMFHRP was particularly interested in providing an inspirational model for middle and high school aged kids, and to educate them on the dangers of discrimination, and to let them know they can make a difference.
John Feldman, director of Career Services at the UNM School of Law, said that the center is an interesting organization that is doing important work in fighting hate groups, among countless other things.
"For law students in particular, Dees and his work represent a model for the potent social force that the law can be," Feldman said.
Dees will speak on Thursday at the Convention Center's Kiva Auditorium to a group of 2,200 middle and high school kids, Turner said. She added that Dees' message has the ability to reach a wide range of age groups.
"We need to have people like Dees come to UNM because discrimination is as big an issue here as it is anywhere else, and people like (Dees) refuse to believe that can't be fixed," said Ken Feldman, a sophomore majoring in University Studies. "It really comes across in his message."
Dees closed his speech with a short question-and-answer session and a challenge.
"The best self interest of this nation is served by making sure there's equal and fair opportunity for everyone," he said. "This is often slow and difficult, but I know it'll happen."
