LatinoJustice PRLDEF to file Amicus challenging Arizona Law

LatinoJustice PRLDEF is preparing to file an Amicus Curiae brief on behalf of Latino and other Civil Rights Organizations challenging Arizona Law SB 1070.

SB 1070, which was signed by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on April, 23, is scheduled to take effect 90 days after the legislative session ends this week.

The law makes it a misdemeanor to lack proper immigration documents in Arizona. It requires police officers, if they form a “reasonable suspicion” that someone is undocumented, to determine the person’s immigration status. Another provision of the new law makes it a crime for an undocumented person to be in Arizona.

See the full article here

The Westboro Baptist Church comes to Richmond

My interview with President Rao

Michael Rao started as the president of Virginia Commonwealth University in July. While he has been here for less than six months, Rao said he is working to understand what the university needs in a time when the university is struggling with it’s budget. In Wednesday’s interview, he spoke about the progress of his goals and plans for the university. He spoke of the changes necessary for the university to survive the down economy as well as the need for unity and pride among the VCU community. Check out the questions and audio responses from the president on The Commonwealth Times Web site.

Trevor Dickerson on twitter and social media

Holy Networking

Everyone is looking for a best way to get their name out there. They’re using social networking like twitter and LinkedIn. They’re trying to stay involved with professional networking groups. One of the best ways to network is through face-to-face contact. News Channel 5 of Tennessee reported today that Brentwood United Methodist Church is offering career advice services in conjunction with prayer. Next week, they’ll be coupling their free advice with a free dinner.

Is this something that we could use more of in Virginia? I don’t just mean the free dinners.

Maybe more people need to make use of their social and community connections to network. Who is doing it well? What makes them more successful than others?

Richmond-area dentists offer Halloween candy buy back

What a great idea! Dentists in Richmond are hosting events to buy back excess Halloween candy. The candy is then sent oversees through Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization operating out of California. May be spreading the cavities abroad but I guarantee those mouths will be smiling. According to the Times-Dispatch report, “The candy will be added to care packages for individual soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and on ships off the coast.”

Read the full report here.

What the tweet?

So, a lot of my peers give mixed reviews about twitter. Even within student media it seems like twitter is something that you either love or hate. Some people think it’s irrelevant because it is representative of so few of the population. Some think it has revolutionized communication and social interaction. What do you think?

It’s even boggled my mind just how much of an impact twitter has had so quickly. I remember discussing twitter as an emerging media last year and now it has evolved so rapidly. Journalists increasingly making use of  twitter. Joe Grimm has made several posts on his JobsPage about using twitter.

What about all the site to organize tweets like monitter, twittervision, tweet deck

How do we use twitter to make the most out of communication not just throwing out information?

Willie B. Fuller charges dropped; what do students think?

Charges against former VCU police chief William B. Fuller were dropped on Sept.10 after authorities learned Fuller now has dementia, as a result of a diabetes-related seizure. Fuller was charged with soliciting sex to a minor in last January. He was caught by a Chesterfield County police officer posing as a 14-year-old girl. We asked students how they felt about the charges being dropped.

Created Sept. 13 2009

VCU Multicultural Village and Taste of Culture 2009

VCU Multicultural Village and Taste of Culture 2009

VCU organizations gathered in the Commons Ballroom in the center of campus to celebrate diversity.

Created Aug. 27, 2009

H1N1 at VCU

H1N1 at VCU

Created Sept. 11 2009