Katrina Hero Lt. General Russel Honoré Anchors Week-Long Roosevelt Relief: Hurricane Katrina College Summit at University of Michigan

April 3, 2007

Contact: Deborah Greene, (734) 763-4008, greenedm@umich.edu
Stephanie Somerman, (440) 773-7138, somerste@umich.edu
Kurston Cook, (734) 6048467, kccook@umich.edu

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Katrina Hero Lt. General Russel Honoré Anchors Week-Long Roosevelt Relief: Hurricane Katrina College Summit at University of Michigan

DATE: April 9-14, 2007.

EVENT: On April 10, Lt. General Russel Honoré, a hero of post- Katrina rescue and relief on the Gulf Coast, will deliver keynote remarks as part of the Gulf Coast Civic Works' National Post- Katrina College Summit at the University of Michigan. Formerly commander of Joint Task Force-Katrina, he currently serves as commanding general of the First U.S. Army.

April 10 event highlights:

1:30-3 p.m.: Keynote remarks by General Honoré, the Roosevelt Relief: Hurricane Katrina College Summit
Michigan League, Henderson Room, 911 North University, Ann Arbor.

3:30-5 p.m.: Reception and informal discussion with General Honoré,
Michigan League, Vandenberg Room.

Following the devastation of Katrina, General Honoré was hailed as a hero throughout the U.S. when he arrived in New Orleans as commander of the U.S. Department of Defense response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. His pivotal role was saluted by President George W. Bush, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, and thousands of others throughout the country and around the world. Spike Lee featured Honoré's effective and humane leadership in his Katrina documentary "When the Levees Broke."

General Honoré's remarks anchor the week-long Roosevelt Relief: Hurricane Katrina College Summit. In addition to General Honoré's keynote address and reception, the week-long summit will include:

-Film Screening: Spike Lee's "When the Levees Broke" Parts I-IV
April 9 and 10, 7-9 p.m., Forum Hall, Palmer Commons, 100 Washtenaw Ave.

-Policy Proposal Challenge
April 11, 7-9 p.m., Trotter Multicultural Center, 1443 Washtenaw Ave.


-Fundraising events
April 12 and 14, for details, see Web site:
http:// michigan.rooseveltinstitution.org/roosrelfw07

The University community and the general public are encouraged to participate in all summit events. Details are available online at http://michigan.rooseveltinstitution.org/roosrelfw07.

SPONSORS: The Roosevelt Relief: Hurricane Katrina College Summit at U-M is produced by the U-M chapter of the Roosevelt Institution, and co-sponsored by the U- M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; Dean of Students; School of Natural Resources and Environment, School of Social Work, Center for Afro-American and African Studies; the Army, Reserve Officers Training Corps; the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives; Comprehensive Studies Program; the U-M College Democrats, and others.

The Roosevelt Institution is a national non-profit college student think tank dedicated to development of progressive policy solutions ( http://rooseveltinstitution.org/).

The objective of Roosevelt Relief is to create policy initiatives that serve the Gulf Coast area to stimulate economic development, rebuild the educational system, address mental health issues, provide solutions to wetland and levee redevelopment, and place emphasis on the rights of internally displaced persons. Roosevelt Relief will culminate in a national publication and policy debate that will increase public policy awareness of the post-Katrina environment.