FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alison L. Phillips
(757) 727-5754
alison.phillips@hamptonu.edu
HU SUMMIT ADDRESSES U.S. MARRIAGE CRISIS
Hampton, Va. – More than 100 prominent leaders will gather at Hampton University to discuss the state of marriage and families in the U.S. The HU National Summit on Marriage, Parenting and Families will be held on Sept. 29-30 in the Student Center Ballroom. This groundbreaking event will explore the declining status of today’s marriages and the importance of healthy, effective parenting in the U.S. The summit will streamline live on the web at www.hamptonu.edu for the public.
Panel discussions featuring leaders in business, media and entertainment, military, religion, politics and education will research findings on the status of marriage, parenting and families and the consequences of the weakening of family relationships in the U.S. They will also explore creative and effective ways of moving marriage and family research evidence from academic journals to classrooms and the American public.Panelists include Joshua DuBois, head of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships; clinical psychologist and television personality Jeff Gardere; Paula Parker-Sawyers, director of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy; actors and producers Tim and Daphne Reid; and Douglas Wilder, former governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
An index on the state of marriage in the U.S. will be released at the summit. The U.S. Marriage Index uses specific measurement indicators to track the health of American marriages through the past forty years and assess areas of improvement for the future. This index is a product of a partnership between HU and the Institute for American Values.
“We’re really focused on raising awareness about the crisis of marriage in the U.S. But we’re also solutions focused, identifying what it is we can do to address this issue,” explained Dr. Linda Malone-Colon, chair of the Summit and director of the HU National Center on African American Marriages and Parenting (NCAAMP), to be launched at the summit.
The summit will also feature:Summit Luncheon: Sept. 29 at 11:30 a.m., Student Center Ballroom. Featuring the Rev. Jacqui Hood Martin, founder of Jacqui Hood Ministries, as keynote speaker.
Fundraising Gala Dinner Event: Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m., HU Convocation Center. Open to the public. Featuring Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga., as keynote speaker. Ticket prices are $60 individual, $100 per couple with funds going to support NCAAMP. For ticket information, please contact (757) 728-4912.
Hampton University
Hampton University, a dynamic, progressive institution of higher education, is a privately-endowed, non-profit, non-sectarian, co-educational, historically black university. It is located in southeastern Virginia and boasts one of the loveliest campuses in the nation, with a picturesque waterfront and historic buildings and landmarks. Comprised of seven schools, a Graduate College and a College of Education and Continuing Studies, Hampton University is among the leaders in higher education.
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Editor’s Note: An executive summary of the U.S. Marriage Index, detailing methodology and measurement indicators, is available upon request.
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