Benefit Dinners offer opportunities for supporters to learn how Facing History impacts teachers and their students. Previous keynote speakers at benefits have included Senator Barack Obama, Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, NPR journalist Scott Simon, Pulitzer-prize winning author Samantha Power, and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Romeo Dallaire, former Force Commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda. Benefit Dinners are held in Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Upcoming Benefit Dinners
15th Annual New York Benefit Dinner [1]
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers
6:30 - Reception
7:30 - Dinner and Program
Benefit Dinner Co-Chairs: Jane & Norm Alpert and Rikki & Barry Kaplan
3rd Annual Cleveland Benefit Dinner [2]
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
6:00pm - Reception
7:00pm - Dinner & Program
Benefit Co-Chairs: Heather Ross-Lowenstein & Irwin Lowenstein and Linda & Philip Alexander
Keynote Speaker: Loung Ung, survivor of Cambodian genocide, activist, and author of First They Killed My Father and Lucky Child
12th Annual Memphis Benefit Dinner [3]
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Peabody Hotel, 6-9 pm
This year we are honoring two very special gems of Facing History and Ourselves—"living treasures," they've been called: Dr. Leon Bass and Mrs. Nina Katz.
Los Angeles Benefit Dinner
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
San Francisco Benefit Dinner
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Denver Benefit Dinner
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Chicago Benefit Dinner
Friday, May 8, 2009
| Sort by Title [4] | Date [5] | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
 [6] | Student Francheska B. Speaks at the 2008 Chicago Benefit Dinner [7]Francheska, an 8th grade Facing History student from Lowell Elementary School, speaks at the 2008 Chicago Benefit Dinner. | Apr 22 2008 | Chicago, IL |
Educator Leon Bass Speaks at the 2008 Facing History Benefit Dinner [9]Educator and Holocaust witness Leon Bass was honored at Facing History and Ourselves' 2008 Chicago Benefit dinner for many years of speaking for the organization. Bass captivated the audience with recollections of life in Jim Crow America and the pain created by his experience as a witness at Buchenwald, which he hid for many years. Bass is introduced by Margot Stern Strom. | Apr 22 2008 | Chicago, IL | |
 [10] | Student Ibtesam A. Speaks at the 2008 New England Benefit Dinner [11]Student Ibtesam A., a native of Pakistan, spoke at the 24th Annual New England Dinner about the major impact that Facing History has had on his outlook and way of thinking. He describes how, in the course of making a video to explore the moral dilemma of whether his universe of obligation includes Pakistan, he discovers that his universe of obligation extends to the whole world. | Apr 15 2008 | New England |
 [12] | Samantha Power speaks with Dora, a Facing History Student [13]Author and Harvard professor Samantha Power spoke with Facing History students at the March 2008 Los Angeles Benefit. In this clip, Dora, a student at the California Academy of Math and Science, talks about starting a human rights club in her school and asks Power about how to help people develop a sense of moral obligation. Power gives suggestions about how to raise awareness, particularly about the genocide in Darfur, and explains how individual actions and letter-writing have had an effect. | Mar 19 2008 | Los Angeles, CA |
 [14] | Samantha Power speaks with Luis, a Facing History Student [15]Author and Harvard professor Samantha Power spoke with Facing History students at the March 2008 Los Angeles Benefit. Luis, a student from Garfield High School in L.A., describes how Facing History has helped him think about his choices. He asks Power about how people can find the courage to do what they think is right. Power acknowledges how difficult it is to take a stand. She also speaks about how everyone has many aspects of their identity, but in times of crisis we tend to focus on only one part of our own identity or that of others. | Mar 19 2008 | Los Angeles, CA |
 [16] | Don Cheadle thanks Facing History [17]Actor and Human Rights Activist Don Cheadle spoke at the 2008 Los Angeles Benefit Dinner at the Beverly Hills Hotel in March. In this clip, Cheadle describes getting to know Facing History through his participation last year in our Community Conversations in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Cleveland. | Mar 19 2008 | Los Angeles, CA |
Student Khadija H. Speaks at the 2007 Memphis Benefit Dinner [19]Khadija H., a Facing History student, and a survivor of Rwanda and Somalia, speaks at the 2007 Memphis Benefit Dinner about her understanding her own identity. | Nov 8 2007 | Memphis, TN | |
Teacher Hardy T. speaks at the 2007 Memphis Dinner [21]Hardy T., a Facing History teacher, speaks at the 2007 Memphis Benefit Dinner | Nov 8 2007 | Memphis, TN | |
Yvonne Campbell, Holocaust Survivor, Speaks at 2007 New York Benefit [23]Yvonne Campbell tells the story of how her Jewish family had to leave their home in France. They become refugees in southern France, and she and her sister survived the Holocaust hidden in an orphanage. The family was eventually reunited. | Oct 18 2007 | New York City, NY | |
 [24] | Teacher Janelle P. speaks at the 2007 New York Benefit Dinner [25]Janelle P., a teacher at the Essex Street School in New York, speaks about the introduction of Facing History and Ourselves to her school. She provides examples of ways Facing History has touched the lives of the students individually and made an impact on the school as a whole.
| Oct 18 2007 | New York City, NY |