Trafficking for Soldiers
Ever wonder why American kids would decide to join jihadist groups? Mohamed Ahmed did when he saw some in his Minnesota community joining Al Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda group, and ISIS. "There was no counter-narrative against this extremist recruitment. That was an eye-opener, and he decided to do something about it." All persuasion is about talking, and that's what Ahmed did. At Not Your Average Mohamed: How One Man Is Combating Child Soldier Recruitment, the founder of Average Mohamed will discuss his beginnings as a blue-collar worker and how he has battled extremism "one cartoon at a time." Ahmed founded this organization that promotes ideas of counterterrorism through the use of popular culture. Westminster College, Gore Auditorium, 1840 S. 1300 East, Wednesday, June 22, 7 p.m. Free/register at bit.ly/3lHGqJk
Juneteenth—What and Why?
This is the first year that Juneteenth is an official state holiday in Utah, commemorating the 1865 emancipation of enslaved African Americans. It started in Galveston, Texas, and has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States since 1865. Juneteenth became a federal holiday on June17, 2021, when President Bidensigned the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. And because this year is a particularly special occasion for the state, there are many events to choose from and this is only a smattering.
The Summer of Color march begins at The Sun Trapp, 102 S. 600 West, Sunday, June 19, noon- 6 p.m., free, https://bit.ly/3aI6Yrq
The Salt Lake Juneteenth Celebration & Black Owned Business Expo will showcase the diverse entrepreneurial spirit as well as the artistic talents of Black artists. The Gateway, 18 N. Rio Grande, Monday, June 20, noon-dusk, free. https://bit.ly/3O55whh
And Learning, Preserving & Telling the Stories of Juneteenth will bring it all into perspective and take you through the history that led to this moment in time. University of Utah Park Building, 201 President's Circle, Tuesday, June 21, 9 a.m. Free/register at https://bit.ly/3xiJssF
Gotta Love Those Murals
Park City is home to Utah's only Banksy painting, but our local mural artists have created wonderful and inspirational pieces. Now you can see and learn about them at Art Talk—Beyond the Wall: Community, Murals and Museums. This will be a conversation with "Utah-based muralists Bill Louis, Chuck Landvatter, Evlyn Haupt, Louis Novoa, Miguel Galaz and Viamoana Niumatolu. Moderator Renato Olmedo-Gonzalez, public art manager for Salt Lake City, will guide us as we unpack muralism in the museum space, the impact it has on the community and the future of murals in Utah." Virtual and Utah Museum of Fine Arts, 410 Campus Center Drive, Saturday, June 18, 1:30 p.m., free. https://bit.ly/3xFNQ6H
