Students Meet Politicians in D.C. to End Modern Day Slavery

SUNY Rockland Students Meet Politicians in Washington, D.C., to End Modern Day Slavery

Suffern, NY - Dr. Cliff L. Wood, President of Rockland Community College of the State University of New York, and students Mark Svensson, Tarik Abdelqader and Andrew Newmark met in Washington, D.C., with elected officials to discuss the students’ work to end modern-day slavery.

On October 6, the students met with Congressman John Lewis of Georgia at the U.S. Capitol to present their campaign to enlist citizens to sign letters in support of anti-slavery legislation. The students also met with Congressman Eliot Engel, Congresswoman Nita Lowey and with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s General Council Michele Jawando.

Sophomore Mark Svensson of Orangeburg, N.Y., Treasurer, Student Government Association, said, "Congressman Lewis showed us pictures of himself with Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, the Kennedy brothers, and he spoke to us in depth on the issue of human rights and social justice." Congressman Lewis encouraged the students to continue their campaign to bring about awareness on the issue of modern-day slavery. The students’ goal is to present more than 100,000 signatures to Congress in Spring 2010.

Sophomore Tarik Abdelqader of New City, N.Y., President, Rockland Student Government Association, said, "Meeting with elected officials has further inspired me to advocate for the rights of our citizens along with the citizens of the world."

Sophomore Andrew Newmark of Airmont, N.Y., Student Representative to the Rockland Community College Board of Trustees, is a member of the Anti-Slavery Committee. Svensson and Abdelqader are Co-Chairs of the Anti-Slavery Committee.

On October 24, Svensson and Abdelqader will be speaking about their anti-slavery campaign at the State University of New York Student Assembly Conference in Binghamton.

Abdelqader andSvensson’s article, "Slavery Now More Than Ever," was published by the Fellowship of Reconciliation at: http://www.forpeace.net/blog/ethan-vesely-flad/slavery-now-more-ever

The anti-slavery letter is available for signing at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/freedomforall

For more information about the Rockland Community College Anti-Slavery Committee, contact John Marra, Coordinator of Student Activities and Volunteer Services, at jmarra@sunyrockland.edu, (845) 574 – 4302, or visit: www.sunyrockland.edu.  Student Mark Svensson can be reached at Markussven@yahoo.com. Student Tarik Abdelqader can be reached at tabdelqader@yahoo.com

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Rockland Community College, a unit of the State University of New York, is located 25 miles northwest of NYC. The majority of its students transfer to four-year colleges, and many find immediate employment upon earning their associate's degree or certificate. The College also offers others, from preschoolers to senior citizens, the opportunity to simply learn something new. Quality education...at a price you can afford.