The lieutenant governor will be the featured speaker Tuesday at Stockton University's Fannie Lou Hamer Civil Rights Symposium.
"Having Our Say: Women of Color in the 2018 Election" is the theme of the 15th annual symposium, which begins at 2:30 p.m. at Stockton's Performing Arts Center.
The free public event will also be livestreamed in the Fannie Lou Hamer Event Room in the university's Academic Center.
Sheila Oliver is the first woman of color to serve in a statewide elected office in New Jersey.
She started her career as director of the Office of Youth Services and Special Projects in her native Newark. She also served in the state Assembly, becoming speaker in 2010.
Oliver has served on countless boards for equal opportunity committees and non-profit organizations.
A discussion panel will include Atlantic City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz, Center for American Women and Politics Director Christabel Cruz, Distinguished Professor of Social Work and Africana Studies Patricia Reid-Merritt, and Assistant Professor of Atlantic History Kameika Murphy.
Each year, Stockton honors Hamer, who fought for African Americans voting rights during the Civil Rights movement. She made history in 1964 by giving testimony at the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City in opposition to the seating of an all-white Mississippi delegation.
Past speakers include Shaun King, Donna Murch, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Carmen Berkley and Cornell West.
The Afro-One dance group will perform as will the Gospel Choir with Professor of Music Beverly Vaughn. United Black Students Society President Haashim Smith-Johnson and Stockton President Harvey Kesselman will speak.
Earlier in the day, Stockton will also host a
Humanitarian Fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Campus Center.
Various social service groups will share information about their mission including United Way, La Casa Dominicana, Atlantic City Rescue Mission, Volunteers of America, Jewish Family Services of Atlantic and Cape May County, Healing Wounds, Avanzar, Hope for Liberia, Amnesty International, Coalition Against Rape and Abuse and student organizations from Stockton.
There will also be speakers and a Skype conversation with students from Stoneman Douglas High School. Travis Love will lead a Story Slam from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Campus Center Coffeehouse.
