Simmons, Arp conclude speaker series

The Motivational Speakers Committee will present the final two speakers of their series on April 5 in the Smith-Brown Memorial Union.
Jade Simmons, former Miss Illinois and concert pianist, will “motivate the youth of Baton Rouge to become revolutionaries” at 11 a.m. on Wednesday in the Cotillion Ballroom of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union. Simmons will then perform as the featured artist in the DeBose Music Festival on Thursday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hayden Fine Arts Theater.
“The youth of this generation has no united purpose to fight for,” Simmons said in a press release. “With no goals, and not finding what they’re looking for can lead to suicide, which is the third leading cause of death in people in the 18 to 24 age group.”
Simmons is recognized for her “no-holds-barred” speeches that cover a multitude of topics that are prevalent to today’s youth. Simmons is a spokesperson for youth suicide prevention and the Department of Labor’s Youth Opportunity Movement. Besides being a dynamic speaker, the 1st runner-up in the 1999-2000 Miss America pageant Simmons is also an accomplished concert pianist.
Dr. William Arp, a senior professor in the Southern University political science department, will also speak on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the ballroom.
Arp will discuss the details of his current research on HIV/AIDS and the unwillingness of elected officials to address the issue through public policy initiatives.
“HIV/AIDS is an uncontrolled epidemic that has received little to no attention by elected offices,” Arp said in a press release. “It is time again to magnify and address this issue that is killing our young men and women.”
Arp has contributed entries in such publications as “Policy Studies Review,” “Journal of Social Justice,” and “The Western Journal of Black Studies,” just to name a few. He also specializes in the evaluation of public policy and its impact on minority populations.
Both events are free and open to the public. For further information contact Edna Hickman at 771.3920.