On June 22 at 5:30 PM, the Gibson Memorial Library will be welcome Angela Kenyon Davis who will be speaking about diversity in media and its impact on rural communities.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a popular term used to encourage knowledge of racial, gender, and sexual identities in an effort to foster supportive community within a workplace, school, or other community forum.  In this presentation, we will explore how principles of DEI are being used to create more awareness of systemic hardships that have spanned generations.  We will discuss how media portrayal influences our understanding of diversity and how we relate to others.  The presentation will share the individual story of Delcina Stevenson, a Black opera singer whose life in the late 1960's is the subject of a limited television series.  Her inspiring journey is fueled by a willingness to face adversity head on with kindness and consistency.  The presentation will also touch on how a compassionate outlook encourages community and fosters the principles of DEI.

Angela Kenyon Davis is a writer, speaker, attorney, and strategist who spent the last twelve years practicing government relations.  She has elevated important issues for Iowans such as human trafficking prevention, water quality, rural pharmacy access, and children's health and wellness.  Outside the statehouse, Angela has produced creative projects for the Bentonville Film Festival that celebrate diversity through storytelling.  Most recently, she has contracted with Gaumont Television in Los Angeles for a limited television series.