HOUSTON (May 21, 2024) – Due to power outages from last week’s storm, we are moving to a new location for the IMpower lecture featuring Lisa McNair. It will be held at the original date and time of Tuesday, May 21st at 7 PM, at a new location: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 5501 Main Street. Media is invited to attend.

Lisa McNair is an author, civil rights leader, bridgebuilder, and the oldest living sister of Denise McNair, one of the four little girls killed in the infamous 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. As the keynote speaker at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston’s IMpower Lecture, she will share her family’s riveting story of survival after this horrific and high-profile loss that changed their lives forever and marked a seminal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

In “Birmingham Bombing and Beyond:  Living a Life of Love After Hate,” Lisa McNair will share her transformational messages of love, understanding, resiliency, and reconciliation, which are as timely today as they were in 1963. The lecture will be held Tuesday, May 21st at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 5501 Main St., Houston, TX 77004.

“We are honored to host Lisa McNair and share her inspiring story of love, forgiveness, and hope with our community,” said Cyndi Stewart, who co-chairs the IMpower women’s initiative with Susan Farb Morris. “We believe her story will help inspire positive change in our community.”

Lisa McNair is the author of “Dear Denise: Letters to the Sister I Never Knew,” a poignant memoir that delves into her family’s journey of healing and forgiveness after the bombing.  Through her deeply personal narrative, she will share insights into her family’s resiliency and unwavering commitment to love and reconciliation in the face of hatred and violence. Her book, “Dear Denise,” received critical acclaim and was honored as one of NPR’s “Books We Love” in 2022.

The event will include a powerful presentation by Lisa McNair, followed by a book signing session. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with McNair and gain valuable insights into fostering love, understanding, and peace in their own lives and communities. Additionally, Solieh McKnight, Houston ISD elementary school student, will deliver her winning speech from the 28th Annual Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition on the theme of “How would Dr. King reflect on the 60 years since his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.”

Individual tickets are $50. Student tickets are $18.  Lisa’s story is part of American history that we are sharing with our next generation of changemakers.  To purchase tickets or sponsor this event, visit https://www.imgh.org/impower-birmingham-bombing-and-beyond-living-a-life-of-love-after-hate/.

Thank you to our lead sponsors, Susan and Dan Boggio and Debbie and Floyd Kearns. IMpower is IM’s women’s initiative dedicated to uniting diverse groups of women in dialogue, service, and collaboration and to support the critical work of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston to feed 5000 homebound seniors, resettle refugees, unite people in dialogue, service, and collaboration, and engage people in volunteerism.

ABOUT INTERFAITH MINISTRIES FOR GREATER HOUSTON

A United Way partner, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (Interfaith Ministries) brings people of diverse faith traditions together for dialogue, collaboration, and service, as a demonstration of our shared beliefs. Interfaith Ministries provides four main services: Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston and Galveston County which delivers more than 1.9 million meals each year to homebound seniors and people with disabilities across four counties; Refugee Services which, in conjunction with the U.S. State Department, resettles thousands of refugees in Houston; Interfaith Relations and Community Partnerships, which provides community services fostering understanding, respect and engagement among Houstonians of all faiths; the Vic Samuels Center for Volunteerism and Civic Service, which establishes a positive and lasting impact on the Greater Houston community through organized service and leadership through Volunteer Houston and SERVE HOUSTON. For more information, visit https://www.imgh.org/.

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