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Sonia Nazario, author of “Enrique’s Journey,” her Pulitzer Prize-winning account of a Honduran boy’s struggle to find his mother – and a better life – in America, will discuss her work when she presents a public lecture at Salve Regina at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 13.

“An Evening With Sonia Nazario,” which will include a Q-and-A and book signing, is being presented in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall. Her visit is sponsored by Salve Regina’s student newspaper, Mosaic, along with the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy and the Office of Mission Integration. To register, visit http://bit.ly/192jVXe.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to hear Ms. Nazario speak about the work she has done,” said Lauren Kane, co-editor-in-chief of Mosaic. “Her interest in issues of immigration and human rights are so consistent with the University’s mission.”

“Enrique’s Journey” won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing in 2003. The work was brought out as a book that became a national bestseller.

Reporting for the book involved visiting dozens of shelters and churches along the U.S./Mexican border and speaking with children who were making the journey, along with the people who helped them. Nazario herself recreated the journey from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to Nuevo Laredo on the U.S. border, a journey that involved riding on top of the “trains of death” that so many of the children used.

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The “Reading Christian Classics” book discussion series will conclude Thursday, April 30 with Thomas Merton’s “No Man is an Island.” All members of the Salve Regina community, along with friends of the University, are invited to participate.

A recapitulation of Merton’s earlier work “Seeds of Contemplation,” this collection of 16 essays plumbs aspects of human spirituality. He addresses those in search of enduring values, fulfillment and salvation in prose that is inspiring and compassionate. The Chicago Tribune called it “a stimulating series of spiritual reflections which will prove helpful for all struggling to … live the richest, fullest and noblest life.”

Discussions are held in the McKillop Library’s special collections room beginning at 6:30 p.m. and last about one hour. Each participant should furnish his or her copy of the book, read it prior to the session and come willing to share interpretations or comments.

“Reading Christian Classics” is co-sponsored by the Department of Philosophy, the Pell Honors Program and the McKillop Library. For more information, contact Dr. Lois Eveleth, professor of philosophy, at (401) 341-3170.

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Salve Regina is once again teaming up with the Groovy Girls program to ensure that no girl is left out this prom season by hosting the program’s annual prom dress giveaway from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11 in the Young Building.

Featuring hundreds of formal dresses donated by community members, the prom dress giveaway is open to local girls who could benefit from a dress for a dance or spring event.

Sponsored by Child & Family and Adoption Rhode Island, the Groovy Girls program helps to empower girls who are in state care waiting for their forever homes. The program connects girls to their communities through events such as yoga, Pilates, swim lessons, music lessons, volunteering at pet shelters, art classes and more.

For more information on Groovy Girls and the prom dress giveaway, email Samantha DeLuca ’15 at samantha.deluca@salve.edu.

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Arborists from Bartlett Tree Experts and facilities staff from Salve Regina will be planting 15 trees on campus during the next two weeks, a replenishment that is part of the University’s ongoing and comprehensive Historic Tree and Landscape Program.

Backed by a $100,000 grant from the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, the plantings are part of the University’s five-year, $575,000 inventory and maintenance plan launched in 2012. The project – in addition to the replenishment – includes a comprehensive documentation, monitoring and maintenance plan to preserve and protect the 1,200 trees of 98 different species featured throughout Salve Regina’s 80-acre campus. The project also includes development of a detailed digital catalog and walking tour to be accessible via the University’s website.

Under the direction of Christopher Fletcher, Bartlett’s ISA certified arborist, and Mike Chester, Salve Regina’s superintendent of grounds, the Bartlett Inventory Solutions team produced a 200-page report detailing the species and condition of every tree on campus, estimating value, evaluating conditions and risks, and recommending a course of action for each in an overall plan for the continuation, preservation and management of the campus’s tree heritage.

All trees have been numbered and tagged using GPS to create an electronic location and information map pinpointing each tree in a network of observation and care. All this information will be available publicly when launched online in the coming weeks.

For nearly two decades, Bartlett and Salve Regina have partnered to care for campus trees, but the Historic Tree and Landscape Program comes at a critical time. The Bartlett report shows a large percentage of campus trees to be very mature, exotic specimen trees planted during the “back to nature” movement of the late 19th century by the original Newport estate owners. Because many of these trees are more than 100 years old, significant decline in tree health was observed. While some aged trees cannot be saved, many others are expected to thrive for many more years with proper care.

Among the Bartlett recommendations in the report are for the pruning of 621 trees, the removal of 46, the cabling and bracing of 145 trees, lightning protection installation in 10, root collar evacuations for 376 and decay assessment for 76 trees.

The Historic Tree and Landscape Program has also received a $50,000 grant from the Hamilton Family Foundation, along with generous support from several individuals and the University’s Circle of Scholars program.

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Guns in America: Do we have a problem? The Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy will explore this question during a roundtable discussion scheduled for 11:45 a.m. Friday, April 10 in the Miley Hall executive dining room.

The United States has about 5 percent of the world’s population, yet it accounts for anywhere from 35-50 percent of the world’s civilian-owned guns. There is roughly one gun for every person in America. Unsurprisingly, the U.S. is also among the highest rates of both gun homicides and gun suicides. Hundreds of mass shootings occur every year, and the majority of the guns used in these shootings were obtained legally.

Carolyn Deady, Pell Center visiting fellow, will lead the roundtable discussion, which will explore questions such as: Does America have a problem with guns? If so, what is the solution? More guns? More restrictive gun laws?

Roundtable discussions are open to Salve Regina students, faculty and staff, and lunch is provided. As space is limited, those interested in attending should RSVP to pellcenter@salve.edu.

Photograph by Rama, Wikimedia Commons, Cc-by-sa-2.0-fr

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Platon, the internationally-renowned photographer and human rights advocate best known for capturing iconic portraits of more than 100 world leaders, will present a public lecture and presentation of his work when he visits Salve Regina this week.

Platon will present “Powerful Portraits: An Intimate Look at Humanity and Leadership” at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 9 in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall. As seating is limited, those interested in attending should RSVP at salve.edu/platon.

“I am so thrilled with the opportunity to speak at Salve Regina University,” Platon said. “We live in times of great upheaval and unrest. More than ever we, as responsible global citizens, must offer the open hand of friendship and put compassion firmly back into the formula of good leadership. Through a series of intimate stories, I look forward to sharing the humble lessons of humanity that I have been privileged to have learned on my journey as a photographer and human rights activist.”

Born in London in 1968, Platon was raised in the Greek Isles until his family returned to England in the 1970s. He attended St. Martin’s School of Art and after receiving his B.A. with honors in graphic design, went on to receive an M.A. in photography and fine art at the Royal College of Art. After working for British Vogue for several years, Platon was invited to New York City to work for the late John Kennedy Jr. and his political magazine, George.

Shooting portraits for a range of international publications including Rolling Stone, The New York Times magazine, Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ and The Sunday Times magazine, Platon developed a special relationship with Time magazine, producing more than 20 covers. In 2007, he photographed Russian Premier Vladimir Putin for Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” cover. This image was awarded first prize at the World Press Photo Contest.

In 2008 he signed a multi-year contract with The New Yorker. As the staff photographer, he has produced a series of large-scale photo essays, two of which won ASME Awards in 2009 and 2010. Platon’s New Yorker portfolios have focused on many themes, including the U.S. military, portraits of world leaders and the civil rights movement.

The following year, Platon teamed up with the Human Rights Watch to help them celebrate those who fight for equality and justice in countries suppressed by political forces. These projects have highlighted human rights defenders from Burma as well as the leaders of the Egyptian revolution. Following his coverage of Burma, Platon photographed Aung San Suu Kyi for the cover of Time – days after her release from house arrest. In 2011, Platon was honored with a “Peabody Award” for collaboration on the topic of Russia’s civil society with The New Yorker magazine and Human Rights Watch.

The publication of Platon’s first monograph, “Platon’s Republic” (Phaidon Press, 2004) coincided with international exhibitions in London at the ex-Saatchi Gallery as well as the Milk Gallery in New York. His second book, “Power” – a collection of portraits of more than 100 world leaders – was published in 2011 by Chronicle and includes portraits of Barack Obama, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Hugo Chavez, Tony Blair, Robert Mugabe and Muammar Qaddafi.

Platon’s work has been exhibited in galleries and museums both domestically and abroad. The New York Historical Society has exhibited a solo show of Platon’s civil rights photographs, which remain as part of the museum’s permanent collection. Other permanent collections holding Platon’s photography include The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts in Tampa; The Westlicht Museum for Photography in Vienna, Austria; and the Scotland National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.

In 2013, Platon founded a nonprofit foundation named The People’s Portfolio. The foundation aspires to create a visual language that breaks barriers, expands dignity, fights discrimination and enlists the public to support human rights around the world. He serves as the creative director at large for the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Ga. Platon is currently on the board for arts and culture at the World Economic Forum.

To view Platon’s work, visit www.platonphoto.com.

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