Forum: Marilyn Shuler Forum on Human Rights

You are invited to City Club's 5th Annual Marilyn Shuler Human Rights Forum! 

We are honored to stage an event celebrating the life and legacy of Marilyn Shuler, a City Club founder and champion of human rights. The forum is planned and led by a team of students who invite you to be inspired by speakers sharing the hope and humanity of the New American story; affirmation of young people and transgender rights with remarks from Marilyn's grandchild, Jyoni Tetsurō Shuler; and disability rights with a performance piece from Open Arms Dance Project. 

We invite you to join us Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at 4:30 p.m. at JUMP for an evening of inspiration and connections. 

Appetizers and no-host bar

All ages welcome

Tickets: $40 City Club members, $45 non-members. 

About the speakers:

Jyoni Tetsurō Shuler (she/they) is a biracial, transfeminine, Buddhist advocate and artist. Born in DC and raised in Greece, Japan, and New York, she is the eldest grandchild of Marilyn Shuler and currently serves as Research Manager with Oregon's state child advocacy non-profit Our Children Oregon. Their interdisciplinary background spans developmental psychology (BA), sustainable tourism management (MSc), environmental education (AmeriCorps), and social work research. Throughout her varied experiences spanning four continents, Jyoni has centered her work in engaging with diverse communities cross-culturally and with a strong equity focus rooted in anti-racism, restorative justice, and decolonization.

She is a proud member of the Japanese, LGBTQIA2S+, and neurodivergent communities, and lives in Portland with her urban farmer partner and two kitties.

Alphonsina Akulu is a junior at Centennial High School. She is a participant in the leadership class under Mrs. Jaimie Skinner. She was born in Tanzania where her family fled to escape the civil unrest and fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1996. They resettled in Boise, Idaho in 2013. She learned the English language really fast from when she was an elementary school student at Frontier Elementary school and by the 7th grade, she was able to continue her classes outside of the ELL (English Language Learners) curriculum. Alphonsina looks forward to pursuing a college degree in the medical field and hopes to become a travel nurse. During the pandemic, she realized that working as a nurse is a reliable job and that she would be able to help others at the same time.

Open Arms Dance Project is a community of dancers with diverse bodies, ages, and abilities, creating powerful art together in Boise, ID since 2008.  Their beautiful range of physical and neuro-diversity helps send waves of positive change through the community, time and again, with each of their performances.  They share honest, uniquely crafted, joyful movement everywhere from sidewalks to formal stages - because they believe their art is exactly what the world needs right now to help hearts heal and provide a reason to feel hopeful. 

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit dance company, Opens Arms Dance Project creates greater joy and compassion in the community with dance that opens hearts, minds, and arms. Their vision is to empower a diverse group of people to share their unique creative expression through equitable, collaborative dance making that has the ability to transform communities.

City Club thanks our Premier Sponsor, Northwest Nazarene University and the NNU College of Business, our Annual Sponsor University of Idaho, Boise, and the 2022 Forum Series sponsors: AARP of Idaho, Bank of Idaho, Echelon Group, Optum Idaho, PacificSource Health Plans, and Small Mine Development. We are pleased to welcome university students to attend our events thanks to our University partners Boise State University and Northwest Nazarene University. Our media partners include Boise State Public Radio, Idaho Public Television and the Idaho Statesman. This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, the state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.