Celebrate New Jersey Students with NJSBA

Join us this Thursday to celebrate Black History Month with New Jersey high school students and the New Jersey State Bar Association.

2013 Black History Month Celebration

The Minorities in the Profession Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association is pleased to announce its annual BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONTEST. The purpose of this competition is to showcase and share the knowledge of our youth and encourage excellence in writing by New Jersey high school students.

This year, New Jersey high school students were asked to write a letter to the United States Supreme Court advising the Justices whether or not race should continue to be a factor considered in the admission process of public colleges using 1,000 words or less.

Entries are closed.

280 essays were received.Click here to read the winning essays.

Students who submit an essay will qualify for the opportunity to compete in a Black History Trivia Contest on Thursday, February 21, 2013 at the New Jersey Law Center to compete for the following cash prizes:

First Place       $250.00 Visa Gift Card Second Place   $150.00 Visa Gift Card Third Place      $100.00 Visa Gift Card

Each contestant will also receive a certificate of merit for their participation. All prizes will be presented to the students on February 21, 2013 at the New Jersey Law Center.

Black History Month

2013 Program and Trivia Contest

Thursday, February 21

6 - 9 p.m.

New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick

Featured Presentation Slavery to Freedom at the Kitchen Table: a Historical Look at Soul Food from 1830-1975

by Chef Wheeler del Torro

Chef del Torro will present a lecture and cooking demonstration. The lecture will encompass a historical and anthropological look into the study of soul food as an American cuisine. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample dishes featuring traditional soul food ingredients and learn the history of each dish – its historical roots, cultural significance and a healthy method of preparation.

Featured Visual Artist

Christopher Fabor Muhammad

Creative Force Inc.

Trivia Contest Host

Steven G. Hockaday, Esq., president-elect, Garden State Bar Association, housing attorney, Essex-Newark Legal Services

Lecture and Tasting at African American Museum in Philadelphia

Saturday, February 2Lecture and Tasting with Chef Wheeler Del Torro ~ 1 – 3p

Sit back and relax while food historian, author and lecturer Chef Wheeler del Torro discusses soul food through the lenses of history, culture and gastronomy, then prepares and shares samples with 30 lucky visitors. This presentation discusses the African heritage of this uniquely American cuisine, its generational interpretations and its significance as food that confers centuries of cultural heritage, while also presenting options for creating healthier interpretations of familiar dishes.

Wheeler del Torro divides his time exploring issues of food justice and the historical and cultural links between food and community. He encourages his guests to live healthier, more connected lives through food. His passion for cooking and lifetime of experiences around the world inspired him to host dinner parties, create an innovative gourmet non-dairy ice cream line, open Wheeler’s Café & Dessert Bar in Boston in 2007, and write his first book The Vegan Scoop, currently available in bookstores world-wide.

Free With Museum Admission. Space is Limited and Registration in Required. To Register, Visit: www.aamp.ticketleap.com/chefwheeler

Lecture at the Culinary Arts Museum

Johnson and Wales University

Visit us in Rhode Island at the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson and Wales University for a celebration of food and African American culture. The event is free and open to the public.

Lecture by Chef Wheeler del Torro at the Culinary Arts Museum:

“Slavery to Freedom at the Kitchen Table:

a Historical Look at Soul Food from 1830-1975”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — January 2013 —The Culinary Arts Museum is pleased to announce that Chef Wheeler del Torro will be on campus to deliver a lecture which encompasses a historical and anthropological look into the study of Soul Food.

Wheeler del Torro began his investigation study of food while growing up in Jamaica. Whipping up hot chocolate “tea” and other Jamaican specialties with his father, he observed the associations between food, relationships, and imparting cultural heritage. “I have always been fascinated with the concept of food as a vehicle to prompt connections between people and to communicate history, values, and relationships,” says Wheeler.

Since leaving Jamaica, del Torro has lived in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, London, Paris, and many places in between. His passion for cooking and lifetime of experiences around the world inspired him to host dinner parties, create an innovative gourmet non-dairy ice cream line, open a café and dessert bar, and write his first book The Vegan Scoop, currently available in bookstores world-wide.

In addition to running his businesses, Wheeler del Torro is sought after for motivational and informative lectures, as well as consulting businesses and authors. During his appearances, del Torro shares his inspiring story, unique perspective, wealth of experience, and insight into building innovative green businesses. Del Torro particularly enjoys bringing his message to students and entrepreneurs, encouraging them to create their own paths to success in the ever-changing business world.

Culinary Arts Museum

This lecture is free and open to the Johnson & Wales community and the public. Due to limited seating, it is a first-come, first-served event. The lecture will be held in the museum theater on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 and will begin at 6:00 pm. Please call the museum at 401-598-2805 with any questions. For more information about Chef Wheeler del Torro, please visit his website, www.wheelerdeltorro.com.

Location & Directions

The Culinary Arts Museum is located at 315 Harborside Boulevard on the Providence and Cranston city line, in Rhode Island. From I-95, take Exit 18 and follow the sign to Allens Avenue. At the traffic light, turn right onto Allens Avenue and go straight for one mile. The street name will change to Narragansett Boulevard; continue straight. Turn left after the Shell gas station at the traffic light onto Harborside Boulevard. The Museum is located in the first building on the left. Parking is available in front of museum.

Johnson & Wales University (JWU), founded in 1914, is a nonprofit, private, accredited institution with campuses in Providence, R.I.; North Miami, Fla.; Denver, Colo.; and Charlotte, N.C. An innovative educational leader, JWU offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs that inspire professional success and lifelong personal and intellectual growth by integrating arts & sciences and experiential education with leadership and personal development opportunities. For more information, visit www.jwu.edu.