3 pioneers for change to be honored at women’s event
NORMAN — A Hollywood actress and activist with Oklahoma roots, a champion for immigrants, and a pioneering civil rights leader will be honored at the Voices for Change Gala 6:30 p.m., April 13, at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
Oklahoma City native and actress Olivia Munn — best known for her roles as Psylocke in “X-Men-Apocalypse,” Sloan Sabbith in HBO’s “The Newsroom” and as a correspondent for “The Daily Show” — will receive the inaugural Voice for Justice Award for her leadership and activism against sexual harassment in the workplace and keynote the annual event of the University of Oklahoma Women’s and Gender Studies Board of Advocates. Courage Awards will be bestowed upon Suzette Grillot, dean of OU’s College of International Studies, for championing immigrants, and the late Clara Luper for leading the nation’s first youth sit-ins for civil rights and more.
The event includes dinner, provided by Abbey Road Catering, and a silent auction.
“The OU Women’s and Gender Studies Board of Advocates annually recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond in the fight for social justice,” Board President Jackie Farley said. “We’re excited to honor these outstanding activists and allies this year and to welcome speaker Olivia Munn,
who has been a strong voice for equality for women everywhere.”
An OU Japanese/dramatic arts graduate, Munn has appeared in nearly 50 films and television shows and is author of The New York Times best-selling book “Suck It Wonder Woman: The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek.”
In November, Munn and five other women accused film producer and director Brett Ratner of sexual misconduct, becoming a leading voice in the Hollywood movement to report sexual harassment and eradicate it. She’s an active supporter of the Time’s Up Initiative to provide legal defense funds to help less privileged women protect themselves from sexual misconduct and work to penalize companies that tolerate persistent harassment.
Grillot since July 2012
has served as the dean of OU’s College of International Studies, which she helped create. She also serves as OU’s vice provost for international programs and the William J. Crowe Jr. Chair in Geopolitics.
Grillot has been praised for her efforts as an advocate for OU’s international students, as well as those who are Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) participants. Last fall, she helped coordinate a public forum on campus to provide support and resources for DACA students and to educate the university community about their plight.
An award-winning mentor and educator, Grillot teaches courses that focus on global community, global security, international activism and illicit trafficking. She also hosts the weekly World Views radio show on OU’s NPR affiliate, KGOU.
Luper (1923-2011) was the first African-American student to enroll in the history department at OU, earning her master’s degree in history education in 1951. She taught history for 41 years at various Oklahoma Cityarea schools, and served nearly 50 years as adviser of the Oklahoma City NAACP Youth Council. In 1957, Luper and her students were invited to New York to perform her play “Brother President: The Story of Dr. Martin Luther King” at a national Freedom Riders rally.
On Aug. 19, 1958, Luper and a group of 13 Youth Council members staged their first lunch counter sit-in at Katz Drug Store in Oklahoma City. Together with her students, Luper integrated hundreds of restaurants, cafes, theaters and hotels and other public facilities including 38 Katz Drug stores across four states.
She also participated in civil rights marches in Washington, D.C., and Selma, Alabama, with Martin Luther King Jr. She was arrested for her civil rights activities 26 times. OU’s Clara Luper Department of African and African American Studies recently was named in her honor.