Little Rock notebook

Architect sets talk on building's design

Architect Chad Young will discuss the design of the new American Taekwondo Association International Headquarters in Little Rock at an event today.

Young, a principal at the Wittenberg, Delony & Davidson Architects firm in Little Rock, will speak at 6 p.m. today at the Arkansas Arts Center Lecture Hall, 501 E. Ninth St. There will be a reception at 5:30 p.m.

The event is part of the Architecture and Design Network's lecture series.

Young will present the design process and overall story behind the new headquarters. This will be the first presentation with images of the completed project, according to a news release.

Internment camp exhibit due in LR

A new exhibit about Japanese internment in Arkansas during World War II will open Friday at the Butler Center Galleries in downtown Little Rock. It will be on display through June 24.

The American Dream Deferred: Japanese American Incarceration in WWII Arkansas opens with a reception at 5 p.m. Friday at the galleries at the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, 401 President Clinton Ave. The opening reception will feature live music by Das Loop.

The exhibit addresses themes of identity, community, civil rights and justice. It's the first in a series of four exhibitions that will be presented over a two-year period highlighting a different facet of life at the incarceration camps.

More than 100,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from the West Coast after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. More than two-thirds of them were American citizens. They were sent to one of 10 incarceration centers where they remained for the rest of the war.

Two camps were located in Arkansas: Rohwer Relocation Center in Desha County and Jerome Relocation Center in Chicot and Drew counties.

The Butler Center exhibit is made up of paintings, drawings and other art produced by people held at those camps, and autobiographies written by high school students living at Rohwer.

"This collection is a testament to the perseverance of American citizens in the face of a truly unfortunate wartime situation, but it's also an incredible expression of friendship and determination to help preserve the history of the camp," said David Stricklin, director of the Butler Center, a department of the Central Arkansas Library System.

Help for ex-convicts is focus of event

A service day to assist people transitioning back into the community after prison or jail time is planned for Saturday.

The Rights After Wrongs event will connect people with attorneys, service providers and employers from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Saint Mark Baptist Church, 5722 W. 12th St.

"There are several barriers individuals face when they transition from the criminal justice system back into the community. Our goal is to provide resources to make that transition as seamless as possible, helping those willing to work for it find the path to a lifetime of change," said Ericka Benedicto, the racial and cultural diversity manager for the city of Little Rock, which is helping host the event.

Services will include: free and reduced-rate legal assistance, free petitions to expunge, assistance with warrant resolution with a criminal attorney, employment readiness and job leads, resume and job application assistance, driver's license reinstatement counseling, aid for veterans, educational opportunities, financial literacy and tax services, health services and wellness evaluations, and help with housing.

Participants must provide identification, their sentencing order and their Arkansas Crime Information Center report if they wish to get help with a petition to expunge.

More information is available by visiting rightsafterwrongs.com or by calling (501) 244-5483.

Video series looks at center's history

A mini-video series telling stories about the past of Little Rock's Robinson Center is now being featured on the auditorium's Facebook and Twitter pages weekly.

The first appeared Thursday at Facebook.com/RobinsonCenterLR and at Twitter.com/RobinsonCenter.

"So many people have a Robinson story," said Gretchen Hall, president and chief executive officer of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, which operates the Robinson Center.

"They've danced on the stage, attended graduations, watched special performances and much more," she said. "The Robinson Rewind video collection highlights some of those special stories, and gives us the opportunity to share them with others."

Video topics will include a king's performance, First Amendment protection and Broadway stars.

Metro on 01/10/2017

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