The state of human rights

"The State of Human Rights in the United States" will be the topic of a presentation scheduled at the Human Rights Education Institute Friday in Coeur d'Alene.

Lecia Brooks, the director of outreach for the Southern Poverty Law Center will give the presentation at 7 p.m. at the institute, 414 W. Mullan Ave.

Brooks leads the Southern Poverty Law Center's outreach efforts on key initiatives and social justice issues. She also serves as director of the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, Ala., an interpretive center designed to provide visitors to the Civil Rights Memorial with a deeper understanding of the civil rights movement. She previously served as the director of Mix It Up at Lunch Day, a program designed to help break down racial, cultural and social barriers in schools.

The presentation is hosted by the institute and the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

"We are proud of the rich history and partnership that the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations has shared with the Southern Poverty Law Center, and we warmly welcome Ms. Brooks to our community," states a press release.

Civil rights attorney Morris Dees is one of the founders of the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center. Dees played a significant role in the civil suit against the Idaho Aryan Nations, which resulted in the bankruptcy of the group and the loss of its headquarters in Hayden.

The presentation is free and open to the public.