Johnson C. Smith University - RFK Memorial Lecture Collaboration

The RFK Memorial Lecture Collaboration with Johnson C. Smith University and the Community Relations Committee of Charlotte

Reverend Andrew Karnley
Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Monrovia

"Post-Conflict Liberia: Challenges To Creating A Lasting Peace Through The Respect For The Full Spectrum Of Human Rights"

Reverend Andrew Karnley was born on April 26, 1967 in Jawajeh, Bomi County in northwestern Liberia. He began his formation for the priesthood in 1987 at St. Kizito’s Pre-Major Seminary in Kenema, Sierra Leone and St. Paul’s College-Seminary in Gbarnga, Liberia. His studies were interrupted in 1990 due to rebel activities, but he later resumed them and received a B.A. in Philosophy in 1991. He was ordained in 1995 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Monrovia, Liberia. Since his ordination, Rev. Karnley has served at the Our Lady of Lourdes and Immaculate Conception Parishes, where he worked closely with Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis. He also served as a member of the College of Consultors and Rector of St. Charles Lwanga Pre-Major Seminary until he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Monrovia in February 2005 by the Vatican. Within this capacity, he is carrying on the social change goals of RFK’s 1999 Human Rights Laureate Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis, who suffered a stroke in March 2004. Rev. Karnley is continuing Archbishop Francis’ ground breaking human rights work for Liberia, aiming at ensuring peace and security as a prerequisite to a real transition to democracy and the rule of law in Liberia.

Founded in 1968, The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial aims to realize Robert F. Kennedy’s vision of social justice by promoting the full spectrum of human rights throughout the world. In 1984, in order to better reflect the global nature of RFK’s work, the Memorial established the annual RFK Human Rights Award. The RFK Human Rights Award honors individuals who, at great risk, stand up to oppression in the nonviolent pursuit of respect for human rights. The Center for Human Rights was created to support the winners of the Human Rights Award in reaching their social justice goals. Understanding that sustainable social change is a long-term endeavor, the Center partners with those who win the award (called laureates) for as long as they continue to work on the social change goal they were selected for. The Center works with the laureates to develop plans and strategies to expand the reach and impact of the laureates’ work, as well as providing the laureates with advocacy tools and channels to which they might not otherwise have access. To date, there are 35 laureates in 21 countries, working on a variety of human rights issues, including indigenous people’s rights, child labor, universal education, discrimination against ethnic groups, land reform, modern day slavery, environmental degradation, and health as a human right.

The Community Relations Committee

The primary function of the Community Relations Committee (CRC) is to prevent discrimination and promote harmony among the citizens of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The CRC

promotes awareness of the community's multi-culturalism and provides diversity training;
promotes community-based mediation and provides conflict management training;
investigates discrimination in housing and public accommodations and provides fair housing education and training; and
enhances community knowledge and trust in the process for receiving, investigating, and adjudicating complaints of police misconduct.

The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County depend on the CRC to monitor and improve the quality of human relations within the community by interpreting the social inclinations and frustrations of citizens. The CRC staff work with a committee of 45 citizens to gain insight on Charlotte's continually changing intergroup relations issues.

The CRC website is at www.charmeck.org/Departments/CRC/Home