Indiana State University Newsroom

Nationally-known activist Star Parker will speak at Indiana State University March 25 as part of the 2014-15 University Speakers Series.

Parker is the founder and president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit think tank which promotes market based public policy to fight poverty. She will speak at 7 p.m. in Tilson Auditorium.

Before her involvement in social activism, Parker had seven years of first-hand experience in the grip of welfare dependency. Now, as a social policy consultant, she is bringing new energy to policy discussions on how to transition America's poor from government dependency. Her personal transformation from welfare dependent to conservative crusader has been chronicled by ABC's "20/20," "Readers Digest," "Christianity Today," "Charisma," and "World" magazine.

Parker spoke at the 1996 Republican National Convention and was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress from California's 37th District in 2010. She hosted a documentary on poverty with the BBC in London; she has debated Jesse Jackson on various headline issues; she fought for school choice on "Larry King Live;" she defended welfare reform on the "Oprah Winfrey Show;" and she debated healthcare reform against Michael Moore on ABC's "The View" with host Barbara Walters.

Currently, Star is a regular commentator on CNN, TBN, CSPAN, CBN and FOX News. Her articles and quotes continuously appear in major publications around the world. She has written three books: "Pimps, Whores & Welfare Brats," "Uncle Sam's Plantation" and "White Ghetto: How Middle Class America Reflects Inner City Decay."

She is a syndicated columnist for Scripps News Service with her commentary appearing weekly in more than 300 newspapers and internet news sites worldwide, including the Boston Herald, the Dallas Morning News, the Orange County Register, the Korean Times, the Washington Examiner, and Stars and Stripes.

Parker holds a Bachelor of Science in marketing and business from Woodbury University and has received numerous awards and commendations for her work on public policy issues. She consults with Republican legislators on numerous urban issues, lectures on anti-poverty initiatives at more than 180 colleges and universities and serves on advisory boards for several national organizations.

Photo: http://www.smugmug.com/photos/i-7qvJgWc/0/L/i-7qvJgWc-L.jpg

Media contact: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu