FREEDOM SCHOOL

RADNOR ROOM

Standing Up to Attacks on Black History and DEI

Anna Duensing, Faculty, History 

In recent years, lawmakers, school boards, and so-called “parental rights” groups across the country have escalated efforts to curtail or ban the teaching of Black history in K-12 and college classrooms; restrict what educators can teach about race and racism; dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives; and exclude Black authors from libraries and curricula. Unfortunately, these attacks are nothing new. This session explores the long history of assaults on Black history in the U.S. with a focus on schools, libraries, and public history settings. We will discuss how scholars, activists, and students over the past century have mobilized against these campaigns of racism, censorship, and exclusion. Finally, we will look to contemporary movements to resist these coordinated efforts to suppress history education and impede meaningful conversations about our nation’s past and present.

ST. DAVID'S ROOM

Protest Songs: Am I Buggin' You?

Katie Lenehan, Staff, Center for Peace and Justice Education

In a 1987 live version of the anti-apartheid song, “Silver and Gold,” U2’s Bono takes a few minutes to explain what the song is about, then asks the audience, “Am I buggin’ you?  I don’t mean to bug ya.”  In this session, we’ll explore what artists intend to accomplish through protest music.  Music writer Dorian Lynskey defines the protest song as one addressing an issue, aligning with the underdog.  We'll review a brief history of the protest song and consider what it means for a protest song to be "successful."  Participants will share their own favorite protest songs/artists.  

CINEMA

Freedom, Solidarity, and Responsibility

Delia Popa, Faculty, Philosophy + students from PHI 2190: Colin Dowdell, Daniel Guyeikian, Michaela Loud, Sean Monteith, Armando Ortega-Cota

This panel is based on the work we have done in the undergraduate course PHI 2190 "Freedom", where we focused on the antagonisms at the heart of human freedom in the light of its complex social dimension. We started with the idea that the freedom of others is a crucial condition for the effective exercise of our own freedom. Yet, if the possibility of my freedom stems from the freedom of the other, how can we explain the social alienation impacting our freedom? How can we defend the possibility of human freedom in face of the oppression and marginalization of so many? How can we reconnect freedom and solidarity? How does the exercise of our freedom relate to social responsibility? The panel will explore the idea that the experience of freedom is internally split, in such a way that none of us can have access to it from all sides.

DEVON ROOM

Dr. King’s Speech 'Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence’ Is as Relevant Today as Ever

Paul Sheldon, Retired Faculty, Psychological and Brain Sciences

King’s 1967 speech at Riverside Church, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,” challenges us through his linkage of “the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism.” Delivered exactly one year before his death, this speech is as timely today as it was then. As we consider what he said at Riverside, it may help us understand why at the time of his assassination King was the most hated man in America. Have we white-washed the real King in our public praise of him?

RADNOR ROOM

Liberating Business. Liberating Work.

Holly Slay Ferraro, Faculty, VSB - Management and Operations

What does liberation mean in commerce and work? Often, commerce and capitalism are viewed as oppressive forces. But can business and work be liberatory? This session explores liberation through two lenses: freedom from external constraints (oppression, systemic limits) and internal constraints (self-doubt, societal narratives). We'll discuss how these forces intersect to shape what we believe is possible. Through interactive discussion, we’ll examine real-world examples of businesses and careers fostering liberation—challenging limits, empowering individuals, and creating opportunities for meaningful work. Join us to rethink commerce and work as tools for freedom and empowerment.

ST. DAVID'S ROOM

Standing Up, Speaking Up: How and Why Do We Respond to Hate?

Krista Malott, Faculty, Education & Counseling; Laiba Khaqan, Graduate Student, Education & Counseling

What to do if you see or hear something oppressive, hurtful or harmful happening? This fun and interactive presentation explores tactics in addressing societal issues, with practical and real-world examples entailing multiple settings. Explore the goals and options of 'speaking up'/acting, and put these tactics into practice in this no-judgement-it's-all-about-the-learning zone!

CINEMA

Identifying Atrocity in the 21st Century

Tim Horner, Faculty, Augustine and Culture Seminar Program & Center for Peace and Justice Education

The UN Declaration of Human Rights is over 70 years old. But in the years since the end of WWII and especially in the first quarter of 21st CE, it has become nearly impossible for the international community to detect (let alone decide) when or if atrocity is occurring. The session will introduce a new paradigm that is more effective in predicting actions that are intended to disappear targeted groups of people.

DEVON ROOM

Resisting Christian Nationalism through Spirituality, Policy, and Research

Guinevere Keith, Graduate Student, Theology & Religious Studies

What is Christian nationalism, and how are different types of thinkers working to resist it? This session will begin with a presentation on Christian nationalism in America today, defining the term and explaining the implications of this ideology with reference to contemporary policy. Using provided resources from American legislation, biblical scripture, and social sciences research, participants will be led in a small group coalition-building activity where they identify shared approaches to resisting Christian nationalism. Finally, participants will be invited to reflect on how their own spirituality, civic engagement, or academic interests inspire them to resist Christian nationalism in their own ways.

RADNOR ROOM

Enough, For All, Forever: Justice is Necessary for Sustainability

Allie McAllister, Office for Sustainability; Simon Brooks, Graduate Student, Sustainable Engineering

What does justice have to do with sustainability? We often hear about climate disasters and environmental hazards, but how many of us experience the consequences firsthand? Whose backyard will suffer these effects the most? Furthermore, how do we connect to the impacts of environmental issues worldwide? This will be a facilitated discussion exploring the topics of environmental justice and sustainability in the context of the U.S and developing countries. Injustice is the failure to bother to care. Justice is necessary for sustainability. We must mend a society where there is Enough, For All, Forever. 

ST. DAVID'S ROOM

Lived Experience as Expertise: Advancing Justice in the Narrative Around Schizophrenia

Laiba Khaqan, Graduate Student, Education & Counseling; Krista Malott, Faculty, Education & Counseling

Schizophrenia is more than a clinical diagnosis; it’s a deeply personal journey of resilience and humanity. This session highlights the critical role of lived experience in reshaping public understanding of psychosis and bridging the gap between medical knowledge and empathetic human connection. Through storytelling and personal advocacy, participants will explore how lived experiences challenge stigma, illuminate the complexity of psychosis, and foster meaningful change. As the leaders of tomorrow, attendees will gain actionable insights to move beyond labels, embrace the humanity behind the diagnosis, and advocate for a more inclusive and understanding society..

CINEMA

Ta-Nehisi Coates' Message from the Civil Rights Movement to Israel

Lowell Gustafson, Faculty, Political Science

On November 10, 2024, Ta Nehisi-Coates spoke at the historic Riverside Church in New York at an event about "America and the War on Palestine,” noting that it was at that church where Martin Luther King, Jr. announced on his opposition to the Vietnam War. In his recent book, The Message, Coates recounts the echoes of American Jim Crow laws he experienced during his visit to the West Bank. This session will discuss how the civil rights movements in the United States, South Africa and elsewhere have influenced discussions about the current violations of basic civil rights in Gaza, and American policies of complicity in Palestinian suffering.

DEVON ROOM

Engage in Conflict Management to Create Better Resolutions

Meg Willoughby, Staff, Office of the Ombuds

Explore your relationship with conflict. The University Ombuds, a conflict management expert, will guide you in understanding your feelings about conflict, your default responses to it, and how you can develop other responsive options that will help you create better resolutions.  Leave feeling empowered to address the conflicts that interfere with your work and life.