Office of Educational Equity and Inclusion hosts Women and Social Justice Symposium
Office of Educational Equity and Inclusion hosts Women and Social Justice Symposium
To engage the campus in a powerful intellectual experience during Homecoming week, the Office of Educational Equity and Inclusion hosted “Knowing Their Place… in HERStory: A Symposium on Women and Social Justice” October 3, 2013.
Following dynamic keynote addresses from Ms. Myrlie Evers, distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at Alcorn State University, and Dr. Michele Alexandre, associate professor and Jessie D. Puckett Jr. lecturer, at the University of Mississippi School of Law, participants attended powerful panel sessions featuring local and national scholars and practitioners. The first panel “From Harriet to Hamer to Hillary to Hope: Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities Facing Black Women” was led by Dr. Betty J. Roberts, Alcorn’s senior vice president and COO, Natasha Sanders, counselor, Office of Counseling and Testing at Alcorn, Professor Michele Alexandre, Dr. Keena Arbuthnot, associate professor, Louisiana State University and Evingerlean Blakney, doctoral student, University of Southern Mississippi. The second panel “The Way Forward: Coalition Building and Social Justice” featured Dr. Jan Duncan, associate professor and director of Student Teaching, at Alcorn, Dr. Rebecca Tuuri, assistant professor, University of Southern Mississippi, Clara Ross Stamps, vice president for Media Relations at Alcorn, and Linda Fondren, community leader and CNN Top Ten Hero.
Over 300 individuals attended the Symposium, which also included spoken word, dance, and music performances from Alcorn staff and students.
“The truly invigorating program was a techno-savvy approach to hearing wisdom and testimonials from distinguished women of different ages and experiences,” said Natasha Sanders.
“The event was so inspirational, and I learned a great deal,” said Tae Richardson, a sophomore animal science major from Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Amber Tatum, a junior majoring in biology, came to the event “to meet the two phenomenal women and hear their words of wisdom and advice.”
Jiovonni Davis, a sophomore majoring gin criminal justice, came to the Symposium to honor his mother. He shared, “My mother is an incredible woman who raised me and taught me to respect and appreciate women. Participating in the event today gave me a new perspective on women’s role in the struggle for social justice and motivated me to respect and support women even more.”
“I was incredibly pleased with the Symposium, and with the outstanding response we received on Twitter and in evaluations, it’s clear that the campus community benefited significantly from the opportunity to learn, share, and celebrate,” said Dr. Derek Greenfield, director of Educational Equity and Inclusion.
