Social Justice the Theme of 2020 Presidential Speaker Series
ALMA — Creating a more just society is the focus of Alma College’s Presidential Speaker Series, with a wide variety of lecturers focused on topics of social justice, equity, faith, sustainability and more.
“We are delighted to host a diverse group of speakers on this most important subject at the Presidential Speaker Series,” Alma College President Jeff Abernathy said. “We trust our campus community will find the Speaker Series to be enlightening and empowering. Listening, learning and having thoughtful, open conversations about these issues is the first step of many we will take to closing the gaps that exist in our social structures on across the nation and on campus.”
Kendi is the author of “The Black Campus Movement,” which won the W.E.B. Du Bois Book Prize, and “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America,” which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 2016.
His latest, “How to be an Antiracist,” made several Best Books of 2019 lists and was described in The New York Times as “the most courageous book to date on the problem of race in the Western mind.”
“Ibram Kendi is one of the nation’s leading scholars of racism, who has for many years consistently dropped original, new ideas into the dialogue of diversity and justice in America,” said Andrew Pomerville, chaplain and director of spiritual life, who organized the series. “We’re very excited to host him and our slate of speakers this year.”
Twesigye Jackson Kaguri, the founder/CEO of the nonprofit organization Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project, will be speaking on justice in education in Uganda at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, on Zoom. The public is welcome.
The Presidential Speaker Series schedule will continue to be updated and will extend into the winter 2021 semester. For the most up-to-date speaker schedule and information on how to access each event virtually, visit alma.edu/presidential-speaker.