天美传媒官网

Beyond the Beat: Hip-Hop as Activism in a World That Doesn鈥檛 Listen

Description:听In this teach-in, participants will learn about the history of Hip-Hop Storytelling, including its roots in the African oral tradition. It will allow participants to move beyond the beat and dig deeper into the songs they may be passively consuming every day. Through lecture, large-group and small-group discussion, participants will dissect visuals and lyrics of mainstream Hip-Hop artists such as Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. The session will help attendees think critically about their relationship to the music they consume and the stories that are being shared.听

Location:听Sarratt Cinema

Presenter:听Amanda Wicks, doctoral student, English

Amanda Wicks hails from Ferguson, Missouri. She obtained her B.A. in English from Clark Atlanta University, her M.A. in English from the University of Missouri- Kansas City, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in English at 天美传媒官网. Her love for travel and her love for music has allowed her to experience the cultural continuities of the Black diaspora from Paris to Cape Town. These experiences have led her to have research interests in 20th and 21st century Black culture and literature, Hip-Hop studies, and social justice. She hopes her work in academia and beyond will ultimately engender positive change for those who have been relegated to the margins.

The Courage to Speak Your Story and the Openness to Receive the Stories of Others

Description:听In this teach-in, participants will honor Martin Luther King鈥檚 legacy of fighting injustice and promoting equality through engaging in a story exchange. The session is aimed at breaking down barriers, shattering stereotypes and fostering empathy and understanding among participants. Some of the activities will include active/deep listening exercises, an introduction to the work of Narrative 4 and the 鈥淣arrative 4 Vanderbilt鈥� registered student organization, a mini-story-exchange in small groups of four and a group debrief.听

Location:听Sarratt 216/220

Presenters:听 Michael McRay, southeast regional manager for Narrative 4; Micky ScottBey Jones, Director of Healing & Resilience Initiatives with Faith Matters Network, Rev. Gretchen Person, Associate University Chaplain

Michael McRay is the Southeast Regional Manager for Narrative 4 which is a global organization dedicated to using its story exchange methodology to shatter stereotypes and to build empathy, understanding and hope. Michael is an author, educator, bridging-divides facilitator, and trained mediator. He holds a master鈥檚 in conflict resolution and reconciliation from Trinity College Dublin鈥檚 Belfast campus. He has traveled to Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Rwanda, learning from peacebuilders and looking for stories that can help save us from our division.

Micky ScottBey Jones-the justice doula- accompanies听people as they birth more love,听 justice and shalom into our world. She is the director of resilience and healing initiatives with Faith Matters Network and is a core team member with The People鈥檚 Supper. She is the author of Keep the Fires Burning: Conquering Stress and Burnout as a Mother-Baby Professional and contributing author of Becoming Like Creoles: Living and Leading at the Intersections of Injustice, Culture and Religion and Keep Watch With Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers and articles all over the internet.听

The Rev. Gretchen Person, Associate University Chaplain and Associate Director of Religious Life, previously served as Director of Spiritual Life at DePauw University. She began her M.Div. studies at Harvard University, graduated from Luther Seminary, and received the Master of Sacred Theology degree from Yale University. She has also studied at the Goethe Institute in Murnau, Germany and at Valparaiso University.

Rewriting Pocahontas: The Importance of Perspective and Voice in Cultural Narratives

Description:听In this teach-in, participants will engage with the standard story of Pocahontas, learn additional context, and then think critically about how it has often been communicated, including the story narrator鈥檚 perspective, the way that information is privileged, what information is excluded, how the significance of the story emerges from these authorial decisions and more. Attendees will also experience a presentation on the art of storytelling and the importance of hearing from a diversity of voices.听

Location:听Commons 235

Presenters:听Danyelle Valentine, Mellon Visiting Professor of Women鈥檚 and Gender Studies;听Alex Camai, the editor-in-chief of听Vanderbilt Lives

Narrative Circles for Community Building and Inclusion

Description:听In this teach-in, participants will engage in a Narrative Circle where they will self-select to participate by listening to the narratives of others or sharing their own narrative. The Narrative Circle approach is distinguished by principles and practices of narrative theory intended to create a shared exploration where each individual鈥檚 multi-storied self is affirmed. Participants will reflect on the ways that their characteristics, talents and values contribute to their personal narrative, as well as how their own story influences their perceptions of their talents, interactions with others and capabilities. This session will allow attendees to begin thinking intentionally about the impact of stories, perceptions, biases and assumptions that correlate with the unfamiliar or unknown.听

Location:听Commons 237

Presenters:听Hasina Mohyuddin, director of Peabody Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Kalen Russell, graduate student, community development and action