The Social Justice Institute presents meaningful events where students, scholars and community members gather together to tap into our individual and collective psyches and souls, hearts and minds, knowledge and networks of support, and dare to draw forth the words, analyses, strategies and actions that respect and uplift human dignity and life. We are honored to provide distinctive educational opportunities – and we invite you to join us and become partners in our work.
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Company Town: A Documentary and Discussion about Environmental Justice, Race and Power
An Event of the 2019 Cleveland Humanities Festival
Co-sponsored by the Master of Public Health Program, Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health, and the Oberlin College and Conservatory Environmental Studies Program
- Date and Time: Monday, March 18, 6:30-8:30 pm
- Location: Ballroom B, Tinkham Veale University Center, 11038 Bellflower Road
What do you do when the company you work for and live near is making you sick? Company Town is a groundbreaking investigative documentary about environmental injustice, corporate accountability and community action in a rural Arkansas town. This chilling story reveals the egregious business practices of a company owned by the billionaire Koch brothers, government negligence and deregulation, and a devastating cancer cluster that galvanized a town to fight back. Janet Fiskio, associate professor of environmental studies at Oberlin College, will introduce the film and lead a discussion with Karen B. Mulloy of the Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health. Free and open to the community; light refreshments will be served. RSVP to socialjustice@case.edu.
Embedded Activism: Changing Foster Care from the Inside Out for LGBTQ2S Youth
Social Justice Research Lunch Series - Co-sponsored by QGrad
- Date and Time: Tuesday, March 26, 11:30 am-12:45 pm
- Location: Crawford Hall, Room A13, 10900 Euclid Avenue
Dana Prince (MSASS assistant professor) and Sonia Emerson (project coordinator of Affirm Me) lead a dialogue about opportunities, barriers and effective strategies for effecting social change for LGBTQ2S (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning Two-Spirit) youth within the public child welfare system. Bring your lunch; drinks and dessert provided. RSVP to socialjustice@case.edu.
Mankiller: A Documentary and Discussion with Filmmaker Valerie Red-Horse Mohl
Co-sponsored with the Center for Civic Engagement and Learning, LGBT Center, Flora Stone Mather Center for Women, Ellipsis Institute for Women of Color in the Academy, Lake Erie Native American Council and YWCA Greater Cleveland
- Date and Time: Tuesday, March 26, 6-8:30 pm
- Location: Tinkham Veale University Center, 11038 Bellflower Rd.
Wilma Mankiller was an activist, feminist and Cherokee Chief, a woman who humbly defied the odds to fight injustice and give a voice to the voiceless. She overcame rampant sexism and personal challenges to emerge as the Cherokee Nation’s first female Principal Chief in 1985. Mankiller reminds audiences of the true meaning of servant leadership and serves as a wake up call to take action for positive change.
Director and producer Valerie Red-Horse Mohl (Cherokee) will speak following the screening, examining the legacy of Mankiller’s formidable life, discussing her work as the preeminent collaborator with American Indian tribal nations bringing Native stories to the screen, and contemplating the critical roles of women in leadership.
Free and open to the community; light refreshments will be served. Reservations requested.
I’m a pretty ordinary person given an opportunity to do extraordinary things in my life.
—Wilma Mankiller, Cherokee Chief, 1985-1995
Using Photovoice to Capture Diverse Experiences of Cleveland's Opioid Crisis
Social Justice Research Lunch Series
- Date and Time: Tuesday, April 16, 11:30 am-12:45 pm
- Location: Crawford Hall, Room A13, 10900 Euclid Avenue
SJI Research Fellows Lee Hoffer (associate professor, anthropology) and Allison Schlosser present findings from a visual participatory action research project that combines media studies, interviewing and photography to give voice to people who use opioids. Bring your lunch; drinks and dessert provided. RSVP to socialjustice@case.edu.
Harambee City: Black Economic Power in Cleveland's Past and Future
- Date and Time: Friday, April 12, 6:30-8:00 pm
- Location: Linsalata Alumni Center, 11310 Juniper Road, Cleveland
Dr. Nishani Frazier (Miami University of Ohio), author of Harambee City: The Congress of Racial Equality in Cleveland the Rise of Black Power Populism, will be discussing the connections between CORE activism of the 1960s and Cleveland as a dynamic model for Black economic development. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP to socialjustice@case.edu.
What Works and New Will: American Has Made Little Progress 50 Years After the Kerner Commission
An event of The City Club of Cleveland
- Date and Time: Thursday, May 9, 12:00-1:30 pm
- Location: The City Club, 850 Euclid Avenue
In February 1968, the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders – known as the Kerner Commission – concluded that America was heading toward “two societies, one black and one white, separate and unequal,” llustrating the country's economic and social division. The report is widely considered one of the most insightful government examinations of the state of race relations in 20th century America.
Fifty years later, in February 2018, the Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation released its update of the Kerner Commission. This report, Healing Our Divided Society: Investing in America Fifty Years After the Kerner Report, concluded that America has made relatively little progress in reducing poverty, inequality, and racial injustice. Dr. Alan Curtis, president of The Eisenhower Foundation, will discuss what these findings mean for the next 50 years as racial tensions continue to increase and more Americans believe the American Dream to be unattainable.
Please note: since this is an event of The City Club, there is a fee to attend. Tickets are $37; use the code SJI19 for 20% savings. There are a limited number of complimentary tickets available through SJI - e-mail Lisa to inquire about availability.
About Our Events
The majority of our events are free of charge and open to the community. We cannot do this important work without you – we hope that you will consider supporting us in these endeavors. Gifts of any size will impact our work and support our signature programs. Donations may be made online or sent to Social Justice Institute, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106-7243.
To RSVP or volunteer for any upcoming event, please call 216.368.7568 or email socialjustice@case.edu.