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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Social Justice Teach-In
FEATURING HIP-HOP ARTIST/ACTIVIST/SCHOLAR OLMECA
- Date and Time: Saturday, February 8, 10:30 am-3:30 pm
- Location: Tinkham Veale University Center, 11038 Bellflower Road
IRTF & CWRU’s annual Social Justice Teach-In is a great opportunity for people of all ages to gain the information, practical skills, and resources to work for peace, economic justice, and human rights! This annual event attracts hundreds of participants, most from area high schools and colleges. Choose from 30-40 workshops on local and global justice issues. Get skills training to work for social change!
The Teach-In will begin and end with an inspiring keynote and performances by Olmeca, a bilingual Latinx hip-hop artist, producer, activist, and scholar who intersects various identities and demographics. The son of immigrants who grew up in the barrios of L.A., Olmeca is one of the few artists who broke ground as an artist and advocate for human rights. His unique writing talent in both English and Spanish has gained the attention of hip-hop and alt-Latinx music audiences. His lyrics are written to encourage critical thinking, transformative education, cultural/political empowerment, and social justice. Olmeca is a graduate of California State University-L.A. in Latin American Studies and Philosophy. hidden, forgotten and denied histories and about the unique twin cultural heritage of Native Black Americans.
Registration requested:
Registration for CWRU students
Registration for non-CWRU students, CWRU staff and faculty, and community members
Black Indians: An American Story - Documentary and Discussion
- Date and Time: Tuesday, February 11, 6:30-8:30 pm
- Location: Crawford Hall, Room A9, 10900 Euclid Avenue
The award-winning documentary film Black Indians: An American Story brings to light a hidden heritage of America's past ‐ the cultural and racial fusion of Native and African Americans. This in-depth exploration of racial identity examines what brought the Native Americans, African Americans and Black Native Americans together, what drove them apart and the challenges they face in the 21st century.
Dr. Susan Dominguez will lead a robust discussion following about the critical need to examine lost, hidden, forgotten and denied histories and about the unique twin cultural heritage of Native Black Americans.
Free and open to the community. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP to socialjustice@case.edu.
Sing, My Brother, Sing!
Black Liberation Theology, Christian Hip-Hop, and Youth Ministries
- Date and Time: Tuesday, February 18, 3:00-4:15 pm
- Location: Clark Hall, Room 206, 11130 Bellflower Road
Dr. David L. Moody, author of Political Melodies in the Pews? The Voice of the Black Christian Rapper in the Twenty-first Century Church, will discuss the emergence of hip-hop based ministries and their impact on Black youth in the Christian church, and provide an introduction to Black liberation theology and nationalism. He'll explore the social politics of difference and the contemporary struggles for identity in religious, educational and cultural settings. A question and answer period will follow his presentation.
Free and open to the community. Light refreshments will be served.
Challenging a Self-Evident Truth: Intersex and the Gender Binary
An event of the Cleveland Humanities Festival
- Date and Time: Thursday, March 26, 6-8 pm
- Location: Mandel Community Studies Center, 11402 Bellflower Rd.
We expect all people to be born either male or female. Throughout American history, physicians have been trying to enforce this binary both surgically and hormonally on people born with intersex traits, those with chromosomal, hormonal, or anatomical difference. Elizabeth Reis (author of Bodies in Doubt: An American History of Intersex), Kimberly Zeiselman (executive director, InterACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth) and Sana Loue (CWRU Dept. of Bioethics) will explain how the “truth” is more complicated than we’ve assumed. M. Carmen Lane will moderate. The discussion will include academic, medical, ethical and advocacy perspectives; a question and answer period will follow.
Free and open to the community. Light refreshments will be served.
Co-sponsored by the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities, CWRU LGBT Center, Flora Stone Mather Center for Women, AMSA Gender and Sexuality Committee - CWRU School of Medicine, Department of History, Dittrick Museum of Medical History, and the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland.
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.