The Science, Technology and Race Learning Community (a ReBUILDetroit program) and the Akoma Center for Pan-Afrikan Research, Self-Determination & Nation-building are accepting proposals for the first W. E. B. Du Bois Community Symposium on Race. Proposal submissions are due by Sunday, Dec. 13. Any relevant theme surrounding race will be considered; some examples include the following:
- Intersectionality and Critical Race Theory
- Imagery, Perception and Reality and its Effects on People of Color
- Decolonizing Education for Inclusion
- Community-Based Anti-Racism Projects
Why W.E.B. Du Bois?
Du Bois expressed his view on race, stating, “The discovery of personal whiteness among the world’s peoples is a very modern thing,—a nineteenth and twentieth century matter, indeed. The ancient world would have laughed at such a distinction.” Even though race is socially constructed, Du Bois recognized that the racialization of Black people in particular occurs time and time again.
In the spirit of a griot, Du Bois documented the stories of Blacks in America. His book, The Souls of Black Folk, specifically expresses the humanity of African Americans in spite of how they have historically been portrayed and recipients of some of the most inhumane treatment ever inflicted upon a group of people.
Proposal requirements
- Create one of the following presentation types: (a) individual presentation with PowerPoint, spoken word, music or other media, (b) paper or essay read to the audience, (c) focused roundtable discussion of three to five in a group, or (d) interactive workshop presentation. (Note that individual presenters (a/b) will be grouped in three’s and will each have 15 minutes to present. Focused roundtable formats (c) and Workshop presentations (d) will be allotted 45 minutes. 20-30 minutes is reserved at the end of each session for questions, answers and discussion from the audience. )
- Create a 200-300 word abstract or brief description of your proposal topic and presentation.
- Create a brief biography of yourself in 100 words or less.
- Submit the proposal online using this form.
For more information or questions, contact College of Engineering & Science Institutional Development Core Coordinator Jahzara Mayes at otoojm@udmercy.edu or Associate Professor of Physics Prasad Venugopal at venugoep@udmercy.edu.