Guest Speakers
Nana Aba Appiah Amfo
Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana
Tuesday March 18, 2025
Lecture: 11:30-1:00pm
Pape Hall, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
1430 Johnson Lane
Eugene, OR 97403-1223
"From Margins to Mainstream: Elevating African Knowledge Systems
The scheduled AAWLS Lecture at UO by the Head of University of Ghana, Vice Chancellor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, emphasizes the need for scholars on the African continent to reclaim knowledge production. It also discusses the significance of multilingualism and sociolinguistic theories, coupled with the importance of creating an optimal research environment for all scholars. Ultimately, Professor Amfo’s lecture calls for a concerted effort to elevate knowledge systems from the Global South, and the relevance of these systems in the broader academic discourse.
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Professor Kimberly West-Faulcon
Annual Derrick Bell Lecture
Thursday, Febuary 20, 2025
Lecture: 5:30-7:00pm
Knight Law Center, Room 110
1395 University St.
Eugene, OR 97403-1223
"The Legal Battle Over Affirmative Action
Join us for the Derrick Bell Lecture on February 20, 2025, at 5:30 PM, featuring Professor Kimberly West-Faulcon, James P. Bradley Chair in Constitutional Law at Loyola Marymount University. She will present "The Hidden Agenda of Legal Cases Against Affirmative Action—The SFFA v. Harvard Trojan Horse Admissions Lawsuit," offering a critical analysis of the legal and political strategies behind recent affirmative action challenges. In her lecture, Professor West-Faulcon will explore the deeper implications of these legal cases and what they reveal about the evolving landscape of civil rights and education law. Learn more about the lecture and Professor West-Faulcon in this news article.
The Derrick Bell Lecture is part of the African American Workshop and Lecture Series, sponsored by the Division of Equity and Inclusion and the Office of the President.
If you have any questions, please contact Jen McNutt-Bloom at jenmb@uoregon.edu.
Tia McNair
MLK Luncheon Keynote Speaker
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Lecture: 11:30-1:00pm
EMU Ballroom
1395 University St.
Eugene, OR 97403-1223
"Creating a Beloved Community: Why Equity is a Foundation for Flourishing
Tia McNair, PhD, a nationally recognized leader on equity, inclusive excellence, will be our 2025 keynote speaker for our annual MLK Luncheon. With three decades of experience in higher education, Dr. McNair’s work focuses on identifying strategies to eliminate inequities in student outcomes, improving student learning and engagement, and reimagining educational environments to support increased student belonging.
Victor Luckerson
Author & Journalist
Thursday, November 7, 2024
Lecture: 11:30-1:00pm
Pape Hall, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
1430 Johnson Lane
Eugene, OR 97403-1223
"Beyond Voting: Models for Civic Action From Tulsa’s Black Wall Street"
As Americans from all walks of life move through the 2024 electoral process, many are looking for models of healthy engagement in the midst of the prevailing division and conflict. In Built From the Fire, a 2023 New York Times best-selling book, Journalist Victor Luckerson shares insights from his research on the 1921 race riots in Greenwood, Oklahoma. There, members of the Black community deployed tactics beyond electoral politics to knock down barriers and create a more just, flourishing and inclusive community.
In his forthcoming November 7, 2024, 11:30am talk, Luckerson is scheduled to share three models of civic engagement that the Black community in Greenwood, Oklahoma utilized to safeguard and advance democracy as well as justice for all. Indeed, they are possible ways for all of us to think innovatively, creatively and with hope about the promise of healthy civic engagement now and in the future.
Upcoming Lectures
Danielle Allen
May 8, 2025
Wayne Morse Center