WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
We are pleased to announce the names of our three speakers, all of whom bring unique, yet interrelated, lenses to the discussion. These include IU Professor Asma Afsaruddin from the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures who specializes in Islamic religious thought and gender roles, and who will focus on Islamophobia and the harassment of Muslim women in particular; Ms. Evelyn Smith, on the staff of Bloomington’s domestic violence shelter, Middle Way House, who will shed light on intimate partner violence involving women of color in Bloomington and Monroe County; and professor and author Kali N. Gross of Wesleyan University. Dr. Gross, has been teaching and writing about nineteenth and twentieth century African American women, crime, and incarceration for almost two decades. She has published two scholarly books on black woman and crime in addition to numerous articles on state sanctioned violence against black and brown women, and the continual erasure of this violence by both the media and civil rights organizations, in a variety of venues including the Huffington Post.
In addition to hearing from our panelists, we wish to encourage open dialogue with those in attendance at the teach-in as well as encourage cross-organizational networking. With these goals in mind, the room will be set up with floor microphones in order to facilitate questions and conversation from the audience, town hall style.
Additionally, tables will be set up for a Reception and Justice Fair across the hall in the University Club starting at 8pm. Attendees will be able to walk through the tables, learn about the various organizations on campus and across the city that are engaged in social justice work on behalf of women of color (broadly defined), and sign up to receive more information from those groups they are interested in joining. We hope to encourage greater civic participation among our students and the residents of the City of Bloomington.
This event is co-sponsored by: Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs(DEMA), Department of History, Office of First Year Experience Programs(FYE), and Union Board.
