The “2018 Summer Dialogues for Activism” (#DFATXST) return for a second year to the LBJ Museum of San Marcos, 131 N. Guadalupe St., San Marcos, TX 78666.
Free and open to the public, the dialogues will invite a series of Friday morning discussions of active topics of social change such as immigration, education, gentrification, and equitable housing.
Friday June 8, 9 a.m. – 12 noon
The first two dialogues will take place on the morning of Friday, June 8, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Jordan Buckley of Mano Amiga will serve as emcee for two sessions on immigration.
The first session from 9 am – 10:15 am will cover the topics of “DACA, DREAMers, & SB4.” Panelists will include Alejandro Caceres of Grassroots Leadership and Michelle Sotolongo, advisor to the Texas State Student Community of Progressive Empowerment (SCOPE). Texas State student Isabel Esparza of SCOPE will serve as moderator.
The second dialogue on June 8, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon will address the topic of “Immigration and Intersectionality,” featuring panelists Sulma Franco of Grassroots Leadership, Yunuen Alvarado of SCOPE, and attorney Leonardo De La Garza. The session will be moderated by Robert Garcia of Texas State.
Friday June 15, 9 a.m. – 12 noon
On Friday, June 15, two sessions will be dedicated to the theme of education. San Marcos CISD Trustee Anne Halsey will serve as emcee for the first session on “The Texas State Sit-In” from 9 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Panelists will include Claudia Gasponi of the Texas State Student Government, Monica Richerson of Texas State Lambda, and Cassidy Wright of the Texas State Black Student Alliance. Dr. Scott Bowman of Texas State will serve as moderator.
The second session on June 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon will address the topic “Overcoming the School-to-Prison Pipeline.” Shannon FitzPatrick of Texas State will serve as emcee. Panelists will include Susan Seaton of Texas State Teachers Association, Joel Ware, Jr. of the Hays Co. Juvenile Center, and Gary Fields, Jr. of Texas State. Trustee Clem Cantu of San Marcos CISD will serve as moderator.
Friday, June 22, 9 a.m. – 12 noon.
On Friday, June 22, the sessions will address gentrification and housing. Diann McCabe of the League of Women Voters will serve as emcee for the first session on “Gentrification” from 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Panelists will include San Antonio activists Marlon Davis and Salena Santibañez, along with Dr. Shetay N. Ashford of Texas State. Tomas Diaz de Leon of Texas State will serve as moderator.
The final session of the series, from10:30 a.m. to 12 noon on June 22, will be emceed by Melissa Millecam of the LBJ Museum of San Marcos. The session will be a “Deliberative Dialogue on Equitable Housing,” facilitated by Dr. Jo Ann Carson, coordinator of the Philosophy Dialogue program at Texas State. A deliberative dialogue explores problems and policy options with small group breakout sessions.
The 2018 Summer Dialogues for Activism are co-sponsored by the LBJ Museum of San Marcos, Philosophy Dialogue Series, Philosophy Department, Honors College, History Department,
@JusticeTalkTXST, Lambda, Office of Disability Services, Mano Amiga, and the San Marcos Cinema Club.
Dialogues for Activism (DFA) seek to nurture discussions and communities dedicated to critical challenges of social change. Each session will be organized around three presenters – usually two activists and a scholar — who will each introduce who they are, what work they do, and why they do it. Moderators will introduce speakers, ask follow-up questions of panelists, and encourage community discussion.
Presenters will speak for 5-10 minutes each, followed by questions from the moderator for 5-10 minutes, followed by questions and discussion with the community.
