Feb. 28 Campus Symposium Explores Issues of Equality, Privilege, Justice in South Africa and Syracuse

The Newhouse School will be the setting of an evening symposium exploring issues of equality, privilege and justice in Syracuse and South Africa.

“No Innocence This Side of the Womb,” hosted by the Newhouse Center for Global Engagement, will bring together Syracuse and South African artists, academics, activists and journalists. The event is Thursday, Feb. 28, starting at 5 p.m. in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium, Newhouse 3. It is free and open to the public. Follow on Twitter at #SyracusetoSouthAfrica.

The afterlife of slavery, apartheid and colonialism runs deep. South Africa and the United States share the challenge of building a better future while being honest about the present and the past. The symposium will allow panelists and audience members to analyze the response to the shared struggles of racism, poverty and privilege confronting South Africa and Syracuse.

The event will consist of three panel discussions with a rotating open panel chair, allowing audience members to participate.

South Africa to Syracuse–”A Common Struggle,” 5 p.m.
How segregation and class affect us, regardless of geography. How we got here and where we are going.

Panelists:

• Yusuf Abdul-Qadir ’11, chapter director, New York Civil Liberties Union, Syracuse
• Ellen Blalock G’84, artist, Syracuse
• Zuko Gqadavama, resource development coordinator, Inkululeko, South Africa
• Charisse L’Pree, assistant professor, Newhouse School
• Michelle Schenandoah, CEO and editor-in-chief, Rematriation Magazine, Oneida Nation
• John Western, professor, Maxwell School

The Arts–”Ordinary Acts, Extraordinary Promise,” 6:40 p.m.
Art’s role in unpacking and pushing back against injustice.

Panelists:

• Jaleel Campbell, artist, Syracuse
• Gabrielle Goliath, artist, South Africa
• Simon Gush, artist, South Africa
• Neelika Jayawardane, associate professor, SUNY Oswego

Communication–”No Easy Walk to Freedom,” 8:10 p.m.
The role of a free press in providing a reflection of our societies and a method of holding the powerful to account.

Panelists:

• Paul Botes, photographer and picture editor, Mail & Guardian, South Africa
• Ken Harper, associate professor and director, Newhouse Center for Global Engagement, Newhouse School
• Joe Lee, general manager, WAER
• Khadija Patel, editor-in-chief, Mail & Guardian, South Africa
• Niren Tolsi, journalist, South Africa

The event is co-sponsored by Hendricks Chapel, the Department of Transmedia in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Syracuse University Humanities Center and Light Work.

Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available. For more information about the event, or if you require additional accommodations, contact Audrey Burian at aaburian@syr.edu or 315.443.1930.