“Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.”—Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie In the heart of Texas, where its vast southern expanse meets the rugged terrain of Mexico, lies a border in El Paso, Texas, and Cd. Juarez, Mexico, that has long served as a focal point of human migration, hope, and hardship. It’s a region where countless stories unfold daily—stories of human courage, desperation, and resilience. Yet, for those who have never walked its dusty paths or felt the weight of uncertainty that hangs heavy in the air, the reality of life along the U.S.-Mexico border remains distant and abstract. The stories of Latin American and Mexican migrants are frequently overshadowed by political rhetoric, resulting in a one-dimensional portrayal that lacks the depth and humanity of the migrant experience. This often leads to a misunderstanding of their challenges and contributions to society. There is a critical need for innovative methods that can communicate these experiences authentically and compellingly to a broader audience. Facilitated by: Steven Varela, Director, OIT Teaching and Learning Technologies; Arlene Montevecchio, Associate Director, Klau Institute for Civil and Human RightsFormat: 1-hour Presentation/DiscussionAudience: Administrators, faculty, staff, students Session Objectives: The Virtual Borders project leverages the power of XR to serve as an inclusive technology that can transform perceptions and foster deeper understandings of the complex experiences faced by Latin American and Mexican migrants as well as border culture. Through this discussion, we aim to educate, engage, create empathy, and inspire diverse audiences, making a substantial impact on public discourse around migration and diversity, equity, and inclusion by:Critically assessing media and public discourse on migration, distinguishing between factual information and misinformation Recognizing the role of dignity by analyzing migration stories and reflecting on human dignity in the context of global migration issues.Part of the Tech for Good series being presented during Walk the Walk Week by Teaching and Learning Technologies (Office of Information Technology), the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship (Hesburgh Libraries), Notre Dame Learning, and the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights Originally published at learning.nd.edu.

On November 24, 2016, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) signed a revised peace accord that marked a political end to more than 50 years of war. The Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies has the primary responsibility for technical verification and monitoring of implementation of the accord through the Peace Accords Matrix Barometer Initiative. In this talk, Angela J. Lederach (Ph.D. ’20), assistant professor of peace and justice studies at Chapman University, will draw on a decade of research with grassroots social leaders in Colombia, weaving together campesino theories of time, social relations, and place to develop an ethnographic theory of “slow peace.” Slowing down does not negate the fierce urgency of social leaders’ commitment to disrupt and transform the compounding forces of political and environmental violence that persist in postaccord Colombia. Instead, slow peace offers a relational framework for peacebuilding as a multigenerational, multispecies, and permanent struggle to cultivate a more just and livable world. Lederach will be joined in conversation by Josefina Echavarría Álvarez, professor of the practice and director of the Peace Accords Matrix, and a student and faculty respondent (TBA). Originally published at kroc.nd.edu.

The Office of Institutional Transformation, in partnership with the Initiative on Race and Resilience, invites students, faculty, and staff to gather weekly for support and fellowship. Wellsprings: A Time for Connection and Care provides a safe space for members of the campus community to discuss fears and concerns related to social divisiveness. Some sessions may feature presentations or information from campus resources. To suggest a topic, please contact Eve Kelly at ekelly11@nd.edu. Originally published at diversity.nd.edu.

Celebrate Lá Fhéile Bríde/St. Brigid's Day 2025 with a reading by visiting poet Victoria Kennefick! Book sales and a reception will follow the reading. Victoria Kennefick's debut collection, Eat or We Both Starve (Carcanet Press, 2021), won the Seamus Heaney First Collection Poetry Prize and the Dalkey Book Festival Emerging Writer of the Year Award. It was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize, the Costa Poetry Book Award, Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry and the Butler Literary Prize. Her second collection, Egg/Shell (Carcanet Press, 2024), was a Poetry Book Society Choice for Spring 2024 and BBC Poetry Extra Book of the Month for March. Egg/Shell was also a Book of the Year 2024 in The Telegraph, The Sunday Independent and The Poetry Society. This event is co-sponsored by the Creative Writing Program and the Gender Studies Program. Originally published at irishstudies.nd.edu.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1963) Racial justice and anti-Blackness are pressing global challenges that demand our attention. Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking panel discussion with distinguished experts who will delve into these critical issues. They will explore the far-reaching impacts of systemic, institutional, and organizational racism, and uncover the urgent need for change on a worldwide scale. Panelists: Joseph Butler, Assistant Dean for Access, Diversity and Inclusion, Princeton UniversityCarla Goar, Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, Kent State UniversityAmber Hewitt, Racial Equity Practitioner and Counseling Psychologist  Moderated by Gwendolyn Purifoye, Assistant Professor of Racial Justice and Conflict Transformation, University of Notre Dame  Greg Wilson, Assistant Professor of Management and Public Affairs, Ohio State University  Photo credit: "Prayer Changes Things," (c) 2017, courtesy of Eurnice Harris from Good Victory Art Studio. Originally published at kroc.nd.edu.

Drop by to crochet, knit, or embroider and enjoy conversation and community at the McDonald Center. BYO yarn and supplies or choose from available supplies. All experience levels are welcome.  Originally published at mcwell.nd.edu.