“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.