“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.

The Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies and the University Writing Program will celebrate Maggie Su's debut novel, "BLOB" (Harper Collins), on the day of the official launch, January 28, 2025.  Vi Liu, a struggling 20-something Midwesterner, finds a mysterious blob in an alley and discovers she can mold it into her ideal boyfriend. What could possibly go wrong?Unique, heartfelt, and hilarious, "Blob: A Love Story" is a delightfully inquisitive meditation on relationships and identity. What responsibility do we have in the creation of our relationships? What do we bring and leave behind? And what repercussions exist when we force ourselves into an identity instead of nurturing our real selves? This winsome book pulls off the impossible feat of examining our deepest existential questions with equal parts tenderness and droll. Ling Ling Huang, author of Natural BeautyMaggie Su is a writer and editor. She received a Ph.D. in fiction from the University of Cincinnati and an MFA from Indiana University. Her work has appeared in New England Review, TriQuarterly Review, Puerto del Sol, Juked, DIAGRAM, and elsewhere. She is a postdoctoral research associate and serves as assistant director of the University Writing Center. Michelle Marvin, associate director of the University Writing Center, will introduce the event. Whitney James, assistant teaching professor of the University Writing Program, will moderate the discussion. Originally published at asia.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.