This plenary seeks to address the devastating effects of genocide in relation to the past/present/future moment of state-sanctioned violence against people of color in the US.  In recognition of the continued fight against displacement and dispossession, the panel will feature an intergenerational dialogue between activists, scholars and young people to connect movements centered in decolonization with current work that understands Black life as viable, necessary and connected to other struggles for liberation.

The organizers of Free Minds, Free People are mindful of the recent controversy surrounding the Native identity of one of our keynote plenary speakers, Andrea Smith. Because racial, cultural, and tribal identities all hold complicated histories and implications, they cannot be easily resolved in a single statement. As conference organizers, we are excited to have Andy Smith speak at our conference because of her important work as a leading theorist and groundbreaking anti-colonial and feminist activist. Simultaneously, we acknowledge our failure to front the voices of Indigenous peoples, particularly Indigenous women. Please accept our humble apology as we work to do better in the future.

Friday, 4 pm – 6 pm — in the Scottish Rite Center