Working groups list: Sounds of Dissent

Sounds of Dissent:
A Subversive Six-Part Political Harmony

Objective of the organization:

Sounds of Dissent wishes to put together a series of 4-6 speakers that provide an alternative to the mainstream. In addition to speakers the group also hopes to bring in videos in an attempt to start discussion and help build community.

Goals:

The goal of the Social Activism Speaker Series is to expose University students, as well as the community at large, to the many diverse issues that face us, both locally and globally. The speakers we are seeking to bring to campus are from varied backgrounds and have dedicated their lives to important social struggles. Their ability to share their experiences with students—bringing new awareness and stimulating thought and discussion—is part of what makes the idea for the Speaker Series a success.

The series seeks to develop in the student population and other community members a respect for diversity, a confidence in one's ability to affect social change, and the knowledge of how to do so, and:

  • To bring in dynamic speakers that offer alternative visions from the mainstream.
  • To have gender parity in the speaker selections.
  • To use the speakers as a way to generate discussion and build community.

The series will start off with a high profile, multifaceted speaker to cast as large a net as possible. By starting off with a larger, more well known, speaker we can draw a large community of people into the project hopefully providing people with new ways and new tools in which to view their world. The funds raised will also go to support bringing other, lesser-known speakers to campus and to providing workshops the day after the speaker on an applicable topic.

The workshops that will follow each speaker are designed to take an already engaged audience and push them towards action. In this way they complete the praxis cycle and become active citizens. Workshops will be focused on providing skills and turning the dialogue of the previous night into action plans for the future.