Recent and upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decisions are worrying reminders of the institutional powers that are beyond our control but affect all aspects of our lives. These powers can span every scale imaginable, shaping our individual experiences and notions of justice and just reparation. Recent and harmful incidents on our campus reflect the reverberations of intergenerational injustices that, in many respects, are embedded into the foundations of our campus and nation. The theme of Claiming Williams 2023 invites all members of our community to consider for themselves how institutional powers, both at Williams and beyond, systematically intertwine to impinge on our identities and well-being and reinforce structural oppression and systemic racism. Claiming Williams 2023 would also like us to envision ways of countering and reimagining institutional powers that resisted institutionalized oppression in an effort to support the most vulnerable and achieve lasting justice.
Claiming Williams 2023 wants to hear your ideas. Upon reflection and inspection, how can we untangle the myriad ways that historical oppressions manifest themselves in our lives? How do the legacies of institutional behavior continue to perpetuate harm and injustice? And how can we work together, collaborate even, to right so many historical and lasting wrongs to bring about a justice that resounds across our community?
The date is Thursday, February 2, 2023. Proposed events can be either virtual or in-person. Unless specified events are open only to the Williams community.