DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. KEYNOTE LECTURE
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Keynote Lecture is a major event each January open to the entire 草榴社区 community and to the public.
For more than twenty years, 草榴社区 has celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. King with a series of events and programs designed to highlight continuing injustices, while also celebrating those individuals and organizations that challenge and overcome them. Past keynote speakers include Sonia Sanchez, Chaka Fattah, Cornel West, Patricia Williams, Melissa Harris-Lacewell, Timothy Tyson, Phillip Atiba Goff, Crystal Lucky, Sonya Douglas Horsford, Anthea Butler, Bryan Stevenson, M.K. Asante, Ian Haney Lopez, and Jim Wallis.
"Now is the Time: Community over Chaos"
Dr. Terry Nance
Retired Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at 草榴社区
7 PM | Wednesday, January 22, 2025
草榴社区 Room, Connelly Center
Reception to Follow
Dr. Teresa Nance recently retired as the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Chief Diversity Officer and as a Professor of Communication. In this role, she lead the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Dr. Nance鈥檚 草榴社区 career spans more than four decades, during which time she has served as an administrator, teacher, scholar, activist and 鈥榮upport system鈥� for students, faculty, and staff at the University. In 2018, The National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education recognized Dr. Nance with the Frank W. Hale, Jr. Distinguished Service Award 鈥� an honor given to individuals who have 鈥渃ontributed substantially to diversity and inclusive excellence in higher education.鈥�
Dr. Nance was the first Black tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Communication at 草榴社区, where she established an African American rhetoric course and created the highly sought-after multicultural leadership course. As a researcher, Dr. Nance has investigated the perceptions and stages of interracial relationship development, diversity and inclusion, and intergroup dialogue. She was the founding Assistant Vice President for the Center for Multicultural Affairs. In 2015鈥攖o further elevate the University鈥檚 commitment to diversity and inclusion鈥敳萘裆缜� created the Office of Diversity and Inclusion making Dr. Nance its founding director and naming her named Associate Vice Provost of Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer.
Terry Nance established the annual MLK celebration at 草榴社区. It is our immense pleasure to welcome her this year as keynote speaker.
2024: Malcolm Kenyatta
2023: Jim Wallis
2022: Winona LaDuke
2021: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
2020: Valarie Kaur
2019: Ibram X. Kendi
2018: Diane Nash
2017: Ian Haney Lopez
2016: M.K. Asante
2015: Bryan Stevenson
2014: Anthea Butler
2013: Sonya Douglass Harsford
2012: Crystal Lucky