Family, Home and Community in Africa and the Diaspora

2016 - The Institute on Black Life celebrates 30 years as a USF center of "research, development and community service". On February 9, 2017 the Institute on Black Life opens the door to the next thirty years with an exploration of the impact of research, scholarship and teaching on social change. Ongoing social crises such as poverty, inequalities in access to education, gun violence, police brutality, homelessness, and other critical issues demand our attention. This conference provides a platform for multiple discussions on contemporary social issues and explorations of divergent approaches to affecting social change, including teaching, performance, publishing, community engagement, scholar activism, and student movements.

Panels, presentations and workshops will be interactive learning experiences that underscore the importance of collaboratively building knowledge as a tool for social change.

"Working Together across Generations" will feature young local activists along with elders in a discussion to continue the important discussions begun during our 2016 symposium.

Please note: A major source of support is requiring students to attend this event! We invite you to include this year's program in your planning for the spring semester and encourage your students and colleagues to attend and engage in meaningful discussions.