On September 13, 2020 we held Rochester's Summit To End Hate. The goal was to reach across Rochester’s diverse communities to engage individuals of all ages and backgrounds to learn from the best and brightest local and national experts on how to combat all forms of hate. One participant called it "a day of active and wise hope." Another appreciated the opportunity to grapple with issues and topics "for those who wonder how we got to this very segregated place." These were just two of the voices of the nearly 400 participants, panelists, and facilitators from across Rochester who joined us for BRAVE SPACES: Rochester's Summit to End Hate.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Re-examining Hate:
How Antisemitism and Racism Fuel White Nationalism
An online presentation from Eric Ward, Senior Fellow, Southern Poverty Law Center
Eric Ward
SESSION ONE
Story Telling & Skill Building
From My Story to Their Story: Using Our Stories to Help Others Share Theirs
Participants will practice vulnerability, empathy, and active listening as they share and listen to other’s stories. Their questions will serve as the foundation for open dialogue with family, friends, and strangers.
Overview of Restorative Practices: A Collaborative Framework to End Hate
Come away with an understanding of applications for ending hate; including creating inclusive spaces, addressing equity, and responding to oppression in everyday interactions.
The Bravest Space: Facing the Divide Within
Our resistance to engage when witnessing discrimination is often connected to early experiences of not being heard or of being dismissed when we did speak up. When we confront our fear with openness and curiosity, we can make a deep, lasting connection with those we see as “other”.
Zack Ellis
Dr. Shira May
Steve Jarose
Nick Moore
Elisa DeJesus
The Haudenausenee and the Story of the Peacemaker
Hear the story of the Peacemaker and Tedadaho, and how the Haudenosaunee People found peace during a time of warring and unrest among the Nations. Learn peace through storytelling; a sacred process of teaching for the Haudenosaunee People.
Ronalyn Pollack
SESSION TWO
Systems Change
Becoming an Anti-Racist
Participants will begin to deepen their understanding of “anti-racism” and discuss ways in which they can take the next steps to increase their understanding and commitment to dismantling racism.
Daniel Redic
Kristin Hocker
Redlining, Racist Policy, and Resistance in Rochester, NY
Examine multiple primary source documents related to redlining, racially restrictive covenants, exclusionary zoning policy, urban renewal, and the oral histories of people of color like Dr. Walter Cooper, Dr. Alice Young, Howard Coles, and many others.
Shane Wiegand
Representation Matters: Media Imaging and Stereotyping
Our culture is saturated with stereotypical depictions of race and difference. The effort to end hate and racism requires us not only to recognize these problematic instances of representation, but to understand the mechanics of these images—how and why they are made, their histories and their social impact in the present moment. This workshop will consist of a panel discussion between faculty, students, and members of the art and design communities about the role images play in reinforcing and/or breaking stereotypes.
Catherine Zuromskis
Mari Jaye Blanchard
Aria A. Dines
Joy Anderson
Mark Reisch
'Wáats'asdiyei (Joe Yates)
Rochester: History and Structural Racism
Participants will come away from this workshop with a deeper understanding of the historical foundations of Rochester's segregation and entrenched poverty and an exploration of some of the solutions that can lead to a more equitable community.
Simeon Banister
SESSION THREE
Activism, Organizing, & Hope
Anger as a Voice for Change
Anger is a powerful emotion that can sometimes have destructive effects, but it can also be harnessed to remind us what’s important and to create change in our interpersonal relationships and communities.
Bianca Pointner
Jonathon Jones
Driving Out Hate: What We Can Learn from Chilli and Pittsford
Local community members will share effective practices and ideate ways to build cross-community dialogues in the Greater Rochester region.
Dr. Taj Smith
Marvin Stepherson
Sherry Jackson
Lindsay Swanson
Shawna Lusk
Gwen Clifton
When Do I Step In? The Mechanics of Intervention
Participants will be more reflective about their actions in situations where they might intervene. They will understand the mechanisms that often stop us from intervening and result in our becoming bystanders. They will explore the complexities of our ideas of morality (what’s good and bad) and finally they will come away with some tools to encourage them to be upstanders, anti-racists, anti-misogynists, etc.
Jodi Oriel
Angelique Stevens
Youth Activism Panel
Youth have a lot to say about the state of our country and our communities. Are we willing to listen? Hear the voices of young people in our communities and the perspective of young activists.
Sally Brothers
Mary Callahan