Conference Recap

Dr. Anthony Abraham Jack, T1W 2024 keynote speaker and Boston University sociologist, presented “The Privileged Poor” which focused on the challenges faced by low-income students at elite colleges and how institutions often fail to support their unique needs.

The first plenary presentation, titled “Shifting Gears: Navigating Wisconsin’s Evolving Landscape for Equity and Belonging,” analyzed the state of DEI  within Wisconsin’s unique political and social climate.
“Third Space: Jewish Muslim Discourse in Divided Times,” the second plenary presentation, discussed the Israel/Palestine conflict’s impact on Jewish  and Muslim communities, emphasizing the diasporic context and advocating for a “third space” beyond binary positions.

The 20 breakout sessions covered a wide range of topics, such as “Restoring Civility: Why We Need to Have Difficult Conversations and How to Have Them” and “Cultivating Health: Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Communities”.

“My biggest take-away is that there are tons and tons of people and organizations doing work all around me that I didn’t know were available as resources or possible places to get involved. As someone who feels like I have a pretty good understanding of opportunities around me, I realized that there is a lot more out there than I thought! I left feeling excited to try to volunteer/work for/with some of these places.” – T1W 2024 Attendee