Listen, 
partner, 
change. 

Many groups in Southwest Virginia are largely invisible in media and research, despite being integral to the fabric of our communities. Academics and community members are invited to come listen and honor those stories and get the chance to partner directly in community-based research.

In the morning, four community members (below) will share their personal story and the unanswered questions they raise. Poet and poverty abolitionist Julia Dinsmore will serve as Keynote Listener, reflecting on themes that emerge from the stories. After lunch, participants will join one or more speakers to begin imagining together how research could justly address the questions of the morning. Each speaker will collaborate with interested participants to make those dreams a reality by conducting and publishing peer-reviewed research with support from the University Libraries.

Speakers include:

• Hannah Martin, LGBT veteran, small-scale farmer, and potter
• Victoria Ferguson, Monacan Indian tribal elder and cultural steward
• Chris Alderman, recovering substance user and peer recovery advocate
• Hothaifa Abu Samra, Syrian refugee and community college student

This event is meant to inspire and equip long-term collaboration between Virginia Tech and community groups. It is open to anyone and meant to be a safe, accessible space for all. Speaker's stories will be video-recorded and archived, but to ensure everyone has power over their own story, we ask others not to record or share interactions without express permission. If you desire an accommodation, please contact Nathaniel Porter at (540)232-8478 or ndporter@vt.edu at least 10 days prior to the event.

This event is cosponsored by University Libraries, Center for Humanities, and the Advancing the Human Condition Symposium/Office for Inclusion and Diversity. For more details on the event, visit the event FAQ.

Feature Image: Eddie and Charlie Proudfoot. "Mixed Up Model." Used by permission.