Congratulations, Class of 2026! Surrounded by family, friends, faculty and their fellow students, the University celebrated its newest graduates during the annual Commencement ceremony in the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday, May 10.

NBC Sports broadcaster Mike Tirico ’88 returned to campus to deliver the keynote address. Acting Chancellor J. Michael Haynie conferred degrees on approximately 6,679 candidates.

These photos capture the energy, emotion and Orange pride of this milestone weekend. For more Commencement coverage, check out the keynote address by Tirico, Acting Chancellor Haynie’s remarks, a tribute to Chancellor Emeritus Kent Syverud’s leadership and student speaker and University Scholar Sadie Shaula Meyer ’26 addressing her fellow classmates.

(Photos by Amy Manley unless otherwise noted)

Jeff Goldstein 鈥�77, president of global theatrical distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, will address graduates at the School of Education (SOE) on Saturday, May 9, at 4:30 p.m. in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex.

Goldstein oversees all aspects of Warner Bros. Pictures鈥� distribution activities worldwide, including filmmaker and exhibitor relations, release dating and patterns, business strategy, sales and administration, and specialty/premium formats.

Additionally, he manages Warner Bros. Pictures鈥� extensive international distribution network, which includes both affiliate offices and third-party partnerships. Goldstein also partners on marketing, and his team is responsible for distributing a diverse range of films each year, including titles from Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and DC Studios.

A highly respected leader in the distribution field, Goldstein previously served as president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. He began his career at the company as an intern in the Los Angeles office and quickly climbed the ranks, holding various roles across regional sales offices.

Over the years, his leadership and expertise have been instrumental in shaping the company鈥檚 distribution strategy and global success.

Goldstein鈥檚 work has been central to Warner Bros.鈥� recent global box office success. In 2025, the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group surpassed $4 billion at the worldwide box office across 11 releases, delivering eight consecutive No. 1 openings (nine with “Wuthering Heights” in 2026) and seven straight debuts over $40 million.

Recent highlights include “A Minecraft Movie” approaching $1 billion worldwide following its record-setting $163 million domestic opening; “Sinners” becoming the highest-grossing original horror film domestically; “Final Destination: Bloodlines” earning the best opening and highest total gross in franchise history; “Weapons” achieving the largest August horror opening; and “The Conjuring: Last Rites” securing the biggest global horror opening ever.

Additionally, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” became Tim Burton鈥檚 second highest-grossing domestic release, while “Barbie” crossed $1.4 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros.鈥� 100-year history.

In a , Goldstein explains that the roots of his career “started in 性视界,鈥� soon after he graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in special education: 鈥淚 had an uncle who was in the entertainment business. He said, if you are interested, I can get you a summer job at Warner Bros.鈥�

When asked what connects 性视界 University and his School of Education degree to his success as a movie executive, Goldstein says, 鈥淚 got my entrepreneurial spirit by working jobs in the dining hall, as a residence advisor and in the business affairs office. While at 性视界, I realized I had a bent for business, as well as the ability to teach others, mentor others, [and] be curious.”

Mike Tirico 鈥�88, acclaimed NBC Sports broadcaster and dedicated alumnus, will deliver 性视界 University鈥檚 address Sunday, May 10, in the JMA Wireless Dome. The ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m.

Tirico, who serves as vice chair of 性视界 University’s Board of Trustees, has built a career at the center of American sports broadcasting, calling play-by-play for 鈥淪unday Night Football鈥� and 鈥淣BA on NBC鈥� and serving as the primetime host for NBCUniversal鈥檚 coverage of the Olympics.

In February 2026, he became the first U.S. broadcaster ever to call the Super Bowl and host a Winter Olympics in the same year鈥攁 milestone that capped more than three decades in the profession he first pursued in the studios of WAER-FM, 性视界 University’s public radio station.

“Mike Tirico is the definition of an Orange success story,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “He began his career right here on campus, and has gone on to become one of the most respected voices in sports broadcasting. His deep and lasting commitment to 性视界 University reflects the same values of excellence we hope to inspire in every graduate. We are honored and proud to welcome him home for this milestone celebration.”

鈥淭here is no place that has meant more to me than 性视界 University,鈥� says Tirico. 鈥淧ersonally and professionally so much of what has defined my life traces back to SU. It is an incredible honor to be asked to address the Class of 2026 and welcome them to our proud family of Orange alums. I can鈥檛 wait to share this special day with the next group that joins our Forever Orange family.鈥�

Broadcast Start

Tirico earned a dual bachelor’s degree in 1988 in political science from the and the and in broadcast journalism from the . He launched his broadcasting career at WAER-FM before joining WTVH-TV in 性视界 as sports director and serving as the play-by-play voice for 性视界 University basketball, football, lacrosse and volleyball.

Tirico joined ESPN as a 鈥淪portsCenter鈥� anchor in 1991, eventually becoming the voice of 鈥淢onday Night Football鈥� from 2006-15, one of only four play-by-play announcers to call primetime NFL games for at least 10 seasons. Over 25 years at ESPN and ABC Sports, he called the NBA, college football, college basketball, golf’s Masters and The Open, the FIFA World Cup and tennis championships, the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. In July 2016, he joined NBC Sports.

At NBC, Tirico is the play-by-play voice of 鈥淪unday Night Football,鈥� primetime television鈥檚 most-watched show for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years, and has served as the network’s primetime host for the PyeongChang, Tokyo, Beijing, Paris and Milan Cortina Olympics. In February 2026, he called Super Bowl LX and then immediately shifted to host the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, an unmatched broadcasting double that drew widespread acclaim. He was named the 2010 Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and has won five Sports Emmy Awards. In the summer of 2025, he was inducted into the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame by a vote of his peers.

Dedication to the University

Tirico has remained closely connected to the University throughout his career. Elected to the Board of Trustees in 2016, he was elected vice chair in 2025 and serves on the board鈥檚 Executive, Advancement and External Affairs and Student Experience Committees. He has served on the board鈥檚 search committees, including for the dean of the Newhouse School, the athletics director and, most recently, the chancellor. His University service also includes membership on the Newhouse Advisory Board and the Advisory Board.

He has been recognized with the George Arents Award, the University’s highest alumni honor, in 2005; the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 1996; and the Newhouse School’s Marty Glickman Award for Leadership in Sports Media in 2017. He and his wife, Deborah Gibaratz Tirico 鈥�89 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), established the Mike Tirico Scholarship Endowment and supported initiatives across the Maxwell, Newhouse and Whitman schools, WAER and 性视界 University Athletics.

Congratulations graduates! The accomplishments of the Class of 2025 were celebrated by students, faculty, staff and families as the University held its annual Commencement ceremony in the JMA Wireless Dome on Sunday, May 11. The photos below capture some of the pomp and circumstance of this special day.

For more Commencement coverage, check out the keynote address by 10-Time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony, Chancellor Kent Syverud鈥檚 remarks and student speaker and University Scholar Jonathan Collard de Beaufort 鈥�25 addressing his fellow classmates.

Debra Adams Simmons 鈥�86, a national leader in journalism and a champion of diverse media organizations, inclusive editorial coverage, increased accountability journalism and a strengthened local news ecosystem, will deliver the alumni keynote address at the聽聽on Saturday, May 13. The celebration will be held at 8:30 a.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome.

A dual English and broadcast journalism graduate with three decades of extensive journalism experience as a reporter, editor and senior editorial executive, Simmons was named vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at National Geographic Media in 2022.

In that role, she helps lead diversity initiatives across the company鈥檚 parent organization, The Walt Disney Company, including efforts to amplify underrepresented voices through authentic storytelling. This guiding principle was honed in part by her English classes and liberal arts professors at A&S | Maxwell. 鈥淎s a journalist you think, 鈥榃hat are the stories that can move the needle here, that can make a difference?鈥欌�� says Simmons.

Before that, Simmons had worked since 2017 as executive editor of history and culture for National Geographic, the 135-year-old magazine known for its striking photojournalism and focus on the history and lived experiences of people and places around the world.

In her convocation remarks, Simmons will address one of the critical issues facing American society today: the imperative to build a stronger local news and information ecosystem as the number of community news outlets continues to shrink and the industry battles for survival. 鈥淚f local news vanishes, can local democracy, civic engagement and accountability survive?鈥� Simmons asks.

She also will discuss the importance of mentors, whether professors, alumni in a formal program like聽聽or professionals in the workplace, in helping emerging journalists and other young professionals launch and successfully navigate their careers.

Following the path of her interdisciplinary student experience, Simmons has maintained deep alumni relationships with 性视界 University. She is vice-chair of the College of Arts and Sciences鈥� dean鈥檚 advisory board, which she recently hosted at National Geographic鈥檚 office in Washington, D.C. She has funded an endowed Our Time Has Come Scholarship to support Arts and Sciences students and is helping the 性视界 University chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. reach an ambitious $1 million scholarship goal. She also was among Newhouse鈥檚 50 Forward, recognized as part of the school鈥檚 50th anniversary celebration in 2015. She will serve as a facilitator and keynote speaker for the summer 2023 Newhouse DEIA Campus Immersion experience.

Lois Agnew, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, says, 鈥淚 am thrilled that our graduating students will have the opportunity to hear Debra Adams Simmons speak at Convocation. Debra has built a high-profile, noteworthy career by combining an incredible talent for writing with a real passion for making positive change in the media industry. At A&S | Maxwell, our students go on to help make the world healthier, more hopeful and more humane. Debra is an outstanding example of the liberal arts鈥� power to do just that.鈥�

性视界 Simmons鈥� Career

In her first reporting job at the 性视界 Herald-Journal, which she began one week after graduating from 性视界 University, she wrote an award-winning story on abuses in the 性视界-area foster care system. She continued writing about underrepresented communities when she later covered public city schools for the Detroit Free Press and the Hartford (Connecticut) Courant.

Simmons moved into management in 1995 as education editor at The Virginian-Pilot where she later served as metro editor and as deputy managing editor for local news. She was the managing editor and editor of the Akron Beacon Journal before serving in the same roles at The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer. In 2014, she was named vice president of news development for Advance Local, the Newhouse family-owned company that includes The Plain Dealer as well as The (性视界) Post-Standard and 性视界.com.

Along with her commitment to DEI, Simmons has prioritized accountability journalism鈥攈olding people and institutions responsible for their words and actions鈥攁nd has worked to cultivate a new generation of news leaders. She spent a year as a fellow of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University in 2016 examining how best to create inclusively led, digitally focused media organizations.

A record of robust media leadership includes serving on the boards of the News Leaders Association (formerly the American Society of News Editors) and the International Women鈥檚 Media Foundation and serving as president of the Associated Press Media Editors Association and the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. She also has been an adjunct faculty member of Kent State University鈥檚 journalism and mass communications program teaching media ethics and media marketplace classes. Simmons currently serves on the board of Signal Ohio, a statewide nonprofit news organization launched by the American Journalism Project, a group focused on addressing the news and information needs of citizens across the country.

Her broader work includes helping organizations implement journalism projects to help address news voids that exist in many communities. Simmons has participated seven times as a Pulitzer Prize juror (including in 2023) and spent five years as the Midwest judge for the Livingston Award for Young Journalists, a program of the University of Michigan Knight Wallace Fellowship. She also is a longtime judge of the Newhouse School鈥檚 Mirror Awards.

鈥淓very moment in my career has been a DEI moment because in the 1980s and 鈥�90s there weren鈥檛 that many women senior leaders,鈥� Simmons says. 鈥淲hen I became the editor of The Plain Dealer [in 2010], I think there were two Black women executive editors in the country.鈥�

Today鈥檚 newsrooms in such cities as Dallas, Houston, Charlotte and Miami are led by women, many of whom Simmons has mentored and supported.

Simmons advises students to seek and nurture mentors and, when more experienced, to guide and support the next generation. 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping to smooth the path for future generations of leaders,鈥� she says.

is pleased to announce that Nkenge A. Bergan ’95, Board of Visitors member and an expert in educational leadership and school climate training, will address graduates at its 2023 Convocation ceremony on Saturday, May 13, at 3:30 p.m. in the Schine Student Center Goldstein Auditorium.

Named to the School of Education in August 2021, Bergan became associate vice president for student development services of Kalamazoo Valley (MI) Community College in September 2021. She was previously director of student services at Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS), where she served 13,000 students and their families for more than 10 years.

At KPS, a team of behavior specialists, culture/climate coaches and campus safety professionals, and was awarded a $1 million grant to establish a Social Emotional Learning Professional Development Center. She created KPS’s 鈥淐ulturally Responsive Education鈥� professional development program, was a member of the Equity Task Force, and as an Adverse Childhood Experiences master trainer, she helped plan a community trauma summit to seek “to eliminate policies, practices and procedures that may be creating more trauma” in students KPS serves and the greater Kalamazoo community.

“As an educational leader and trainer, Nkenge challenges and empowers stakeholders to seek intentional solutions and interventions to strengthen their learning communities. As an advocate for student success, she ensures that every student has equitable access to tools, supports and opportunities to learn,” says Kelly Chandler-Olcott, Dean of the School of Education. “The passion she brings to these dual strengths, as well as her journey from special education teacher to higher education administrator, will inspire our graduates to challenge themselves as they begin their careers.”

Bergan graduated from the School of Education in 1995 with a . She earned a master鈥檚 degree in educational leadership and administration from Western Michigan University and a certificate in education from Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

Before her KPS leadership position, Bergan taught special education at Douglass Byrd Senior High School in Fayetteville, NC, where she also coached freshman girls鈥� basketball and volleyball. From 1999 to 2011, she served as building principal in elementary and middle schools advocating for students in urban and suburban communities. In 2010, Bergan was awarded the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association Region 4 Principal of the Year.

Two prominent media commentators and thought leaders who express divergent views regarding free speech surrounding race and the portrayal of racial identity will visit campus Friday, March 31, to take part in a University-hosted lecture. Michael Eric Dyson, of Vanderbilt University and John McWhorter, of Columbia University, will speak on 鈥淔ostering a Diverse and Healthy Democracy in a Period of Polarization.鈥�

The discussion begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Schine Student Center鈥檚 Goldstein Auditorium. The fireside chat-style conversation will be moderated by Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter. Tickets are required for the event; visit to claim your free ticket.

The event is co-hosted by the Office of Academic Affairs with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Student Experience, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

鈥淭he best conversations, the ones from which we learn the most, are often difficult, sometimes provocative, but always open and fair, presenting a range of views,鈥� says Provost Ritter. 鈥淲e look forward to hearing from Professors Dyson and McWhorter as they debate and discuss free speech issues and the health and future of our democracy.鈥�

A prominent professor, preacher and author, Dyson is the Distinguished University Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies in the College of Arts and Science and Distinguished University Professor of Ethics and Society at the Divinity School at Vanderbilt. He has previously taught at Brown University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Columbia University, DePaul University, the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University. Known as one of America鈥檚 premier public intellectuals, he has authored聽more than 20 books, including seven New York Times聽best sellers. He also has been a well-known media commentator for 30-plus years on major radio and television shows and currently is also a political analyst for MSNBC. Dyson has won two NAACP Image Awards and an American Book Award, and last year was awarded the Langston Hughes Medal.

McWhorter teaches courses in linguistics, Western civilization and music history at Columbia University, specializing in language change and language contact. He has written extensively on issues related to linguistics and race for Time, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic and The Atlantic, and has discussed those topics as a guest on CNN. His books include 鈥淭he Power of Babel,鈥� 鈥淥ur Magnificent Bastard Tongue,鈥� 鈥淭he Language Hoax,鈥� 鈥淲ords on the Move,鈥� 鈥淭alking Back鈥� and 鈥淭alking Black.鈥� Two others, 鈥淣ine Nasty Words鈥� and 鈥淲oke Racism,鈥� were New York Times best sellers. He also hosts the Lexicon Valley language podcast, has authored six audiovisual sets on language for The Great Courses company, and writes a twice-weekly newsletter for The New York Times.

鈥淭he Office of Diversity and Inclusion is pleased to co-host this important conversation for today鈥檚 free-speech environment,鈥� says Mary Grace Almandrez, vice president for diversity and inclusion. 鈥淲e welcome professors Dyson and McWhorter to campus for open discussion on issues that matter to our SU community and are essential to moving society forward in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.鈥�

鈥淯niversities play a critical role in providing students exposure to a wide range of viewpoints and ideas in an environment that is respectful, is focused on intellectual growth and is welcoming,鈥� says Allen Groves, senior vice president and chief student experience officer. 鈥淭his lecture is just such an opportunity, featuring two prominent voices in the civic arena who model constructive engagement in a world that is increasingly fractured.鈥�

鈥淭he breakdown of public discourse and open dialogue is one of the major ailments of our society today,鈥� says Mark J. Lodato, dean of the Newhouse School. 鈥淐reating a place where free speech and the open marketplace of ideas are protected and valued is the obligation of higher education. This lecture is an example of how we do that, and how we can provide our students with the important opportunity to approach sometimes difficult topics with a willingness to learn and understand people whose viewpoints may be different from their own.鈥�

鈥淐o-hosting this lecture underscores the University鈥檚 belief that people can openly express opposing views as part of their active citizenship and public engagement,鈥� says David M. Van Slyke, dean of the Maxwell School. 鈥淟earning to express frank opinions around provocative topics in civil and respectful ways is a valuable lesson for everyone, and it鈥檚 part of being responsibly engaged in today鈥檚 society. This lecture should offer useful insights into that awareness and process.鈥�

To register for a ticket, visit . Your ticket will be loaded into your MyCuse account; once loaded, download the ticket on your phone and add it to your mobile wallet. If you do not have a MyCuse account, please select 鈥渟ign up鈥� and follow the prompts to create an account. If you have a MyCuse account, but forgot your password, please select 鈥渇orgot password鈥� and a new password link will be sent to you. If you are having trouble managing your mobile ticket, please visit the step-by-step for further assistance.

All tickets are mobile tickets and must be downloaded/added to your mobile wallet prior to the event. Please note: no screenshots of tickets will be accepted. Tickets are nontransferable or nonsalable; anyone who would like to attend is required to claim a ticket.

The Clear Bag Policy will be in effect for the event. Those attending will only be allowed to bring in either a clear bag that does not exceed 12鈥� x 6鈥� x 12鈥� or a one-gallon clear plastic storage bag. In addition, small clutch bags for personal items, approximately 4.5鈥� x 6.5, and diaper bags (with child) are allowed. Backpacks are not allowed.

The campus community is invited to attend the on Friday, Feb. 17, at 4 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel. The WellsLink Leadership Program continues the 19-year tradition of honoring WellsLink Scholars in their second year at 性视界 University during the ceremony, and a reception will follow.

WellsLink is a nationally recognized leadership program for first-year students of color. The WellsLink Transitions Ceremony celebrates students who have successfully transitioned to their second year at 性视界 University after participating in WellsLink during their first year. Through this program, students develop multifaceted skills and connect with mentors to help them flourish at 性视界 University and beyond.

鈥淭he WellsLink Leadership Program provides students with a strong foundation to excel as leaders not only on campus in their first year, but in the years to follow. Our scholars have and continue to make a positive impact in their communities and we look forward to celebrating their accomplishments at the Transitions Ceremony,鈥� says Huey Hsiao, associate director of Multicultural Affairs and the Kessler Scholars Program. 鈥淚t is an honor to be part of their journey and support their growth, sense of belonging and success while in the program and as a 鈥榟ome away from home鈥� in Multicultural Affairs throughout their years at 性视界.鈥�

Focusing on the themes of perseverance and innovation, this year’s is CEO and Founder of Flikshop, Inc. and justice reform advocate Marcus Bullock. At age 15, Bullock was sentenced to eight years in an adult maximum security prison for stealing a car. Now released and determined to make a difference, Bullock created a simple app called Flikshop that allows family members to connect with prisoners who are otherwise isolated. Now more than 140,000 prisoners use this app to connect with loved ones and get in touch with nonprofits.

Bullock also founded the Flikshop School of Business to mentor and introduce every student to a curriculum to help build confidence, learn strategy and communication skills and how to plan for a life of entrepreneurship. Among his accolades, Bullock won the inaugural social justice innovation award from Morgan Stanley + Centri Tech Foundation, was named one of John Legend’s Unlocked Futures business accelerators, and is a member of the Justice Policy Board of Directors.

In addition to the keynote from Bullock, the ceremony will include remarks from additional speakers, musical performances and presentation of stoles and awards. This year鈥檚 ceremony will honor the following students who are part of the WellsLink Leadership Program Class of 2025:

• Shalom Acheampong (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jessica Aimunmondion (School of Information Studies)
• Rebecca Akinwale (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Adriana Albizu-Russe (College of Arts and Sciences/ Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Sebastian Andrade (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Chelsey Antwi (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Ariana Arias (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Isabel Cardoso (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Monday Carter (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Isabella Chavez Miranda (College of Arts and Sciences/Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Annie Chen (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jessica Chen (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Leny Chiong (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Minetsa Cotto Ortiz (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Nicolas Cueba (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Yassin Elsharafi (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jordan Ferguson (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Shayla Fisher (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Mark Fortes (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Joshua Garvin (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Jennifer Gonzalez (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Summer Green (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Rachael Ha (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Ajmir Hassan (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Nahid Kalam (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Bryce Kemp (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jordan Leuenberger (School of Information Studies)
• Jessica Li (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Kyra Lin (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Rachel Lin (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Danny Liu (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Alexa Llucemo (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Michael Lupton Jr (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Andrea Magdaleno (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Emily Mazariegos (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Angel Medina (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ivonne Millan (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Myles Miller (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Alan Miranda (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Sophia Moore (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Briana Negley (Martin J. Whitman School of Management )
• Kaylah Newbold (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs/Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Kevin Nguyen (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Miguel Nieves (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Seth Obeng (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Allison Oey (Martin J. Whitman School of Management/S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications)
• Excellence Ojo (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Praise Omoregie (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ivonne Ortega (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Joshua Ortega (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Roselyn Ortiz (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Timothy Paek (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Tulsiben Patel (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Natalia Pedraza (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Amber Perry (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Kennedy Peterson (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Christopher Prestia (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Xiaoyang Qu (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jasmine Rodriguez (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Farmchan Saechao (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)
• Melanie Salas (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Torryn Sales (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Aaron Shinn (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Jessica Singh (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Daqwuan Smith (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Ryan Sylvester (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jenny Tang (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Ryan Tsuneishi (Martin J. Whitman School of Management)
• Grace Tu-Sekine (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Nana Twum-Barima (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs)
• Samantha Valeiron (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Jose Venegas (College of Engineering and Computer Science)
• Ansh Verma (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Emmanuel Wahpo (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Emma Wareing (School of Education)
• Jadyn Washington (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics)

性视界 the WellsLink Leadership Program

The WellsLink Leadership Program is a nationally recognized academic and leadership excellence program for first-year students of color. Through structured academic, social and cultural enrichment activities, WellsLink Scholars develop the leadership capital necessary for exceptional success at 性视界 University and beyond. The program name was chosen to honor Barry L. Wells, founding director of 性视界 University鈥檚 first Office of Minority Affairs in 1976 and retired senior vice president and dean of student affairs.

The WellsLink Leadership Program is sponsored by Multicultural Affairs in the Division of the Student Experience, and was designed by Director James K. Duah-Agyeman and former Associate Director Paul M. Buckley. Since the program鈥檚 inception in 2003, WellsLink Scholars have demonstrated outstanding leadership at the University with representation at the executive levels of many student organizations, task forces, committees and networks of service. They are high academic performers and balanced community citizens.

Story by Tessa Hodinger G鈥�23, graduate assistant in Student Experience Communications

The Maxwell School welcomes alumnus Dave Bing 鈥�66, H鈥�06 at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17, for a discussion that will touch on many of the themes in his 2020 autobiography 鈥淎ttacking the Rim: My Journey from NBA Legend to Business Leader to Big-City Mayor to Mentor.鈥�

The moderated discussion will be held in the Maxwell School Auditorium. Free and open to the public, it will be followed by a reception where attendees will have an opportunity to meet Bing.

Bing grew up in inner-city Washington, D.C., and was recruited to 性视界 University by football legends Ernie Davis 鈥�62 and John Mackey 鈥�63. He and classmate Sam Penceal 鈥�66 were the only Black players on the team and among only 100 or so Black students on campus. He became lifelong friends with roommate and teammate Jim Boeheim 鈥�66, G鈥�73, now head coach of the men鈥檚 basketball team. With the fifth highest scoring average in the nation, he earned a spot on the All-American team.

In 1966, Bing was drafted second overall by the Detroit Pistons, and later played for the Washington Bullets and Boston Celtics. One of the most celebrated players of his era, the NBA named him to its Hall of Fame and in 1996 designated him one of its 50 greatest players of all time. In 2021, he was named to the NBA鈥檚 75th Anniversary All-Time Team.

After retiring from basketball, Bing joined a Detroit steel company in a two-year training program. As he learned the business, he increasingly felt confident he could start his own business processing steel for Michigan鈥檚 auto manufacturers. Bing Steel earned him the National Minority Small Business Person of the Year award in 1984. He grew the business from four employees to more than 1,400, with $300 million in annual sales.

Bing sold the company in 2007 and was enlisted to run for mayor. He took office in May 2009 as the city faced debt, a shrinking population, high unemployment and failing infrastructure.

After leading the city through the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history, Bing turned from politics to philanthropy, founding the , a nonprofit focused on mentoring Black boys in Detroit. Since its inception in 2014, the program and its mentorship program called BINGO has served six graduating classes and has a 100-percent high school graduation rate; 80 percent of the students are in college.

Bing鈥檚 talk is part of the Renewing Democratic Community Speaker Series that celebrates the creation of the Hicker Family Professorship with a generous gift from Bing鈥檚 former Orange teammate George Hicker 鈥�68 and his wife, Kathy. Chris Faricy, associate professor of political science and the inaugural Hicker Family Professor in Renewing Democratic Community, will moderate the 90-minute discussion.

鈥淒ave Bing is a Maxwell School alum who embodies the principles of democratic citizenship,鈥� says Faricy. 鈥淚 look forward to discussing his views on civil rights and basketball, his call to duty as the mayor of Detroit and his philanthropic work producing the next generation of leaders,鈥� says Faricy. 鈥淗is life is a lesson in how hard work, persistence and dedication to community can overcome setbacks and led to unprecedented success.鈥�

Copies of Bing鈥檚 book will be available for purchase at the event.

Those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP by Wednesday, Feb. 15. Parking is available at Irving Garage. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available at the event. For additional accommodations, please email Bethany Walawender at bdwalawe@syr.edu.

For the latest updates, including any health updates for visiting campus, visit the Maxwell School鈥檚 .

Are you undermining your own presentations or even emails and texts, without knowing it?

The is pleased to bring leadership expert, global speaker and author Erica Dhawan to the University for a talk on body language in the digital era.

All 聽faculty, staff and students are invited to Dhawan鈥檚 talk on Friday, Feb. 10, from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse 3. Registration is required. To attend, by Feb. 6:

Dhawan combines cutting-edge research with engaging storytelling to decode the new signals and cues that have replaced traditional body language across genders, generations and cultures. She investigates a wide array of exchanges from large conferences and video meetings to daily emails, texts, IMs and conference calls and offers insights and solutions to increase clarity and build trust.

Audience members will learn new rules and nuances of digital body language, the new requirement to innovate faster and further together.

From Dhawan鈥檚 presentation, participants will:

• better understand their collaboration style and what digital body language signals they are broadcasting (even unintended ones);
• create cultures of maniacal clarity in email, phone, IM, text, video mediums and even live meetings in the new normal; and
• develop a collaboration strategy to produce the highest-performing teams and relationships.

Dhawan is an internationally recognized leading authority, speaker and advisor on 21st-century teamwork, collaboration and innovation. Named as one of the top 50 management thinkers in the world by Thinkers50, she is the author of two bestselling books, 鈥淕et Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence鈥� and 鈥淒igital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance.鈥�

As we continue to experience an increasingly digital world where work practices are changing at a blistering pace, Dhawan shares innovative strategies to unlock the collective power of teams, build a culture of trust across any distance and create authentic engagement to ensure competitiveness. Rated No. 1 on the Top Women Keynote Speakers list, Erica frequently appears in the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and The Wall Street Journal. Dhawan speaks on global stages ranging from the World Economic Forum at Davos, to the U.S. Army, to companies such as Coca-Cola, FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Walmart and Cisco. She holds degrees from Harvard University, MIT Sloan and The Wharton School.

To learn more about Women in Leadership or get involved in upcoming programs, visit the聽. Programs are open to all community members, regardless of gender identity or expression.

During a life cut short by an assassin鈥檚 bullet, the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed 性视界 University students and faculty on two separate occasions, displaying both his trademark oratorical prowess and his innate drive to give every person access to the American dream.

As the University prepares to honor the message, mission and legacy of Dr. King during the 38th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 22, in the JMA Wireless Dome鈥攖he largest of its kind on any college campus鈥攖he celebration鈥檚 featured speaker, Reverend Phil Turner of Bethany Baptist Church in 性视界, has spent countless hours researching Dr. King鈥檚 visits to 性视界.

This year鈥檚 theme is 鈥淐ivil Rights and the City of 性视界,鈥� and in devising his remarks, Turner has turned to the past, relying on the lessons and morals preached by King to 性视界鈥檚 students and faculty during trips to 性视界 in the summers of 1961 and 1965 for inspiration.

鈥淲hen Dr. King spoke, his words were so piercing because they came from truth, his inner light and compassion,鈥� says Rev. Turner. 鈥淚 want to communicate to the audience that there鈥檚 still hope for that unified American society that Dr. King spoke of. In America, our fixation on race, on power and on money causes us to miss the fact that what has always made America great, that which made our country what it is in the world, is its diverse population. That鈥檚 what caused America to stand out.鈥�

It鈥檚 a welcome task for Turner, who while remaining humble is proud to boast several similarities to Dr. King. Both men played instrumental roles in their church and in their communities. Both men share a birthday (April 15). Both men were passionate about lifting up their fellow Americans. And Turner was born in the same city (Memphis, Tennessee) where Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Dr. King first spoke on campus during a Summer Sessions Banquet lecture titled 鈥淔acing the Challenge of a New World,鈥� in July of 1961 at Sadler Hall. Dr. King delved into the ideals America was built upon, and how the country was not doing its part to live up to the lofty standard it claimed to hold itself to.

There are tremendous similarities between this speech and Dr. King鈥檚 iconic 鈥淚 have a Dream鈥� speech, delivered in Washington, D.C., in 1963, including King telling the 性视界 audience 鈥渢he arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice,” before introducing a central theme that would gain worldwide notoriety two years later, dreaming of a day when the vast potential of the American dream could be fulfilled for all its citizens:

鈥淭his will be the day when all of God’s children, black and white … (Christians), Jews and gentiles, Protestants and Catholics …. will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty: We are free at last,鈥� Dr. King told the audience.

Four summers later, Dr. King returned to campus for a second Summer Sessions Banquet lecture, 鈥淭he Time is Always Right to Do Right,鈥� inside the old dining hall inside Sims Hall.

Dr. King explored the destructive impact of segregation in northern cities such as 性视界, lamenting how future generations of Black children would suffer as a result of the harmful ramifications of these policies, combined with the 鈥渦tterly low quality of education鈥� in the country. [].

These speeches play a vital role in the history of the City of 性视界 and serve as a stark reminder of how long the University has embraced the ideals preached by Dr. King, and how far the country still has to go to achieve King鈥檚 ultimate vision, according to Turner.

A Friend of the Underdog

Growing up in the Jim Crow south, Turner considered himself a 鈥渇riend of the underdog,鈥� oftentimes sticking up for children who were picked on by schoolyard bullies.

鈥淚鈥檝e always been in my natural element when I was striving for justice and equality, even as a child. I鈥檝e always been disturbed when I see someone else getting treated unfairly. That鈥檚 an area of passion for me, the concern for equality and for human life, regardless of who the person is. As we see the divides that plague our country, I am inspired by the great commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself. That is the answer to our dividedness, but to be the agent of change requires courage,鈥� Turner says.

Turner vividly remembers an intense sense of patriotism when he and his classmates would sing songs like 鈥淎merica (My Country, 鈥橳is of Thee),鈥� 鈥淕od Bless America鈥� and the national anthem, 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner.鈥�

That love for country dissipated after Turner witnessed acts of overt racism against Black people in Memphis, and further deepened when his family moved to Buffalo, New York, where the racist behavior transitioned from overt to covert hatred and discrimination. He became disillusioned over the realization that the principles this country was founded upon varied greatly based on one鈥檚 skin color.

While Turner admits coming to terms with that hypocrisy was difficult, it also sparked a lifelong passion: He dedicated himself to a life of service as a religious leader.

“What has given me a sense of purpose in my ministry is, instead of having my ability to love be depleted in the face of all this contention, anger and hatred in the world, my ministry has increased my ability to love and respect my fellow Americans above the hatred that exists,鈥� Turner says.

Motivating People to Become Agents of Change

Since being elected as the 12th pastor of Bethany Baptist Church on Feb. 19, 2007, Turner has fought to expand his congregation鈥檚 impact through membership growth, facility renovations, increased access to transportation services and improved engagement with civic organizations and community organizers.

Turner led the development of a radio ministry, tutoring program and an annual festival that highlights African American heritage. Bethany Baptist Church also partners with the 性视界 City School District, sponsors clothing giveaways, and hosts numerous local and regional events.

Relying on Dr. King’s previous appearances on campus, Turner plans to deliver a message worthy of Dr. King’s vision, using his platform to motivate and inspire the MLK Celebration crowd.

鈥淗opefully, people will leave this celebration equipped with something that will help them become an agent of change in their communities, to move this world toward a place we want to live in, setting up our children and our descendants for a better world, the one Dr. King dreamed of.鈥�

Tickets for the annual MLK Celebration dinner and program聽.

Reverend Phil Turner of Bethany Baptist Church in 性视界 will serve as featured speaker at the 38th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, in the JMA Wireless Dome at 性视界 University.

This year鈥檚 theme is 鈥淐ivil Rights and the City of 性视界.鈥� Tickets for the dinner and program .

This annual event is the largest of its kind on any college campus. The program seeks to honor the message and mission of Dr. King and is a direct expression of 性视界 University’s commitment to advancing academic excellence at a university welcoming to all.

鈥淎s we prepare for our first in-person MLK Celebration since 2020, our planning team is committed to highlighting the people and possibilities of our local community,鈥� says the Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. 鈥淚 am honored to welcome Pastor Phil Turner as our featured speaker, as he embodies the spirit and soul of 性视界. Through his proven leadership and hopeful vision, Pastor Turner is the right person to bring us all together.鈥�

Turner was elected as the 12th pastor of Bethany Baptist Church on Feb. 19, 2007. Following his formal installation in April of 2007, he helped expand congregational impact through membership growth, facility renovations, increased access to transportation services, and improved engagement with civic organizations and community organizers. Turner聽led the development of a radio ministry, tutoring program and an annual festival that highlights African American heritage. Bethany Baptist Church also partners with the 性视界 City School District, sponsors clothing giveaways, and hosts numerous local and regional events.

In addition to earning music recording contracts with Warner Bros. and 4th and Broadway, Turner聽holds a bachelor of science in history and political science from Columbia College, a master of theological studies from聽Northeastern Seminary and a certificate in church management from Villanova University.

鈥淲hen Dr. King spoke, his words were so piercing because they came from truth, his inner light and compassion,鈥� says Rev. Turner. 鈥淲e must accept the challenge to make everyone鈥檚 lives better. Leaders need to have a healthy appetite for change. They can’t be afraid.鈥�

Our 2023 program marks the 38th year for the MLK Celebration, which will include an address from Turner, student and community group performances, a presentation of this year鈥檚 , and recognition of the 2022 and 2021 Unsung Hero Awardees previously honored through online celebrations.

New this year is an art gallery featuring works from local Black artists, 聽opening at 4:15 p.m. The traditional dinner鈥攑ulled BBQ pork, collard greens, sweet potato pie and more鈥攚ill open at 5 p.m. Halal/Kosher, gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available. Dinner will be held near the JMA Dome鈥檚 west end zone, entry at Gate A. The main program with Rev. Turner and performers will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the east side. For program-only attendees, doors open at 6 p.m.

Ticket purchase options are as follows:

• 性视界 University staff, faculty, and the general public (dinner and program): $30
• Students (dinner and program): $15
• Main program only: FREE

Registration is required for all ticket purchase options.

All dinner tickets will be assigned a table number at the time of purchase, which will be included in the mobile tickets. Guests interested in sitting with friends are recommended to purchase tickets together to ensure the same table assignment.

Guests may order up to 10 dinner and program tickets online. To purchase one full table (10 seats), select 10 total tickets and proceed to checkout. To purchase more than one table or more than 10 individual tickets, or if experiencing difficulties, please call the JMA Dome Box Office at 1.888.DOME.TIX (315.443.2121), option four.

All dinner guests will be seated in the 100 level of the stands for the program following dinner. All guests attending the program only will be seated in the 200 level. Seating is general admission in those areas for the program.

Buy tickets online at聽, in person at the Dome Box Office inside Gate B at 900 Irving Ave. (Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or by phone (888.DOME.TIX or 315.443.2121, option four). Tickets will be mobile this year and uploaded directly to your MyCuse account to manage upon purchase. View the for more information.

Free parking is available in the Irving Avenue Garage and in lots west of the JMA Dome. Visit the University鈥檚 聽for maps and directions. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available for the event. Accessible seating is provided on the concourse level of the JMA Dome.

For more information about the MLK Celebration or to request accommodations, contact Hendricks Chapel at聽chapel@syr.edu聽or 315.443.2901. Learn more about this and other Hendricks Chapel events by visiting .

Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize winner and staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, spoke in-depth about her personal experiences and writings centered on racial injustice, an examination of the modern legacy of enslavement and school resegregation during a Universitywide event Friday, Oct. 28. The event, co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and other campus units and schools and colleges, took place at the 性视界 University Art Museum.

Hannah-Jones is the author of the 1619 Project, a series of academic essays that was published in The New York Times Magazine to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. Considered by many to be a cultural icon, Hannah-Jones has dedicated her career to covering civil rights and racial injustice.

During the University event, Hannah-Jones highlighted the central argument of her project, which is the significant role enslavement played in the building of our nation, as well as shining light on accurate historical facts around slavery that she says are rarely taught in America鈥檚 education system. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 teach what you don鈥檛 know yourself,鈥� she said.

Hannah-Jones said that the first step in making people aware of the authentic history of the United States is to better train teachers to teach basic history concepts. 鈥淪top treating histories as segregated histories,鈥� Hannah-Jones said. 鈥淵ou can’t treat the history of Black people as segregated from the history of America.鈥�

The conversation continued with Hannah-Jones highlighting the fact that the reason the North seemed more desegregated than the South was because their population consisted of significantly fewer Black people before the Great Migration occurred. She pointed to the state policies aimed at suppressing Black populations, even in Northern states where slavery had been abolished or was not a common practice.

鈥淧rogressivism is almost everything but race,鈥� Hannah-Jones said. 鈥淪lavery shapes everything in America, whether you know it or not.鈥�

When asked a question about preparing to publish such a 鈥渃ontroversial鈥� project, Hannah-Jones said that the 1619 Project is not at all controversial, but rather argues from an explicit perspective. This perspective is that Black people are our nation鈥檚 real founding fathers and slavery not only had a significant impact on the U.S. Revolution, but our society as a whole, she said.

鈥淎lmost nothing is more fundamental to understanding society than slavery,鈥� Hannah-Jones said.

Hannah-Jones said she has not worked to be a professor her whole life, but rather a journalist who exposes what goes on and allows the people of democracy to decide what to do with it. She believes that there is no educator like the press, which has been the basis for all of her work, including the 1619 Project.

Hannah-Jones鈥� advice for those who want to make change is to pick a single institution that they align with the most and defend it.

Jessica Lynn Elliott, a fourth-year Ph.D. history student in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, was the moderator for the discussion.

Along with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the event鈥檚 co-sponsors included the Office of Academic Affairs, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Student Living, 性视界 University Libraries, the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, College of Law, School of Education, School of Architecture and the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence.

Story by Julia Mazzer 鈥�24, a student majoring in public relations in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and an intern with the Division of Communications

The revitalization of the American labor movement and the struggle for racial and economic justice were the central topics of a Lender Center Conversation held Monday, Oct. 24, in Dineen Hall.

After introductory remarks from current and former leadership of the Lender Center for Social Justice and a video welcome message from Marvin 鈥�63 and Helaine 鈥�65 Lender, who founded the center and continue to fund its work, a panel discussion commenced.

Sitting on that panel were Jaz Brisack, an organizer with Starbucks Workers United; Chris Smalls, president and founder of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU); and Johnnie Kallas, a former labor organizer and current Ph.D. candidate in Cornell University鈥檚 School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) and director of the . Jenny Breen, associate professor in the College of Law, moderated the discussion.

A Pivotal Moment for Labor: Recent Starbucks, Amazon Victories

Brisack, who led the campaign that resulted in the first unionized Starbucks store in the country, told the audience of her journey as an organizer and the momentum Starbucks Workers United has built since Buffalo鈥檚 Elmwood Avenue store voted for a union in December 2021. Since then, workers at more than 240 corporate-owned Starbucks locations have voted to unionize.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no such thing as an unorganized workplace鈥攖here鈥檚 only workplaces that haven鈥檛 been organized yet,鈥� Brisack said. She spoke about the importance of community-based action and the need to 鈥渕ake it socially unacceptable to be a union-buster.鈥�

She also hypothesized that one of the factors that has benefited the success of Starbucks employees who have chosen to organize is that the company does not live up to the corporate values they espouse.

鈥淪tarbucks [employees] are 70% women and overwhelmingly LGTBQ. 鈥� There is a kind of culture at Starbucks that they create and say that they believe in, which is, 鈥榃e’re a safe space for queer people,鈥� 鈥榃e’re in support of Black Lives Matter,鈥� 鈥榃e believe in the planet and the environment,鈥� and people came to work at Starbucks because they believed in those things,鈥� Brisack said.

Partners (Starbucks鈥� term for its employees) are then disappointed to find out that the company鈥檚 actions behind closed doors don鈥檛 match the values it claims to hold. 鈥淏ut they are motivated to try to make it that, instead of just leaving鈥攚hich I think is really conducive to organizing,鈥� Brisack said.

Former five-year Amazon employee Smalls described the poor working conditions that led to his new job as labor union leader, saying, 鈥淲hat goes on behind the scenes is pretty much intolerable. It’s really inhumane. Work is work. 10 to 12 hours. For example, in Staten Island, they commute two and a half hours each way. They’re on their feet. I used to tell my new hires, 鈥榠f you have a gym membership, you might want to cancel it.鈥�

鈥淎mazon warehouses are the size of nearly 14 NFL football fields, over a million square feet long. You don’t have time to go to the restroom because every restroom is about 10 minutes away. You’re tracked from the moment you clock in until the time you clock out. You have to have a rate, an hourly rate in my department alone was 400 items an hour鈥攎eaning by the end of the day you’re touching over 4,000 packages. If you don’t make that rate, you are replaced. They will fire you.鈥�

In addition to sharing his experience as an Amazon warehouse employee, Smalls discussed his journey since he was fired in March 2020 after organizing a walkout to protest lack of proper safety protocols early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

He went on to found his first activist organization, the Congress of Essential Workers, and then the ALU in April of 2021. A year later, in April 2022, Amazon employees at its Staten Island warehouse became the first unionized Amazon employees in the country.

鈥淲e still have a long way to go. This is very much still the beginning,鈥� Smalls said in regard to the ALU victory earlier this year. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to take a lot more than unionizing and winning campaigns. We鈥檙e going to need political support, we鈥檙e going to need community support, we鈥檙e going to need the support of consumers.鈥�

Smalls said the key to ALU鈥檚 victory in Staten Island was building up relationships with workers and connecting with one another on a human-to-human level. 鈥淲e weren鈥檛 going to defeat Amazon by money. It鈥檚 a trillion-dollar company. So the only thing we had was love and respect for one another and care for one another,鈥� he said. 鈥淸Our victory] showed and proved that no amount of money in the world can stop the power of people when they come together.鈥�

Labor Action Tracker Director Offers Historical Context, Data

The third panelist, Kallas, who worked as a labor organizer prior to undertaking his current work at Cornell, brought an academic lens to the conversation and provided an overview of the history behind the decline of the labor movement in the U.S. since the 1980s.

He also brought the data, sharing statistics from the ILR Labor Action Tracker, which aims to document the full scope of strikes, work stoppages and labor protests across the country while amplifying the voices of striking workers. Kallas said his comprehensive database of strike activity shows a more detailed view than labor data tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

He juxtaposed the current labor movement against earlier points in history, saying, 鈥淲e鈥檙e not in the same situation we were in in the 1970s. It鈥檚 much harder to organize, it鈥檚 much harder to go out on strike. Workers face considerably more obstacles to engaging and organizing activities and strikes. 鈥� But we are very much in a transformative moment for the labor movement.鈥�

Protecting Commerce or Protecting Workers?

The evening culminated with a book talk with keynote speaker Erica Smiley, executive director of Jobs With Justice and co-author of the recently released 鈥淭he Future We Need: Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century,鈥� with Sarita Gupta. Smiley (and all three panelists) noted the flaws in current U.S. labor law; the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which is rife with exclusions and loopholes; and how its oversight agency, the National Labor Relations Board, is understaffed and underfunded.

Early in her presentation, Smiley showed a slide with the preamble to the NLRA, positioning it as 鈥渁n act to diminish the causes of labor disputes burdening or obstructing interstate and foreign commerce, to create a National Labor Relations Board, and for other purposes.鈥�

鈥淭he goal is protecting commerce, to keep commerce moving. Labor peace. Does that sound like workers鈥� rights to you?鈥� she asked the crowd.

Smiley centers the labor movement in the fight for racial justice and gender equality, which she says is a winning strategy over centering the movement on political party lines or a red-state/blue-state dichotomy. Her belief is that workers鈥� rights are much more firmly rooted in the Reconstruction (13th, 14th and 15th) amendments than in the NLRA.

鈥淚f we think about labor law from this context, we can understand a lot better that it’s actually something that should be foundational to democracy. And that we need to reshape it in a way that is actually about democracy鈥攏ot just keeping commerce going,鈥� Smiley said.

Gretchen Purser, associate professor of sociology in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and co-director of the Lender Center, who organized this year鈥檚 Lender Center Conversation, said that nearly 300 people registered for the event, a clear indication of the surging interest in dialogue and action around labor and workers鈥� rights, with unions currently at their highest approval rating in over 50 years.

As an academic, Purser鈥檚 research focuses on work and labor disparities, urban poverty, law and punishment, housing and homelessness and community-based action. She also chairs the board of the Workers鈥� Center of Central New York, grounding her in the day-to-day work to further labor rights and economic justice.

Purser kicked off the event with a labor acknowledgment, stating, 鈥淲e must acknowledge that all wealth is created by labor. Our country’s economic growth and development was made possible by the forced labor of enslaved Africans and their descendants, as well as the exploited labor of immigrants. Our institutions rely upon and are organized around the unrecognized and unpaid labor of caregivers. We must acknowledge that we are indebted to the labor and sacrifice of all those who came before us and who, across time and space, in however horrific of circumstances, have organized to improve conditions for workers and secure dignity at work.鈥�

To learn more about upcoming events at the Lender Center for Social Justice, . Members of the University community can also email lendercenter@syr.edu to join the center鈥檚 email list.