The theme for this year’s Jefferson College Performing Arts and Cultural Enrichment (PACE) series, which kicks off next week, is “Conversations on Diversity.”
Both local and national speakers will lead the discussions for the 2020-2021 series, which will be held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The college’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee will host the series, which is designed to “engage people in productive, honest and respectful dialogue,” said Roger Barrentine, spokesman for Jefferson College.
“The PACE series normally involves performing arts,” said committee member Elke Overton, assistant professor of music at the college. “What we want to do this year is have diversity events. The goal is to get a diverse group of people immersed in the conversation. We’re trying to get the community involved in this.”
The series’ first virtual presentation, titled “Reflections on Social Movement and Social Change from a Faith-Based Perspective,” will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, through the Zoom online meeting app.
It will be led by the Rev. Gabrielle NS Kennedy, pastor of Buren Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church of Herculaneum and director for Faith and For the Sake of All, a community-based organization committed to race equity in St. Louis. There is no cost to participate.
Overton said that while Kennedy will lead the session, she hopes participants will form small groups for more intimate chats.
“Her goal is to break people into small groups for breakout discussion,” Overton said.
The topic for the second installment in the series, which will be from 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 5, will be
“The Walk of Immigrants.” It will be led by Saul Flores, who walked 5,328 miles through 10 countries to document how grueling and dangerous the journey immigrants make to the U.S. can be. His walk also raised money for an elementary school in Atencingo, Mexico.
Links for each event may be found on the Jefferson College website at:
Overton said the Diversity Committee is working to set up other programs for the series.
“We might have another one in late November or early December,” she said. “I’m working on one for January.”
For information about the Conversations on Diversity series, contact Overton at eoverton@jeffco.edu or 636-481-3372.