DAY 1: 8:30am – 4:00pm

8:30am: Welcome Breakfast & Registration

9:00am: Session 1 – For The Culture featuring Tenisi Davis: Tenisi Davis is a powerhouse of talent whose artistry knows no bounds. From commanding performances in acting to evocative storytelling as a writer, visionary productions, mesmerizing dance, and masterful musicianship, Tenisi’s work is a celebration of creativity and passion. His dedication to culture, family, and community is the driving force behind his artistry, inspiring him to create impactful work that uplifts voices, preserves heritage, and fosters meaningful connections both on and off the stage. This session will ground us in African dance, drumming, stories, and culture to open our hearts and minds for the weekend ahead. 

10:00am: Session 2 – Organizing Ourselves, Organizing Our Communities: This session will ground us in the moment that we are facing as a nation. We will focus on several key questions: how do we organize ourselves in our own circles of influence? What are the qualities individuals need to have at this time? What skills do we need to develop? 

LUNCH

1:00pm: Session 3 – Lessons From St. Louis: Building A “Net” That “Works” featuring Inez Bordeaux and Annissa McCaskill: In these times of deep division and national crisis, it is important now more than ever that we learn from one another and build a national network, a “net” that actually works! Join us for a session of deep learning from Annissa McCaskill of Forward Through Ferguson, an anti-racist systems change organization working to transform St. Louis towards racial equity and Inez Bordeaux of Arch City Defenders, a holistic legal advocacy organization that combats the criminalization of poverty and state violence, especially in Saint Louis’s communities of color.

2:30pm: Session 4 – Kingian Nonviolence Training featuring Shanna T. Melton: During his life, Martin Luther King Jr came to see the power of nonviolence more and more. Living through the actual experience of the protest, nonviolence became more than a method for the Civil Rights Movement, it became a commitment to a way of life. In this session, local writer and artist Shanna Melton will teach the Six Principles of Nonviolence and how they apply to today’s resistance movements. 

4:00pm: Closing of Day 1

EVENING EVENT

7:00pm: An Evening With Tamika Mallory. Click below to buy tickets!

DAY 2: 12:00pm – 5:00pm

12:00pm: Welcome Lunch & Opening

1:00pm: Session 1 – National Immigration Landscape featuring Tabitha Sookdeo: Tabitha Sookdeo is the Executive Director of CT Students for a Dream, the home of the CT Immigrant Support Network. Join us for this important and essential workshop, where Tabitha will share an update on the national immigration landscape and how it applies to Connecticut. She will also share important local updates and resources to strengthen immigrant communities in Bridgeport and across Connecticut. 

2:00pm: Session 2 – Democracy Pop Quiz! So you think you KNOW democracy? Join us for this fun and interactive pop quiz where we will test your knowledge of our American “way of life!” Play for fun, to show off your skills, and to win some great prizes!  

3:30pm: Session 3 – Community Quilt Project featuring Lizzy Rockwell: Lizzy Rockwell is a quilter, muralist, author and illustrator based in Bridgeport. Join us for this closing art session in which Lizzy will lead us to design and create our own quilt squares on the theme of “Justice.” At this closing of this powerful weekend, what does justice mean to you? This quilt is being created in conjunction with the Fairfield University Art Museum exhibition Stitching Time: A Social Justice Quilts Collaboration Project. 

4:30pm: Closing of Workshop