University of Illinois Springfield will host six Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series events during Spring Semester 2024. The series presents events that promote and adhere to the value of engaged citizenship, cultural awareness and respect for diversity.

ECCE events that are free and open to the public include:

• “Walking Proudly: Embodying Liberation Capital in Chicago’s West African Dance & Drum Communities” 6 p.m. on Feb. 7 in Brookens Auditorium, on the lower level of the library. Queen Meccasia Zabriskie, a professor and resident fellow at the Coretta Scott King Center for Cultural and Intellectual Freedom, will present her research on dance and drum practices in the city, teaching movement. Zabriskie will also lead audience members in developing movement through verbal and embodied dialogue about embodied liberation capital.

• “Artificial Intelligence, Data Literacy & Society” at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of the library. Dessa Gypalo, the chief data officer for the state of Illinois and a member of the inaugural cohort of Obama Foundation USA Leaders, will deliver a presentation discussing technology service delivery for agencies and residents of Illinois. She will also discuss the implementation of human-centered solutions for public sector challenges and breaking down barriers across levels of government.

• “Gloria E. Anzaldúa’s Public Drawing” at 6 p.m. on March 6 in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of the library. Margaret Galvan, an assistant professor of visual rhetoric, will deliver a lecture and lead a discussion exploring Anzaldúa as a visual queer theorist. Her presentation will highlight how drawing was a crucial aspect of her theorizing throughout her career, particularly in illustrating concepts during public discussions about her scholarship. The discussion will delve into how Anzaldúa's drawings of mestiza consciousness embodied intersectionality before it was formally recognized and fostered inclusivity within her community. Galvan will also deliver her talk and participate in a question-and-answer session virtually with the audience.

• “Kinship Stores” at 6 p.m. March 27 in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of the library. Artist and professor Guen Montgomery, whose work has been exhibited nationally, will deliver a lecture on her art practice, drawing inspiration from her rural Appalachian heritage and identity as a femme gay person. The event, coinciding with Women's History Month, will include discussions on the performative complexities of gender, queerness, societal expectations and the diverse identities associated with terms like queer, lesbian and femme. Montgomery will share images from her artwork during the presentation. Immediately following this lecture, the UIS Visual Arts Gallery will host an exhibition reception for Guen Montgomery's solo exhibition, "Junk Drawer," from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the UIS Visual Arts Gallery (HSB 201).

• “Fast Fashion: Understanding Consumer Behavior to Create a More Sustainable & Ethical Clothing Industry” at 6 p.m. April 10 in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of the library. Shipra Gupta, a professor and the 2023 UIS University Scholar, will deliver a lecture and lead a discussion on her research elucidating why certain consumers are attracted to fast fashion and how the industry promotes overconsumption. The presentation aims to prompt audience reflection on personal behaviors and encourage the adoption of more responsible consumption choices.

• “Family Legacies of Historical Racial Terror in Tulsa and Springfield” at 6 p.m. April 24in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of the library. The event comprises three segments. First, a 30-minute documentary will be screened, focusing on family narratives concerning transgenerational trauma and resilience linked to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Following this, a panel comprising members of families affected by the 1908 Springfield Race Riot will provide localized perspectives on themes raised in the film. Finally, the event will culminate in a moderated audience discussion centered on proposing actionable steps for fostering more positive race relations in Springfield.

For further details on the events, please visit uis.edu/speaker-series.