Race, Justice, Power – Undergraduate Research Conference

UWM’s Honors Equity Team and co-sponsors, the Inclusive Excellence Center and Student Involvement host the first “Race, Justice, Power!” Undergraduate Research Conference to strengthen UWM’s commitment to antiracist activism. We are highlighting various undergraduate students’ multidisciplinary research on issues that challenge racial oppression. Snacks and beverages will be provided for attendees.

The conference features Keynote Speaker and Rufus King High School alumnus, Adam Carr (he/him), Milwaukee Historian and story-collector, whose community-minded research chronicles Milwaukee’s history that exists in the margins. Carr got his start exploring Milwaukee’s history at 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, where he served as a producer for three years and featured 800 stories — many of which provided direct testimonies of liberation and triumph from Milwaukee’s BIPOC community. Since his time at 88Nine, Carr continues to chronicle Milwaukee’s people’s history, to bring context to the social issues affecting us all today. Carr provides personal tours of our city, which privileges stories oftentimes overlooked by traditional historians. His work has been featured at Milwaukee Film Festival, and recognized in various publications, like Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, On Milwaukee, Urban Milwaukee, Shepherd Express, and more.

MKE101: Interpreting stories of freedom in Milwaukee
If Milwaukee’s story were a bookshelf, many of our most important stories have yet to be published. This has led too many of us to accept overly simplistic narratives about the city, while others deem the moment too complex to penetrate. We need to do better.
In this session, we will build a foundational narrative for understanding Milwaukee, then explore how lessons from our shared history can propel us towards a better future. In particular, we will touch on three canonical stories in Milwaukee’s movement history: the Open Housing Marches, Chapman Hall Takeover and origins of Milwaukee’s Indian Community School. We will engage with each of these remarkable stories, then consider the community infrastructure and collaboration that was required in each case. Be prepared to draw, diagram and even move (no special skills required).

Schedule:
11:30a – 1:00p — Adam Carr, Keynote
1:15p – 2:00p — Onisha Dale, Ian Schmitt, Liz Karpowitz
2:00p – 2:30p — Alejandra Gonzalez & Samawia Akhter
2:40p – 3:10p — Jo Fox & Ronan Carpenter
3:20p – 3:50p — Maddi Kalous & Owen Geurts
MC’d by Mia Heredia, Honors Equity Team Graduate Mentor and Student Association President.

Please note, due to the sensitive nature of the Undergraduate Research Conference, some topics featured in presentations will heavily feature topics of systemic, racial oppression and other, intersecting issues of race.

Accessibility & Other Questions:
Please email honors-antiracism@uwm.edu for accessibility requests (interpreting services, wheelchair accommodations, etc.) or any questions, comments, or concerns related to the conference.