THE RIDE REVIVED 20 SUMMER INSTITUTE H O S T E D B Y : D I L L A R D U N I V E R S I T Y 21 C E N T E R F O R R A C I A L J U S T I C E

AUGUST 9-13 • DILLARD UNIVERSITY 2601 GENTILLY BLVD, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70122 A LETTER FROM DAVID DENNIS IInn ddeeddiiccaattiioonn ooff BBoobb MMoosseess ((11993355 -- 22002211))

Dear students,

I met for the first time in 1962. I was 21 years old and compared to most of us in the movement, he was an “old man” at the time, about 27 years old. I was in Baton Rouge working with students from Southern University, which many of you are familiar with as a fellow HBCU. We had been focused on : sit-ins, protests and things like that. I knew, though, that I wanted to do something more substantial. Something that created more systemic change.

Bob had been influenced by and from Mississippi and Dr. C.O. Simpkins from Shreveport to focus on voting rights for Black people in the United States. He’d been raising a fuss in McComb and wanted to recruit some of the students from Southern University who had been expelled for participating in sit-ins in Baton Rouge in December of 1961. So when he met me in Baton Rouge, he gave me a hard pitch to come to Mississippi. A mentor of mine named Jim McCain had already put the idea of voting rights in my head, but Bob came and gave me the push I needed. Soon I was in Mississippi, joining with him and a whole community of world-changers like , , Annie Devine, , George Raymond, , , Andrew Goodman, to name a few.

Throughout our years in Mississippi, Bob maintained such a calming presence over all of us. He never seemed flustered. He was always thinking, always calculating. Some times just having him in a room with us, knowing he always had a plan would be one of those things that gave us confidence that we could do the impossible.

Part of that impossible meant organizing the largest political upheaval this country would see in our lifetimes. The Mississippi Project, also known as Freedom Summer ’64, sought to reshape the meaning of Democracy in America. We wanted to help the most overlooked and subjugated folks in this country continue with their fight for freedom. That project would not have been possible without Bob Moses. He kept volunteers calm when things were at their most precarious. He helped to motivate over 1,000 students, who were at an average age of 20, to join in this struggle during the summer of 1964 . He organized and utilized his ideology as a teacher to be a critical cog in a machine that changed America forever and we took on America to challenge its denial to allow Black people full participation in the Democratic process. This challenge was led by young Black people.

Page 1 Bob came back into my life in the late 80s at another time when I was searching for my place in an ever- evolving movement. This time, Bob had a new plan: The Algebra Project. His vision was for eliminating the educational gap in America. So 30 years after we met for the first time, Bob pitched his plan again. And again I followed him to Mississippi. We rediscovered our purpose together, to bring forth change with a new generation of young Black people

If there’s one thing Bob believes in, it’s the future of the movement which he always believed was in the hands of young people. So being a part of this push forward for change, carrying on the legacy of people like Bob, Medgar, Mrs. Hamer, Victoria Gray, Annie Devine, and other ancestors, gives me so much pride knowing that everything we sacrificed and fought for will continue.

So it is with the spirit of my dear friend and brother Bob Moses that we continue this fight. That we continue pushing forward to never take “no” for an answer when our freedom is being denied. Bob believed in you. I believe in you. And it is in this spirit of the of ’61, the Freedom Summer of ’64, the people who lost their lives in this struggle, and you who have decided to continue this struggle that I am honored to have been invited to be a part of this effort. Also, I am quite sure that my good friend, Bob, is smiling on you and offers his gratitude and is honored that you have dedicated this conference to his memory. You were the last group that he spoke to prior to his transition.

In solidarity, David J. Dennis David J. Dennis, J.D.

Page 2 INTRODUCTION

Dear fellow change-makers:

The Student Executive Committee would like to welcome you not only to this Summer Institute, but to the beginning of a movement like no other. This movement is not supposed to start the next but it is to continue the work and passion of those who have come and fought before us. When creating this institute and movement, we hoped to capture not only what it means to be an organizer and activist but what it means to strengthen our community and strengthen our abilities to negotiate and advocate for the issues and problems that matter most to us. Politicians and local officials for centuries have under-represented and neglected us. We will no longer allow this to be the case. As young people, we deserve just as much say about our collective future as any other group in the country.

This movement is both about us individually and together. Bringing our individual experiences and talents into this movement ensures that we bring them to the national level unlike any time before. We seek to continue our knowledge of the world around us while also learning and championing the work done by the original freedom riders. When asked what makes this movement different from any of the other movements happening now the answer is simple: there really aren’t any. This movement is not about claiming the spotlight or working to be the best. We look to support one another and uplift voices. We only achieve the goals of this movement by working with and trusting one another as we ever more closely to a truly more inclusive, equitable country. Thank you for joining us on this incredibly exciting and important mission to change hearts and minds and bring in a new era of leaders and change-makers.

Yours in the movement,

Kaylan A. Tanner Kaylan Tanner. Co-Chair

Toiya M. Smith Toiya Smith, Co-Chair

Carlos A. Pollard Jr. Carlos Pollard Jr., Comms. Director

Daniel Coley Daniel Coley, Treasurer

Page 3 WELCOME

Dear Institute Attendees:

On behalf of the Center for Racial Justice at Dillard University, it is our distinct honor and privilege to welcome you to Ride Revived: Summer Institute. The overall goal of the Center is to explore issues of race and racism, recognize how issues of race and racism are manifested, and work with various institutions to provide support, invoke change, develop strategic elements, projects, and strategies to reduce racial disparities and inequalities.

The overall goal of the Summer Institute is to generate a movement of student activists prepared to ride across the nation to bring critical attention to voter suppression, police brutality, educational inequality, and key issues that continue to suppress African Americans. This ambitious call to action is designed to counter the suppression of our First Amendment constitutional rights to protest and redress state-sanctioned terror on Black and Brown bodies. It also provides an opportunity for intergenerational work between emerging student leaders, advising professors and professionals, and iconic civil and human rights activists whose torch we now carry. The Summer Institute is the first of five phases. Phase 2 involves Organizing and Mobilization from September to May 2022. Phase 3 involves the Freedom Ride to Washington, D.C. that ultimately leads to Phase 4: the March and Protest. Finally, Phase 5 involves follow-up actions in respective communities.

The Institute will be divided into 5 days which includes curricula focused on History, Legal Rights and Voter Suppression, Theories of Oppression and Intersectionality, Organizing Skills and Direct Action, and Spirituality, Arts, and Self-Care. We will hear from a diverse range of thinkers who will share various perspectives with us. The Institute will focus on the complexity of issues that have grown exponentially and discuss was to inform citizens and engage the community in the understanding of racial justice accountability. This Institute seeks to discuss the workings of race and racism and transform how people from different races and ethnic groups understand and relate to one another past, present, and future. As part of the Institute, we hope to have honest and open conversations, provide a time for personal reflection, have small group conversations, and develop an open mind and willingness to grow and change.

We look forward to your participation in this Institute. If you have any questions about the site or program throughout the Institute please reach out to me.

Sincerely, Dr. Ashraf Esmail Ashraf Esmail, Ph.D. Dillard University Director for the Center for Racial Justice

Page 4 DAY 1: LEGAL RIGHTS AND VOTER SUPPRESSION

BREAKFAST 8:00AM - 8:50AM Kearny West Wing

TRANSITION 8:50AM - 9:00AM

OPENING PLENARY 9:00AM - 9:20AM

BREAK 9:20AM - 9:30AM

SESSION ONE 9:30AM - 11:00AM History of Voting Rights and Voter Suppression Panel Discussion BREAK 11:00AM - 11:20AM

SESSION TWO 11:20AM - 12:50PM Criminal Justice and Voting Rights Panel Discussion

LUNCH 12:50PM - 1:50PM Kearny West Wing

POSTER SESSION 1:50PM - 2:20PM

BREAK 2:20PM - 2:30PM

SESSION THREE 2:30PM-3:45PM Voter Mobilization Workshop

CLOSING REMARKS 3:45PM - 4:00PM

Page 5 DAY 2: HISTORY

BREAKFAST 8:00AM - 8:50AM Kearny West Wing

TRANSITION 8:50AM - 9:00AM

WELCOME 9:00AM - 9:20AM

SESSION ONE 9:20AM - 10:50AM Civil Rights Movement

BREAK 10:50AM - 11:00AM SESSION TWO 11:00AM - 12:30PM Political Nationalism

LUNCH 12:30PM - 1:30PM Kearny West Wing TRANSITION 1:30PM - 2:30PM SESSION THREE 2:30PM-4:00PM Cultural Nationalism and Black Liberation CLOSING REMARKS 4:00PM - 4:15PM NETWORKING 1:50PM - 2:20PM SOCIAL

Page 6 DAY 3: THEORIES OF OPPRESSION AND INTERSECTIONALITY

BREAKFAST 8:00AM - 8:50AM Kearny West Wing

TRANSITION 8:50AM - 9:00AM

WELCOME 9:00AM - 9:20AM

SESSION ONE 9:20AM - 10:50AM Identities and Personal Biases

BREAK 10:50AM - 11:00AM SESSION TWO 11:00AM - 12:30PM Theories of Oppression

LUNCH 12:30PM - 1:30PM Kearny West Wing TRANSITION 1:30PM - 2:30PM

SESSION THREE 2:30PM-4:00PM Intersectionality

CLOSING REMARKS 4:00PM - 4:15PM

Page 7 DAY 4: SPIRITUALITY, ART, AND SELF-CARE

BREAKFAST 8:00AM - 8:50AM Kearny West Wing

TRANSITION 9:00AM - 9:10AM

SESSION ONE 9:10AM - 10:30AM Spirituality: Tapping Into Your Higher Being

BREAK 10:30AM - 10:40AM

SESSION TWO 10:40AM - 12:30PM Arts: The Art of Expressing Oneself

LUNCH 12:30PM - 1:30PM Kearny West Wing TRANSITION 1:30PM - 2:30PM SESSION THREE 2:30PM-4:00PM Self-Care in the Movement ART WALK 4:00PM - 4:30PM

Page 8 DAY 5: ORGANIZING SKILLS AND DIRECT ACTION

BREAKFAST 8:00AM - 8:50AM Kearny West Wing

GROUP PHOTO 9:00AM - 9:20AM

TRANSITION 9:20AM - 9:30AM

SESSION ONE 9:30AM - 11:00AM Personal Commitment, Education, and Information Gathering TRANSITION 11:00AM - 11:10AM

SESSION TWO 11:10AM - 12:30PM Negotiations and Dramatic Nonviolent Direct Action LUNCH 12:30PM - 1:30PM Kearny West Wing TRANSITION 1:30PM - 1:35PM

SESSION THREE 1:35PM-3:30PM 1-1, House Meetings and Direct Action

CLOSING PLENARY 3:30PM-4:00PM

Page 9 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

HERSY JONES JR., J.D. A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Mr. Jones is an attorney who filed 90% of police misconduct cases in Northwest Louisiana within an 11- year span. In the process, he won two federal verdicts against police officers who had killed unarmed Black men. Mr. Jones is an alumnus of Dillard where he was the Student Government Association president. Upon graduation, he became the first Dillard graduate to attend Harvard Law School where he received his J.D.

DAMON HEWITT, J.D. Mr. Hewitt is a long-time civil rights lawyer, social justice strategist, philanthropist, manager and coalition-builder. He worked for over a decade as an attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund where he was lead counsel on litigation and policy matters. He led pioneering efforts to address the School to Prison Pipeline and coordinated litigation and advocacy efforts following Hurricane Katrina. He holds a B.A. in political science from Louisiana State University and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

SHERICE J. NELSON, Ph.D. Dr. Nelson leads the Black Leadership Roundtable, a nonprofit organization committed to the unity of Black civic leaders and organizations. She is also a dynamic speaker and passionate assistant professor at Southern University. Educated at HBCUs, she received her Ph.D. in political science from Howard University at the age of 27 after earning her Master of Public Administration from the University of the District of Columbia. Dr. Nelson graduated magna cum laude with a dual bachelor's degree from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa Alabama.

Page 10 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

KAYLAN TANNER The 85th Miss Dillard University and a native of Los Angeles, Ms. Tanner is a reproductive justice advocate who strives to uplift the voices and experiences of young Black womxn in marginalized communities. She was awarded as Seventeen Magazine’s 2020 Voices of the Year Honoree for her activism and keynote address at the 'My Right My Decision' Supreme Court rally. Ms. Tanner is pursuing her Master of Public Health in health policy at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University. She aspires to represent California as a congresswoman.

CARLOS POLLARD A native of New Orleans, Mr. Pollard's passion runs deep for civic engagement and helping people in marginalized communities. He is currently one of the redistricting fellows in Louisiana, while also balancing a full-time job helping low-income New Orleanians who have fallen behind on mortgage payments due to COVID catch up on payments through this special project with the City of New Orleans. Mr. Pollard approaches each project with the quote in mind “Action over words, dreams over destiny, community over everything.” Mr. Pollard will be pursuing his Juris Doctorate in the Fall of 2022.

TOIYA M. SMITH Ms. Smith is a social entrepreneur who works with power-building organizations to create educational, civic and policy solutions for Black and Brown youth. Ms. Smith has an intimate understanding of the socioeconomic inequalities facing the people of Louisiana, the legislative process, and the systems actively working to disenfranchise marginalized communities. Ms. Smith guides her work by the activism and truth of the life of Pauli Murray. She is an experienced organizer, a passionate educator, and an adept grant writer.

Page 11 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

SEAN CAIN, Ph.D. Dr. Cain is an Associate Professor at Loyola University New Orleans whose research focuses on American election campaigns, campaign finance policy, the professional campaigning industry, and legislative politics. Dr. Cain received his PhD from the University of California San Diego and has taught at George Washington University, the University of California Washington Center, the University of Maryland, and the American University School of Public Affairs.

MARY CURRIN-PERCIVAL Ph.D. Dr. Mary Currin-Percival is an associate professor of political science at San Jose State University. She serves as Director for the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement and SJSU Votes! She teaches courses in research methods, political participation, and American politics. Her research focuses on California politics, elections, and teaching and learning in political science.

JOSEPH GIVENS Mr. Givens is a political and community organizer with over 40 years of organizing experience. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he has been a consultant to the Advancement Project, the Atlanta Regional Council of Churches and the Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference in their efforts to assist in recovery efforts in New Orleans. A veteran of the United States Navy, Mr. Givens holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of New Orleans.

Page 12 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

DREW GLOVER Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Drew is an advocate for humanity and the nature that surrounds us. Along with planning and implementing projects and programs geared towards and education, Drew designs and leads workshops and discussion forums on a variety of topics including pollinators, social inequity around issues of race, the destruction of the environment, and the criminal justice system. His life path has taught him how to cultivate a climate of connection, responsiveness, and care.

ANTHONY BEAN Anthony Bean grew up in New Orleans' Seventh Ward. Words have long been a passion for Anthony Bean. While attending John McDonogh High School, he founded the Ethiopian Theater with a group of students in the drama club. He moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and continued working with what had now become a professional theater company. Upon returning to New Orleans, Bean opened the Anthony Bean Community Theater and Acting School in a former school building of St. Matthew United Church of Christ on Carrollton Avenue. DANIEL COLEY Daniel Coley was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia. His passion for

politics and our electoral process started when he was just in the 7th grade. He later decided to attend Kennesaw State University for a B.S. in Political Science. While there, he began organizing students and engaging them in our electoral process. While serving as the Georgia Director, Daniel grew CEEPs reach in Georgia and hired 24 students from across the state. With this added support, the percentage of youth turnout in Georgia was the highest in the country at 21% of the vote share. Now, after founding The New Generation Project, he serves as the Chief Executive Officer.

Page 13 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

NATALIE FACIANE Natalie Faciane is from Lacombe, Louisiana. Currently, she is a senior at Southern University at New Orleans with a concentration in African and African American studies. She is the owner and founder of Frequency Learning. Their focus is centered around tutoring and curriculum development in STEM-related topics such as chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. Recently, she served as the curriculum coordinator for the history component of the learning institute for the RIDE Revived under the advisement of Dr. Clyde Robertson and Mr. .

DON HUBBARD As a young man, Don Hubbard participated in the local chapter of CORE and Freedom Rides protests. "When I was young I asked God to allow me to live long enough to see that my girls were educated and could take care of themselves; that's my proudest moment, none of that civil rights (stuff)," Hubbard said. "We're ordinary people. I wasn't looking to change anything because I was looking to be anyone's hero. I was looking to change things for my children and for me that's what it was."

CLYDE ROBERTSON, Ph.D. Dr. Clyde Robertson is the director of Southern University at New Orleans’ Center for African and African American Studies and an associate professor. When asked why Africana studies is important, Dr. Robertson perfectly says, “The history of African people is the history of the world. In order to become a fully informed human being, you must know the true story about the world. Being informed about African and African-American studies makes you a wholistic and knowledgeable human being ready to change the world for the better.”

Page 14 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

ASHRAF ESMAIL, Ph.D. Dr. Ashraf Esmail has an active research agenda and extensive experience in Interdisciplinary research with focus areas in Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Educational Leadership. In addition to his research and teaching experience, Dr. Esmail has worked and presented at conferences at the national, regional, and university levels since early graduate school. He has organized, presided and presented at conferences including Annual Meetings of the Society of Criminology, Midwest Criminal Justice Association, Annual Meetings of the Society of Criminology, Race, Gender, Class, Midwest Sociological Society, the National Association for Multicultural Education and the National Association for Peace Education.

ADELLA GAUTIER Adella Gautier, also known as Adella Adella the Storyteller, lives in New Orleans. She travels extensively around the U.S. telling stories. She is Associate Artistic Director of Junebug Productions, a theater group/cultural center based in New Orleans.

Page 15 PLANNING COMMITTEES Executive Committee Advisor - Sybol Anderson, David Dennis, Joseph Givens, Drew Glover, Clyde Robertson, Ashraf Esmail Co-Chair - Kaylan A. Tanner Co-Chair - Toiya M. Smith Treasurer - Daniel Coley Communications Director - Carlos Pollard Jr.

Budget and Finance Committee Advisor - Drew Glover Treasurer - Daniel Coley Youth Organizer 1 - Sydney Rockwell Youth Organizer 2 - Ivan Roberts (5IVE) Youth Organizer 3 - Jessica Watkins

Marketing and Communications Committee (MCC) Advisor - Drew Glover, Eddie Francis, Norman Robinson Communications Director - Carlos Pollard Jr. Youth Organizer 1 - Jaylah Richie Youth Organizer 2 - Sam Ater Youth Organizer 3 - Brian Lewis

History Committee Advisors - Clyde Robertson, David Dennis Youth Organizer 1 - Natalie Faciane Youth Organizer 2 - Brian Lewis Youth Organizer 3 - Sydney Rockwell

Spirituality, Art, and Self-Care Committee Advisors - Al Alcazar, Sybol Anderson Youth Organizer 1 - Carlos Pollard Jr. Youth Organizer 2 - Toiya Smith Youth Organizer 3 - Valesha Rhodes Youth Organizer 4 - Betty Techane Youth Organizer 5 - Lucy Armenta

Page 16 PLANNING COMMITTEES

Theories of Oppression and Intersectionality Committee Advisors - Sherice Nelson, Al Alcazar Youth Organizer 1 - Ivan Roberts (5IVE) Youth Organizer 2 - Ahnieya Owens Youth Organizer 3 - Jermany Gray Youth Organizer 4 - Toiya M. Smith

Organizing Skills and Direct Action Committee Advisors - Joe Givens, Drew Glover Youth Organizer 1 - Kaylan A. Tanner Youth Organizer 2 - Toiya Smith Youth Organizer 3 - Carlos Pollard Jr. Youth Organizer 4 - Ivan Roberts (5IVE) Organizer 5- Jamiya Lewis Youth Organizer 6 - Colbi Craig Youth Organizer 7 - Kalaya Sibley

Legal Rights and Voter Suppression Committee Advisors - Ashraf Esmail, Hersey Jones, Jilisa Milton, David Dennis, Mary Currin-Percival, Luz Molina Youth Organizer 1 - Jaylah Richie Youth Organizer 2 - Kaylan Tanner Youth Organizer 3 - Toiya Smith Youth Organizer 4 - Jermany Gray Youth Organizer 5- Tierney Parker Youth Organizer 6 - Chasity Washington Youth Organizer 7- Fabiana Bonilla-Robles Youth Organizer 8 - Mason Cochran Youth Organizer 9 - Kadence Skywalker Youth Organizer 10 - Dylan Scott Youth Organizer 11 - Adam Washington Youth Organizer 12 - Nina Giddens Youth Organizer 13 - Elissia Woods

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