A Question of Purpose, with Anthony Burrow

A community dinner series designed around a simple but powerful premise: that communities learn better together when they eat together.
About this Event

Join the Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures for a presentation and panel discussion over a shared dinner.

A Question of Purpose

Anthony Burrow will offer a primer on the emerging science of purpose in life, discussing what is confidently known, what is curiously believed, and what questions remain in need of far better answers. He will discuss the need to tether rigorous research on purpose with its lived experience and highlight some translational examples aiming to do just that.

Anthony Burrow is a professor in the department of psychology and director of the Purpose Science and Innovation Exchange at Cornell University. His research follows two paths. The first investigates why having a sense of purpose in life serves as a psychological resource for those who cultivate it. His work considers the extent to which purpose contributes to positive adjustment and serves as a source of protection in the face of stress and challenge. A second path examines how notions of race are incorporated into one’s sense of self (i.e., racial identification) and potentially shape perceptions of everyday encounters, particularly among Black adolescents and emerging adults.

This dinner will take place from 6–8pm at GIAC – Greater Ithaca Activities Center (301 W Court St.). Catered dinner by Vivies Comfort Cuisine will be provided free of charge. Please register in advance and let us know if you have any food allergies we should be aware of.

Toward Equitable Futures is a community dinner series designed around a simple but powerful premise: that communities learn better together when they also eat together. Please join the Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures and our community partners for catered dinners and public forums that brings together faculty, students, researchers, and Ithaca residents around shared food and shared inquiry. Each dinner features a 30-minute presentation followed by a moderated panel discussion. At their core, the dinners are an investment in community-rooted relationship-building that makes justice work possible.

Please note: We will be taking photos and video at this event for our records and archive, which may also appear publicly on our website, newsletter, or social media. If you do not want your photograph taken, please wear one of the provided stickers in a visible place to alert us of your preference to opt out.