Cooper Conversation - Walk the Walk: Belonging, Shared Responsibility, and the Power of Invitation

Name: Cooper Conversation - Walk the Walk: Belonging, Shared Responsibility, and the Power of Invitation
Start: 2026-01-28T15:30:00-06:00
Location: Red Cloud A, Willa Cather Dining Center, Lincoln, NE, United States, Nebraska 68588

Schedule

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026 at 03:30 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

Red Cloud A, Willa Cather Dining Center, Lincoln, NE, United States, Nebraska 68588 | Lincoln, NE

In moments of profound crisis, individuals and societies face fundamental questions about belonging, responsibility, and moral choice. Drawing on Holocaust history, this Cooper Conversation explores why some communities chose to extend protection and connection to their neighbors while others turned away.
Aligned with the EN Thompson Forum on World Issues theme, Belonging: Finding Connections in a Lonely World, the conversation will feature insights from Megan Helberg, a Nebraska native, speaker with the Weave Speakers Bureau and Program Coordinator for the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina, whose work centers on building connection through invitation, courage, and community. Participants will be invited to reflect on how belonging is created, or denied, and what it means to “walk the walk” of shared responsibility in their own lives and communities. They will also be encouraged to consider what it means to move beyond empathy toward action in their own lives and spheres of influence.
The event will include a presentation by Megan Helberg, a Q&A discussion, and a hands-on activity. This event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served.