Descendants of Enslaved Communities Symposium & Descendants Day 2025

Descendants of Enslaved Communities Symposium:

Lift Every Voice: Activism, Education, and the Frontlines of Change

DEC is looking forward to having you join a day full of discussion on the intersections and activism and education. Located at The Center at Belvedere, this symposium will span advocacy starting with the Civil Rights movement, coming to present-day efforts, and encouraging participants to ideate on the future.

This event is for those interested in istening to and discussing the:

• impact of activism and education on the world around us
• need for youth on the frontlines
• necessity of reparations for the descendants of the enslaved

Or, if you're interested in:

• connecting with others focused on their history
• tapping into African-American centered advocacy
• learning more about DEC and our partner orgs

We hope to see you there!

Agenda:

• Registration & Continental Breakfast
• Welcome and Opening Plenary: Why Repartionss? Why Now?
• Morning Breakout Sessions (See Below)
• Lunch
• Keynote Event
• Afternoon Breakout Sessions (See Below)
• Alex Zan Award Presentation
• Closing Discussion: Where Do We Go From Here?
• Evening Jazz Reception

Morning Breakout Sessions Topics to Include:

"Preserving Our Stories: Documenting Community Voices"

• "Community Education: What Can WE Do?”
• “The Local Role of Education: Preserving Charlottesville’s Classrooms Then and Now”

Afternoon Breakout Sessions Topics to Include:

• "Understanding Our Past: The Importance of Genealogy"
• "Reclaiming Narratives: African American History in Public Schools"
• "From Student Protests to Policy Change"
• “Lift as We Climb: Trauma-Informed Care in Community”

We invite you to join us for a closing reception and dinner from 4-5:30pm, featuring the Ivan Horr band, hors d'ouevres and refreshments.

Host or Publisher Descendants of Enslaved Communities at the University of Virginia