Chicago-based black youth activist Charlene Carruthers will deliver a talk, “But no one is showing up to our events! Movement building on campus,” as part of Fredonia’s observance of Black History Month.
The free talk is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 24, in Rosch Recital Hall.
In her presentation, Carruthers will highlight the important role that student activism can play in movements to achieve social justice. How activists can organize on and off campus, build effective campaigns and bring more people into their efforts are among topics that Carruthers examines. Her 6:30 p.m. talk is free and open to the public.
Carruthers, who has a master’s degree in Social Work, injects over 10 years of experience in racial justice, feminism and youth leadership development movement work into her college presentations. She currently serves as the national director of Black Youth Project 100, an activist member-led organization of 18-35 year-olds Blacks dedicated to creating justice and freedom for all Blacks. The organization focuses on movement building outside of the political real and holding politicians accountable to Black voters.
The acquittal of George Zimmerman in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin was a moment of trauma that can present “an opportunity to do something about the situation to prevent that trauma from happening again,” according to Carruthers.
Passion for developing young leaders to build capacity within marginalized communities has led Carruthers to work on immigrant rights, economic justice and civil rights campaigns across the nation. She has led grassroots efforts and digital strategy campaigns for national organizations such as the Center for Community Change, Women’s Media Center, ColorOfChange.org and National People’s Action.
Carruthers was also a member of a historic delegation of young activists in Palestine that worked to build solidarity between Black and Palestinian liberation movements.
The online news site The Root placed Carruthers on its annual list of 100 African Americans, age 25-45, who have contributed to the year’s most significant moments, movements and ideas. She was featured in a profile of 13 “disruptors,” activists who “reside outside traditional institutions and power structures” and aim to “create meaningful change in communities where they have lives.”
Colorlines, a daily news site published by Race Froward, named Carruthers one of 2015’s “incredible activists, organizers, artists, writers, builders and entertainers who made major moves in 2015” and praised her “consistent drumbeat toward, in her own words, ‘getting freedom and justice for all Black people.’”
According to Barbara Johnson, director of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives at Carlow University, Pittsburgh, Carruthers is a “dynamic, engaging leader that made a charismatic connection to our diverse university community. Her passion for social justice was evident through her sophisticated presentation style that brought truth to the issues.”
Carruthers modeled the critical need to think deeply about systemic change and act through coalition building, Ms. Johnson added. “Her smile lit up the room, her presence was powerful and her work came from the heart.”
A reception will be held after Carruthers’ talk, which is sponsored by the Black Student Union, Student Association and Ethnic Studies Speaker Series.
