The combined 2nd Annual Writing and Well-Being and 2nd UNR Crossings Conferences offer an interdisciplinary, interactive and engaging virtual gathering to explore shared work in writing and well-being. A free, open-to-the-public virtual lecture with Cornel West is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 4, at 3 p.m. 

“Dr. Cornel West will engage in a conversation that will evaluate our progress since the civil rights movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s demand to end global suffering,” William Macauley, University of Nevada, Reno professor of English and conference organizer, said. “The conversational journey is sure to educate our minds and our hearts.” 

The conference, scheduled Jan. 3-5, 2021 with the combined title of “Minds, Means, and Materials,” is co-sponsored by The Hilliard Endowment, the College of Liberal Arts Campus and Community Engagement Committee, the Department of English Visiting Speakers Committee, the Department of English, College of Liberal Arts Dean Debra Moddelmog and The Leonard Endowment in Philosophy. 

“The ‘Minds, Means, and Materials’ conference is an opportunity to reconnect ourselves through writing,” Macauley said. “We are hoping this virtual gathering offers an opportunity for reaching deeper, writing more authentically, learning and growing thoughtfully, and understanding the world around us more richly.” 

Cornel West is a professor, philosopher, author and activist. He is Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University and holds the title of Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. He has authored 20 books, edited 13 others, co-hosts the new Tightrope podcast with Professor Tricia Rose and appears regularly on prominent talk and news shows. He has also appeared in more than 25 documentaries and films, produced three spoken-word albums and made his film debut in The Matrix Reloaded.

Cornel West is a professor, philosopher, author and activist. He will give a free, public keynote lecture Monday, Jan. 4, at 3 p.m., as part of the University’s “Minds, Means, and Materials” conference. Photo provided by Dr. Cornel West’s official website.

Conference Schedule

Sunday, Jan. 3
1-3 p.m.: Pre-conference workshop on writing, well-being, identity and intersectionality 

Monday, Jan. 4
8 a.m.-3 p.m.: Concurrent sessions and featured speaker sessions

3-4 p.m.: Cornel West’s open-to-the-public lecture: “Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community.” Pass Code: 568269.

4-5 p.m.: Cornel West moderated keynote discussion with conference registrants

Tuesday, Jan. 5
8 a.m.-4 p.m.: Concurrent and featured sessions

Cornel West Composition Contest

The University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion is also holding a Cornel West Composition Contest with monetary awards. Participants are asked to prepare and submit compositions that reflect, reveal, and build from Dr. West’s extensive and multifaceted work. The goal of the competition is to help young people become more informed about Dr. West. Judges are seeking and encouraging the widest possible array of compositions in spoken, performed, digital, visual, or written forms for academic, professional, social, and/or creative purposes, all created for student/young adult audiences. 

The compositions and awards will be virtually displayed via the 2021 Northern Nevada Diversity Summit hosted by the University in April. The deadline for submissions is Monday, Feb. 8, 2021. Submissions are to be emailed to wmacauleyjr@unr.edu with the subject line “Cornel West Composition Contest.” 

For more information or questions, email Bill Macauley at wmacauleyjr@unr.edu.