SXU Sweeny Family Lecture Focuses On Advancing Racial Justice

CHICAGO — Saint Xavier University will host the 2021 Sweeney Family Lecture, “A Town Hall on Advancing Racial Justice,” on Tuesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. Sponsored by the University’s Office for Mission and Heritage, the lecture will feature Dr. Chezare Warren, a nationally recognized researcher in the field of urban education and culturally responsive pedagogy, focusing on the educational outcomes of young Black men. Dr. Warren will speak about the issues surrounding racial justice as they pertain to higher education institutions.

Dr. Warren has a decade of professional experience as an urban educator in Chicago and is a recipient of numerous national recognitions for his scholarship, including the 2018 American Educational Research Association’s Teaching and Teacher Education Early Career Award. He was a 2019-2020 National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine/Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellow and has held visiting faculty appointments at several institutions. Dr. Warren is the author of more than 35 articles, reports and chapters and co-editor or sole author of three books.

The annual Sweeney Family Lecture is made possible by a generous gift endowment from the John and Barbara Sweeney Family. As a former chair of the Saint Xavier University Board of Trustees, John P. Sweeney wished to enhance efforts to bring notable speakers to SXU for substantive, lively, even "edgy" presentations and discussions on topics spanning the liberal arts and sciences to provoke thought, deepen the educational experience of students, and engage members of the University community and public.

The Sweeney Family Lecture also serves as part of a professional development series for faculty and staff sponsored by the Saint Xavier University Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative (ILEA) and the Center for Inclusive Excellence. “Still, I Rise” is a series of four sessions focused on creating and cultivating a racially inclusive campus environment and providing faculty and staff with the tools to make this goal possible.

To RSVP for the event, please complete the Zoom registration. The Zoom session link will be provided upon registration. For more information or for questions about the event, contact Dr. Jenny DeVivo, executive director of Mission and Heritage, at devivo@sxu.edu.