News and Events

2024 Events

Frederick Douglass Institute Celebrates Black History Month

The Frederick Douglass Institute (FDI) celebrated Black History Month with a focus on Black literature, media, art, film, and music on February 20, 2024, in the Multicultural Center Unity Room as part of the Multicultural Center (MCC)'s Ujima Conference Day of Service. The event highlighted historical and contemporary contributions of African Americans, exploring themes of racial trauma, healing, self-actualization, and joy. Participants engaged in various activities, including music, networking, and hands-on experiences, while receiving valuable resources related to wellness and opportunities for off-campus field experiences. Additionally, on February 8th, 2024, the College of Education, in collaboration with FDI, hosted an event celebrating Black literature in the Beekey lobby, featuring a Critical Book Club meeting and special guest Dr. David Green from Howard University. Attendees explored award-winning children's literature and resources for implementing diverse texts effectively, while enjoying light refreshments and giveaways. 

2023 Fall Events

Fall Open House

FDI Welcome Back & Documentary Film Screening Event: “Douglass in Five Speeches” 

FDI’s Fall 2023 Open House was an engaging opportunity to learn more about Douglass’ life and legacy from a contemporary lens. Located at the Multicultural Center on South Campus, the event welcomed attendees to an enriching experience filled with insights, networking, and knowledge-sharing. Guests had the opportunity to meet the FDI team, indulge in refreshments, win prizes, and explore the institute's programs. The highlight was the screening of “Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches”, a beautiful visual documentary featuring Dr. Henry Louis Gates and captivating performances based on Douglass's original works. Many students in the College of Education used the event to count toward their required fieldwork hours. FDI at Kutztown University fosters discussions, research, conferences, and exhibits dedicated to racial equity, social justice, and anti-racism, creating a dynamic space for BIPOC self-actualization on campus and beyond. The Open House provided a glimpse into the invaluable work done at FDI, hinting at more exciting events and opportunities in the future. If you and your students are interested in collaborating on an assignment or an enrichment event, do contact FDI at fdouglass@kutzotwn.edu and follow us @ku_douglass_institute. 

Plácitas: Conversations with the Sugar Skull Cast

In commemoration of Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, the KU community gathered for an enlightening plática facilitated by Dra. Sotomayor alongside the talented cast of KU Presents! musical theatrical performance, "Sugar Skull: A Día de Muertos Musical Adventure." The hour-long conversation delved into the bilingual and bicultural experience presented in the musical, emphasizing its intergenerational importance and shedding light on the historical and contemporary significance of Día de los Muertos in the United States. Dra. Sotomayor skillfully guided discussions, exploring themes surrounding visual culture, music, language, and broader social issues crucial to marginalized communities within our region and border countries. This engaging plática provided an artistic lens through which attendees gained deeper insights into the rich tapestry of this celebration and its relevance to diverse cultures. It was an exceptional opportunity to honor and appreciate the cultural heritage woven into the fabric of our community. 

Critical Media Workshop: FDI Collaborates with First-Year Seminar

In collaboration with Dr. Brenda Muzeta’s First Year Seminar, Bueller: Teachers and the Movies, FDI engaged in a 3-part initiative to develop students’ critical media literacy skills. As part of this unique initiative, Dr. Muzeta first invited Dr. Amber Pabon to meet with her class and broadly introduce them to FDI programming. Then, students attended the screening of Douglass in Five Speeches to learn more about his life story, oratory skills, and contributions to the abolitionist and feminist movements, Subsequently, Dr. Pabon returned to the FYS section to deliver a compelling mini-lecture on critical media literacy. The focus was on teaching students how to carefully analyze films, a skill that is increasingly crucial in today's media-rich landscape. As the course centered around film, students delved into the powerful historical narrative film "The Great Debater" to gain insights into the profound significance of critical analysis, oration, and rhetorics within Black culture. The culmination of this collaboration is particularly exciting, as several students are set to participate in the PASSHE FDI Douglass Debates scheduled for April 2024. This hands-on experience promises to be a valuable opportunity for our students to apply their newfound knowledge and skills in a real-world setting. We are immensely proud of the collaboration's success and look forward to witnessing the impact it will undoubtedly have on our student's academic and personal growth. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to foster innovative partnerships and learning experiences! If you are interested in a classroom or research-based collaboration with FDI, contact fdouglass@kutztown.edu. 

I was Inspired by K-Pop" Black Women Educators' Collaborative and Community-Building Practices Through Storytelling

Drs. Brenda Muzeta and Amber Jean-Marie Pabon (Secondary Education) presented with first year undergraduate elementary education student Aaliyah Nelson at the PASSHE Diversity Conference on November 2023 at Shippensburg University. Their research project, which emerged organically from an evolving mentoring relationship, explores the experiences of Black women in higher education. Specifically, two Black women teacher education faculty and one Black woman teacher candidate drew from personal narratives to examine themes including representation, marginalization, isolation, belonging, and collaboration. Grounded in Black feminist inquiry (Evans-Winters, 2022), the presenters first provided an overview of historical and contemporary contributions of Black women educators to U.S. public education. In addition, the following guiding questions informed their approach to examining their educational experiences as Black women: How do our life experiences impact the way in which we experience the world? How can we center the concerns of Black women educators? How do we write for individual and collective healing? As a first-time conference attendee and presenter, Ms. Nelson impressively shared her personal narrative about deciding to become an English as Second Language (ESL) teacher after becoming a fan of K-Pop and noticing how band members in different groups support one another in English language translation and speaking during media events. Ms. Nelson’s insightful observation, coupled with exceptional academic skills and an ambitious spirit, made for a highly engaging presentation. Further, Dr. Muzeta’s testimony about her journey to teaching and academia passionately addressed how subtle acts of exclusion have posed personal and professional challenges. Dr. Pabon discussed the impact of racial weathering on the health outcomes for Black women and offered writing groups and literature circles that center connection, healing, and empowerment as two ways to counter-act negative effects. Finally, the group advocated for emerging implications research at the college, state, and system level including support of grassroots mentorship and examining disproportionate raced and gendered experiences for Black women students and new faculty. The presenters continue to meet in a literacy micro-community to research, read, and write their lives toward healing and liberation. 

2023 Spring Events

The New Frederick Douglass Institute Grand Re-Opening 

The New Frederick Douglass Institute welcomed students, faculty, staff, and the community to our open house on February 7th, 2023. The event featured a convocation by Dr. James Jackson (Kutztown University), and guest speaker Dr. Richard Benson (University of Pittsburgh), who presented the lecture, “Radical Activism Beyond a Dream: Examining the Unknown Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Dr. Benson led a post-lecture Q&A to respond to individual inquiries about his research. The campus community also practiced mindfulness through a workshop on social justice-oriented coloring and making essential oils. In the afternoon, we kicked off KU's first African American Read-In, a 30+ year national tradition celebrating Black literature. The open house was a dynamic experiential learning opportunity for the campus community and proved to be a service-learning experience for those who volunteered.  

KU's FDI Participates in Ninth Annual Douglass Debates 

The Frederick Douglass Institute actively participated in the ninth annual Douglass Debates on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, aligning with KU's Strategic Student Success Goal, Objective 2. Engaging first-generation, low-income, and BIPOC undergraduate students within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, these debates cultivate competitive discourse while nurturing leadership, public speaking, and advocacy skills crucial for academic success. Cinema, Music, and Television senior Yannick Notin, alongside political science first-year student Mark-Handy Phanor, demonstrated outstanding dedication by meticulously researching, crafting speeches, and formulating propositions focusing on environmental challenges and their intricate connections to racism, poverty, and political disenfranchisement. Addressing the resolution "environmental justice should be prioritized by policymakers in our local communities," these first-time debaters delivered a commendable performance. The Frederick Douglass Institute extends its gratitude to both students for their diligent preparation and exceptional representation of Kutztown University.