Humanities New York Reading and Discussion Program
22nd February to 15th March 2023 – 4 Wednesdays – 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center and CS1 Curatorial Projects are hosting the 5th Annual Humanities New York Reading & Discussion Program. “Speaking Justice: What Does Literature, Philosophy, and Religion Have to Say About Serving Our Communities?” Four sessions from 22nd February to 15th March 2020 on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at various locations. Sharon Holley, esteemed community leader, storyteller, owner of Zawadi Books, president of the Michigan Street Conservation Society, and Stacy Hubbard, UB’s English professor, will co-facilitate this discussion.
Why and how do you choose to serve others? What is the relationship between those who serve and those who are served? What will sustain and renew us if we serve? What impact will our service have on our communities? Series readings invite reflection on these and other questions.
Readings include the following choices:
The Civically Engaged Reader: A Diverse Collection of Short Provotive Readings on Civic Activity Edited by Adam Davis and Elizabeth Lynn
This anthology contains more than 40 short readings that will make you think about all kinds of civic-minded activities, from giving and service to leadership and fellowship, and the important connection between thought and service. Authors range from Aristotle to Kafka, Langston Hughes to Jane Adams, Andrew his Carnegie to Pablo his Neruda.
This group grew out of four previous HNY discussion groups held in Buffalo in 2019 and 2020: James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, American Politics and Community Today/Ralph Ellison, Lucille Clifton and Black Buffalo Writers.
CS1 Curatorial Projects President Claire Schneider spoke with co-facilitator Stacy Hubbard.
Claire Schneider: We are pleased to have you both co-facilitate this reading and discussion group, our fifth. Both of you participated. Why did you join in the past and what did you enjoy most about the group?
Stacy Hubbard: I first joined because I was concerned about the rise of disrespectful discourse in American society and was looking for a way to have genuine debate across race, class, belief and experience. I strongly believe in the role public humanities can play in fostering greater understanding and the thoughtful and productive exchange of ideas among members of our community. The HNY Group I have attended over the past few years has taught me a lot about both divisions and connections within the Buffalo community. I really appreciate the generosity, openness, and depth of conversations of the participants. Plus, I made new friends!
Claire: What made them stand out in your mind compared to other spaces you’re involved in? Stacey, you teach literature at a university. Sharon, you run other reading groups and own Zawadi’s books. Another answer is why did you want to co-lead this group on this topic?
Stacy: While I enjoy teaching young people in college, there is something special about community-based reading groups that include people of all ages, professions, backgrounds, and purposes. No one is there to get certified or qualified. People come because they want to read, learn, discuss, debate and meet new people. It’s the ideal environment to work on texts and ideas and broaden the circle of conversation.
Buffalo is a “city of good neighbors”. He is also one of the most isolated cities in the country. In his last year, Buffalo has experienced a tragedy of racist shootings and blizzards. In addition to ongoing systemic forms of inequality and injustice. Buffalo citizens know we need to work to make Buffalo a better, fairer, fairer and more sustainable city. But these are difficult things to discuss. In a reading group, everyone needs to step outside of their own immediate experiences and belief systems to participate in the author’s words and thoughts. This is a great first step to really hearing what others around the table think. This is an opportunity to listen, respond, consider alternative points of view, and find, if not common ground, a foundation to at least engage and challenge each other with openness and respect.
Claire: “Serving the community”, volunteering at a food bank, donating to a cause, or joining a board of directors is usually not reading literature, philosophy, or religion before engaging. Do you think reading material is important?
Stacy: That’s a very good question. Organizers, volunteers, teachers, activists, and anyone who actively contributes to the community are necessarily doers. This reading and discussion group provides an opportunity for these people to step back and think about their motivations and methods of involvement in their communities and the impact of their actions through service, giving and mentoring. Religious thinker, fiction writer , poets, philosophers, social reformers, and others who have been represented by different types of writers at different times, it is a chance to explore different ideas about what individuals can contribute to their communities. I hope this discussion enriches the work people are already doing and inspires those looking to take on more active roles.
Claire: Can you describe how the four sessions unfold? We will use The Civically Engaged Reader: A Diverse Collection of Short Provocative Readings on Civic Activity. It is divided into four sections: Associate, Serve, Give and Lead. These are related but different ideas. How do they build upon each other?
Stacy: Well, the question of how these things relate to one another—the question of relating, serving, giving, and guiding—is what we want to explore together. Sharon and I are starting with all the answers. It does not mean. Invite participants to explore by reading and discussing these and other questions and see where these conversations lead us. I don’t know yet! (Join us to find out.)
Claire: Stacey, you set out to describe a series of readings on associations beginning with a unique aspect of the United States.Our love for the establishment and volunteerism of non-governmental groups, unlike some countries, and the choice of WEB Du Bois Souls of Black Fork. Could you use this as an example of how things might unfold?
Stacy: One of the early readings we do is Alexis de Tocqueville’s Selections from American Democracy, from 1840, American society voluntarily “associating” to improve our communities. characterized by tendencies, he famously claims. That idea is ingrained in American culture, for better or worse. It is also used to refute the government’s role in providing infrastructure and social safety nets, and obviously has a lot to do with our interest in ‘service’. But reading his WEB DuBois in 1903 for a very different view of the American character as in his The Souls of Black Folk reveals his Tocqueville idealistic view, namely, racial unfairness. I see something that crosses equality and segregation. Dubois argued that only a “combination of intelligence and empathy across color lines”—a commitment to another kind of “association” not historically rooted in American culture—can enable progress in American society. When we read these texts together, we learn where they intersect and where they diverge, what they say about their own historical moments, and how they relate to our We may discuss how we relate to the present moment. Through the four weeks of readings, we bring this variety of readings into conversation to highlight different perspectives and open up a wide range of interpretations and responses. I would like to incorporate it. What comes out of these combinations is up to the participants, but the session will be pure discussion rather than lecture.
Claire: Can you discuss the readings that came up in your plan and why they would be compelling to participants who are actively serving or wanting to be involved in their community?
Stacy: Well, the anthology we are using is so full of wonderful choices that it is difficult to answer! “am. In it, she discusses how social services—in her case, helping new immigrants adjust to the United States—help those who serve. as much as you provide. She addresses issues that inform many meditations on service. What does a serviced community bring to the equation? Where does respect and understanding, or the lack of these qualities, fall into these relationships? ‘ takes a different angle on the issue and denounces those who neglect contact with charitable causes. These are difficult questions, but they are important questions for those interested in serving, giving, and leading to exploration.
Claire: Why are Buffalo Rising readers attending these sessions?
Stacy: If you love reading, thinking, learning, talking, meeting new people, and want to broaden and deepen your involvement with the Buffalo community, join us. Anyone can participate regardless of age, background, educational background, region, or affiliation.
Stacey Hubbard Associate Professor of English at the University of Buffalo. Her research and teaching focuses on American literature and culture, women’s writing, and her writing on reform. She has received the Florence Howe Award for Feminist Scholarship and her SUNY Chancellor Award for Outstanding Teaching. She has previously participated in numerous Humanities New York Reading Groups and Discussion Groups in Buffalo, and just as she runs workshops and reading groups at the Buffalo Literary Center.
Justice Talking:
What do literature, philosophy and religion have to say about serving our community?
Wednesday from 6:00pm – 8:00pm
- From February 15th Meriweather Library1324 Jefferson Ave., Buffalo, NY 14208
- March 1st – TBD – Service Organization
- March 8 – TBD – Service Organization
- From March 15th corridor wall – 341 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14202
The group deliberately gathers at various locations and neighborhoods in Buffalo as a way to get to know the city better.
The program is free, and readings are provided by email. Organizers can also promote rides as needed.
The program, funded by Humanities New York, encourages friends, colleagues, and strangers to “give time to ponder an idea from different perspectives, and that the text is a catalyst for civic engagement, cultural understanding, and personal reflection.” We encourage you to “allow us to be catalysts.”
This group grew out of four previous HNY discussion groups held in Buffalo in 2019 and 2020: James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, American Politics and Community Today/Ralph Ellison, Lucille Clifton and Black Buffalo Writers.
Learn more about Humanities New York’s Reading & Discussion Groups here.
Learn more about Hallwalls: here & CS1 curated project: here.
