Freedom Fridays with Dr. Davarian Baldwin
October 24, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Location
Chicago Justice Gallery
Address
1344 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60607
Cost
FREE
Calendar
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The Social Justice Initiative at UIC invites faculty and supporters to discuss the current crisis in higher education at the Chicago Justice Gallery in this focused discussion series. RSVP at go.uic.edu/FF3
FEATURING:
Dr. Davarian L. Baldwin is an internationally recognized urbanist, historian, and public advocate. He is the Raether Distinguished Professor of American Studies and Founding Director of the Smart Cities Research Lab at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. His academic and political commitments have focused on global cities and particularly the diverse and marginalized communities that struggle to maintain sustainable lives in urban locales. Baldwin is the award-winning author of several books, most recently, In The Shadow of the Ivory Tower: How Universities Are Plundering Our Cities and served as the consultant and text author for The World of the Harlem Renaissance: A Jigsaw Puzzle (2022). His commentaries and opinions have been featured in numerous outlets from NBC News, BBC, and HULU to USA Today, The Washington Post, and TIME magazine. Baldwin was named a 2022 Freedom Scholar by the Marguerite Casey Foundation for his work in racial and economic justice.
TOPIC:
The University as we know it, and education writ large, are in an existential crisis.
Life-saving biomedical research funding is being slashed. Science and evidenced-based research are being denigrated and ignored. The right to protest and dissent has been essentially banned on many campuses. Not only books, concepts, and theoretical frameworks, but words have been de facto banned and erased. Programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion have been virtually outlawed. International students are having green cards summarily revoked, and have been ambushed, taken into custody and threatened with deportation, for exercising legally protected First Amendment Rights.
What’s next and what is our response as scholars, teachers, researchers, clinicians, students, and university workers?
Freedom Fridays is back this fall to discuss these issues, share information and updates, and build greater community. This informal gathering hosted by the UIC Social Justice Initiative will begin with a short presentation on one aspect of the problems we are facing. Lunch will be provided. Participants are asked to register, commit to open and civil exchange of ideas, and to respect the format of the convening.
This is a faculty-focused event, but all are welcome.
Food will be provided: Banh mi sandwiches (chicken or tofu avocado), shrimp spring rolls, assorted chips, and sparkling water.
Accessibility note: Gallery and its bathroom are wheelchair accessible. Automated captioning for the speaker may be available. This meeting will be in-person with the speaker on screen. Masking is suggested when not actively eating, but not required.
Date posted
Oct 2, 2025
Date updated
Oct 7, 2025