WMU We Talk

On April 7, Western Michigan University will host Irshad Manji, Dr. Laura Dinehart, Von Washington Jr., and Julian Jones to announce the launch of the nation’s first NCAA Division I Moral Courage Mentorship program. 🌟

From 3–5 p.m. at Heritage Hall, we are inviting students, neighbors, and partners to explore how the Moral Courage Method helps Broncos build better conversations and stronger connections across differences.

With free parking and free registration 🎟️, this kickoff is more than an event, it is a community moment, bringing students, partners, and neighbors into the work of building a stronger, more united Kalamazoo. We hope to see you there!

Register to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/moral-courage-in-kalamazoo-kick-off-event-tickets-1985742126154

Thank you to everyone who joined us last Thursday for our We Talk conversation on International Education: Balancing Collaboration with National Security 🌍. Your engagement made the discussion even stronger.

Huge thank you to our guests from D.C., Theresa Cardinal Brown and John Sava, and to Andy Richards, COO of Duncan Aviation, for sharing their insight.
Thank you to Dr. Reetha Raveendran, Dean of Students, for moderating Panel I, and to Dr. Max and the Haenicke Institute for Global Education for cosponsoring this important event.

We’re excited to keep these conversations going. Our next We Talk event is on Giving Day, March 25 🎉 Stay tuned for details!

John Sava will be on campus at 5 pm today to talk about national security risks related to international education: Joint Institutes/Divided Loyalties—National Security Risks and Policy Overview. This article he co-authored is being released today and will be featured on Bloomberg News at 10:30 this morning.

Today's event is open to the public free of charge. Learn more:

https://wmich.edu/wetalk/upcoming-events

On Thursday, February. 19 3:00 to 6:30PM, we are hosting a in-depth two-panel We Talk discussion on the impact of International Education: Balancing Collaboration and Innovation with National Security. For more than a century, international students have strengthen WMU classrooms, culture, and research. Yet, shifting immigration policies and new barriers make it challenging for higher education institute to recruit and retain global talent.

Our speakers will dive into big questions:
• How can the U.S. continue building strong academic partnerships to attract global talent and ideas?
•How can the U.S. protect its national security interests while supporting international education?

🗓️Mark your calendars and join us for an afternoon of insight, open dialogue, and shared learning. Click the link in our bio to register!

Grab a FREE copy of the Wall Street Journal article, "She Talked Like a Millionaire, Slept in A Parking Garage and Fooled Nearly Everyone"!

Our Thursday's event will be based on this article. RSVP the event at our bio!

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to host Joe Cohn, Legislative and Policy Director, and Lindsie Rank, Student Press Counsel from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. They led several panel discussions with our General Counsel, Keith Hahn, and student leaders across the campus. We had a fruitful discussion on how we at WMU can improve our policies to promote a culture of free speech and how student media plays a vital role in free speech.

Key takeaways:

1. Consistency Matters: Free speech must be consistent – it either protects everyone or no one.

2. Embrace Discomfort: Don't shy away from discomfort when expressing yourself

3. Practice Free Speech: It's a skill that improves with practice, even though it's challenging.

4. Listening is Vital: While free speech is important, listening and engaging with others is equally crucial for meaningful dialogue.

We have a lot of work to do as a campus community, but we're up for the challenge! Thank you to those who attended our events and engaged with us!

Feeling silenced on campus?

We Talk is hosting the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression () next Wednesday (9/27) to promote free speech protections.

Joe Cohn, FIRE Legislative and Policy Director and Lindsie Rank, FIRE Student Press Counsel will be leading three engagement sessions with us.

RSVP

‼️Happy Constitution Day‼️

Last Wednesday, Dr. Lauren Foley gave a lecture on her new book - "On the Basis of Race," where she shared how universities persist in their commitments to racial diversity while complying with bans on affirmative action.

Thank you to those who showed up and engage with us.

Thank you to everyone who gave yesterday during Giving Day 2023! With your support, we can offer programming that provides tools and resources for campus and community members.

Want to show your support for We Talk beyond Giving Day? Come to one of the many events we host throughout the year. Our next event, with special guest speaker Mr. Bryan Newland (Ojibwe), Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior, is today from 3-5 at the College of Health and Human Services, room 4010.

Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you at tonight’s event and many events in the future!

It’s Giving Day all day! If you missed the first two challenges, don’t worry you can still give! Donor support is crucial to We Talk’s mission of offering programming that provides tools and resources for campus and community members to learn and practice skills to effectively engage in difficult conversations with people who hold differing perspectives and points of view.

Show your support for We Talk and help continue fostering a campus culture of responsible and respectful civic, social, political, and policy engagement!

https://secure.wmualumni.org/s/give?funds=DWTK