Dallas College Student Blog: Two Conferences In Nov. Offer Hope For The Future

Press release from Dallas College Student Blog:

September 28, 2021

Last updated on September 29, 2021

Dallas College is committed to providing no- or low-cost sustainability education to its students, employees and community. There is no charge for either of the virtual conferences shown below. Register for these two Summits today.

11th Annual Sustainability Summit

Dallas College will host its 11th annual Sustainability Summit on Friday, Nov. 5, bringing together students, employees and community members to learn about social responsibility and how to cultivate civic engagement – the focus for this year’s summit.The keynote topics include:

Additional topics to be explored are:

Students, employees and community members seeking more civil discourse in today’s society and a return to civic engagement will be especially interested in attending. Produced by Dallas College’s Sustainability Office, the goal of the annual summit is to also provide no-cost learning opportunities to community members in the three primary areas of sustainability: equity (people), environment (planet) and economy (prosperity).“Civil discourse is the ability to listen to all sides of an issue and find common ground. This skill is key to developing strategies that will not only sustain our environment but also strengthen the fabric of our society so that efforts to solve the world’s most vexing problems succeed,” said Georgeann Moss, senior director of sustainability at Dallas College.The American University’s Project on Civil Discourse has defined civil discourse as “truthful, productive, audience-based, about listening and talking and about each person’s own responsibility. It is not mere politeness, an exercise in martyrdom, about telling other people who they are or purely performative.”Civil discourse is crucial in creating an equitable and sustainable society.Get more information about the Sustainability Summit.

TRACS Summit Explores Reasons to Have Hope for the Future on Nov. 8-9

Dallas College also is host to this year’s Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) Summit on Nov. 8 – 9. The theme of the event is “Hope for the Future.“ It will provide educational opportunities for students, faculty, staff and community members on five specific Sustainable Development Goals that address hunger, health, education, inequality and climate change. As the name implies, the sessions and speakers will be focused on solutions and why they have hope for the future.

The keynote speaker is Bina Venkataramn, author of “The Optimist’s Telescope.” She teaches in the program on Science, Technology and Society at MIT and is a fellow at New America. A former journalist for The New York Times and The Boston Globe who also served as senior adviser for climate change innovation in the Obama White House, she is now director of Global Policy Initiatives at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. Venkataraman is an alumna of Brown University and the Harvard Kennedy School. She grew up in Ohio and now lives in greater Boston.

These two events were intentionally scheduled back-to-back to allow us to keep the mojo going. This is the first year the TRACS Summit is virtual, allowing people across the state of Texas to attend. Dallas College is able to offer registration at no charge through the generous support of our sponsors.

Get more information about the TRACS Summit.

Register for these two Summits today.

Other Upcoming Events

October 2021 Sustainable U Webinars

Tuesday, Oct 5Noon to 1 p.m.

Frank Cronin, Austin Community College, professorThe misuse and overuse of light causes light pollution, which wastes money and energy, harms human health and devastates wildlife. Unlike other types of pollution, light pollution has solutions that are easy to implement and deliver immediate and lasting results.Register for this Oct. 5 event.Tuesday, Oct. 12Noon to 1 p.m.

Justin Barringer, Director of Social Outreach and Executive Director of Diapers, Etc.Owenwood Farm and Neighbor Space is White Rock United Methodist Church’s second campus. The undeveloped land at Owenwood was once baseball and soccer fields. But as the neighborhood changed, so did the needs of their friends and neighbors. When neighbors needed a space to play, the land was available. Now their neighbors need access to fresh food, diapers and necessities that aren’t usually provided by government assistance programs. And they are working to bring affordable local organic produce to the community and other necessities. In the middle of a food desert, Owenwood Farm actively works against injustices as they provide opportunities for connection and food access to neighbors in 75218 and 75228.Register for the Oct. 12 event.Check out more upcoming Sustainable U webinars.

Spotlight on SDG #10 – Reduced Inequalities

Dallas College Chancellor Dr. Joe May explains how higher education helps reduce poverty, provide access and opportunities for careers, train people for jobs that pay a living wage and give families security in this two-minute video.

Take the Pledge

This press release was produced by Dallas College Student Blog. The views expressed here are the author’s own.