MIDDLEBURY — The current political climate is a cause for stress and distress for many, and raises the question of the effectiveness of activism. On Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m., Wilson Hall, McCullough Student Center, Middlebury College, Addison County residents will have the opportunity to hear from DeRay McKesson, who has been on the front lines of activism for years.
In “Political Activism and the Case for Hope,” Black Lives Matter advocate McKesson will present an interactive program about political activism. He will share how his liberal arts education gives perspective and informs his approach to advocacy.
McKesson is a civil rights activist, podcaster, and former school administrator known for his activism via social media outlets such as Twitter and Instagram and has been active in the protests in Ferguson, Mo., and Baltimore, Md. He has written for the Huffington Post and The Guardian and is one of the founding members of Campaign Zero, a policy platform to end police violence. He currently hosts the Crooked Media podcast Pod Save the People.
McKesson is also the author of “On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope,” a memoir about his life and time as a Black Lives Matter organizer. His presentation is part of the Vermont Humanities Council’s First Wednesdays series.