Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”  

In hopes of opening dialogue, breaking down communication barriers and deepening cultural consciousness, Missouri State University developed the Shattering the Silences series in 2013.  

Diversity Fellow Adena Young-Jones said, “In our society today, diverse topics can be highly controversial. Consequently, it is easier to remain silent, apathetic or complacent. On the other hand, some individuals may be so passionate that they cannot hear the other side.” 

Young-Jones said that the scheduled presentations for the fall will expose attendees to diverse perspectives and potentially initiate conversations.  

“It may be difficult to have such conversations, but dialogue is necessary for awareness and progress,” she added. 

Mark your calendar 

The fall lineup includes: 

Sept. 19, 6 p.m., Davis Harrington Welcome Center
Latinx Heritage Month Immigration Panel Discussion
The Missouri State campus and Springfield community will join together for a facilitated panel discussion about the current trends of immigration and its impacts on global and domestic landscapes. The panel will include members from Springfield as well as an immigration lawyer and government personnel. 

Oct. 18, 8 p.m., Plaster Student Union Theater
LGBTQ+ PRIDE Month Keynote Address: Tiq and Kim Milan
Kim and Tiq Milan are a prominent couple within the LGBTQ+ community. As journalists, artists and activists, their conversations will focus on gender roles, expectations in relationships, gender identity through a transgender and black lens, and how they love from a radical queer and person-of-color perspective. 

Nov. 29, 7 p.m., Cheek 102
Native/Indigenous Heritage Month: The Right to Pray: The Sun Dance, Factionalism and Religious Suppression among the Kiowa
Dr. William Meadows, professor of sociology and anthropology at MSU, will examine the attempt to hold a religious ceremony in a Native American community in Oklahoma and the subsequent legal events that occurred. Meadows will also address aspects of Native American law, court systems, tribal sovereignty, gender, ethnicity, religion, civil rights and the legal ramifications of this case. 

 For more information, contact Young-Jones at 417-836-8914.