Yesterday, I learned of the passing of two people upon whose shoulders we stand. Mrs. Mary Jean Price Walls and Rev. William E. Pitts were people whose local connection to the City of Springfield and Missouri State University changed us forever. Both passed from this earthly plane after living lives that changed many of us […]
Upcoming events
Join us for the next Tough Talks session
Extraordinary exhaustion: The cries of those on the margins. What does it mean and what can we do?
Tough Talks: We can’t breathe
Can America change? If so, how? If not, why?
Cultural and religious observances
Lughnasadh
Culture or religion: Pagan/Wiccan Date: August 1 Lughnasadh (pronounced loo’nass’ah) is a harvest festival that derives from Old Gaelic and falls about halfway through summer solstice and autumn equinox. Pagans celebrate at a time when traditionally the first crops were ready to harvest. The celebration includes the ritual cutting and offering of the first […]
Juneteenth: A day of freedom
Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated by many Black Americans commemorating the day the people of Texas were informed of the end of slavery in the United States, thereby freeing an estimated 250,000 enslaved people in the state. The Emancipation Proclamation became official on June 19, 1865, but, according to sources, the slow travel of news, […]
In other news
Relevant responses to the resurgence of racism
Relevant Responses to the Resurgence of Racism (PDF)