A diverse campus heightens the educational experience for everyone. Below are podcasts and videos that highlight the many people and experiences that comprise the Appalachian Community and that provide thoughtful discussion about important topics such as courage, protected speech, international education, political engagement, social justice and more.
Videos
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November 18, 2019
Chef and activist Bryant Terry gets pragmatic about healthy eating and why access to healthy, affordable food is a social justice issue we all need to understand.
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April 1, 2019
Study abroad experiences like this expedition distill the Appalachian Experience. In Peru, the students were immersed in a different culture and endured both physical and mental challenges. Research was validated and put to real-life practice. Here, students describe the value of study abroad.
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November 29, 2018
Civil rights activist, former public defender and Constitutional Law educator Toussaint Romain discusses free speech, activism, public protest, law enforcement and your rights. After a 45-60 minute talk, audience members will be invited to ask questions and further the conversation around issues facing Appalachian’s campus and beyond.
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June 11, 2018
In this video, Appalachian State University graduate Shohei Tsutsumi ’18, from Osaka, Japan, and his mentor Dr. William Schumann, associate professor and director of the university’s Center for Appalachian Studies, discuss the positive impact of Tsutsumi’s decision to attend Appalachian as an international student.
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June 11, 2018
Across the United States, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have developed a tradition of providing a gathering space for the historically black Greek-letter organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), often collectively called the Divine Nine. For well over 50 years, it has been an established tradition for institutions to provide these plots as a visible way to commemorate legacies of the Divine Nine on their campuses.
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October 8, 2015
This 2015 video tribute features Dr. Carolyn Anderson ’69, one of four recipients of Appalachian State University’s Faces of Courage Award.
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October 8, 2015
This 2015 video tribute features Barbara Reeves Hart ’65, one of four recipients of Appalachian State University’s Faces of Courage Award.
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October 8, 2015
This 2015 video tribute features Dr. Zaphon R. Wilson ’76 ’77, one of four recipients of Appalachian State University’s Faces of Courage Award.
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October 8, 2015
This 2015 video tribute features Dr. Willie Fleming ’80 ’84, one of four recipients of Appalachian State University’s Faces of Courage Award.
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October 17, 2013 - 6:16pm
Tim Wise is the author of six books, including his latest, Dear White America: Letter to a New Minority (City Lights Books) and his highly acclaimed memoir, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son (Soft Skull Press). He has contributed essays to twenty-five books, and is featured in White Men Challenging Racism: Thirty-Five Personal Stories (Duke University Press). He received the 2001 British Diversity Award for best feature essay on race issues, and his writings have appeared in dozens of popular, professional and scholarly journals.
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June 10, 2013 - 8:42pm
Dr. Harry L. Williams '86 '88 '95 is a first-generation college student, and a fierce advocate for higher education and for those hoping to pursue a college degree. On Saturday, June 8, 2013, the Alumni Association honors his 23-year career dedicated to the field with the Distinguished Alumni Award. The award is given annually to an Appalachian graduate who has attained extraordinary distinction and success in his or her career field and has demonstrated exceptional and sustained leadership in their community.
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January 24, 2012 - 5:36pm
Angela Davis is the author of eight books and has lectured throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America. In recent years a persistent theme of her work has been the range of social problems associated with incarceration and the generalized criminalization of those communities that are most affected by poverty and racial discrimination. Through her activism and her scholarship over the last decades, Angela Davis has been deeply involved in our nation’s quest for social justice. Her work as an educator – both at the university level and in the larger public sphere – has always emphasized the importance of building communities of struggle for economic, racial, and gender equality.
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January 20, 2011 - 6:18pm
Rev. C. T. Vivian is a living legend of the Civil Rights Movement and he continues his activism today, tirelessly working for the progress of African Americans and the civil and political rights of all peoples. A Baptist minister, his first use of non-violent direct action was in 1947, to end Peoria's segregated lunch counters. Later he founded the Nashville Christian Leadership Conference, organizing the first sit-ins there in 1960 and the first civil rights march in 1961. Rev. Vivian was a rider on the first "Freedom Bus" into Jackson, Mississippi, and went on to work along-side Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his Executive Staff in Birmingham, Selma, Chicago, Nashville, the March on Washington; Danville, Virginia; and St. Augustine, Florida. During the summer following the Selma Movement, Rev. Vivian conceived and directed an educational program, Vision, and put 702 Alabama students in college with scholarships. The program later became Upward Bound.
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December 17, 2010 - 8:08pm
Since 2004, Appalachian has presented a fun and interactive fair that provides easy and accessible ways to learn about cultural and religious international holidays.
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January 18, 2010 - 6:14pm
Nikki Giovanni is a world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. One of the most widely-read American poets, she prides herself on being “a Black American, a daughter, a mother, a professor of English.” Giovanni remains as determined and committed as ever to the fight for civil rights and equality with a focus on the individual, specifically, on the power one has to make a difference in oneself, and thus, in the lives of others. Giovanni is a Distinguished Professor of English at Virginia Tech.
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November 18, 2009 - 6:22pm
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” Martin Luther King, Jr. Imagine a society that is equitable and where all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure. As a process and as a goal, social justice means full and equal participation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs. In this presentation, Vernon Wall helps audience members learn how their identities influence all they do and how this knowledge can help them become more aware and advocate for inclusion. Wall has written extensively on issues of inclusion on today’s college campuses. His award-winning programs and presentations have been seen by thousands of students, faculty, and staff on campuses across the country and have been described as being “a learning experience - with a touch of wildness.”
Speaker: Vernon Wall
Podcasts
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June 14, 2019
Gay, Cuban-American, immigrant, poet, engineer, documentarian, historical figure, mentor, role model- Richard Blanco bears many labels yet keeps it real.
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December 14, 2018
“It’s not necessary to protect popular speech. It's hateful speech, or offensive speech, or unpopular speech that requires first amendment protection...”
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October 26, 2018
Civil Rights Living Legend Jesse Jackson discusses the past present and future of activism and the power of your vote.
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September 26, 2018
When a predominantly white campus wants to increase diversity and inclusion for all, it's important to acknowledge the difficulties and challenges along the way while continuing to move forward. Dr. Damon Williams shares his expertise on bringing communities together.
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June 1, 2018
Poet Jehanne Dubrow's work conjures up provocative and sensual imagery that frequently pushes against long-held notions of the role and contributions of the military spouse.
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March 24, 2018
Prejudice, alienation, cultural misunderstanding and inspiration for overcoming life’s obstacles drive "One Amazing Thing" author Chitra Divakaruni. It's the latest SoundAffect podcast.
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April 10, 2017
Dr. Lee Bird, leading expert on First Amendment rights and freedom of speech, recorded a podcast at Appalachian State University.
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August 24, 2016
Hear Jon Ronson on the phenomenon of public shaming via social media. Have we come that far from the stocks in the public square? Is Twitter our new scarlet letter?
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April 22, 2016
In a recent visit to Appalachian State University’s podcast studio, one of America’s foremost African American voices, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, shares his thoughts on 21st-century activism, and the value of empathy.
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April 13, 2016
Anthropologist and author Nina Jablonski posits human evolution has taken off like the world’s fastest sprinter, dramatically changing the human face of the earth. She explores skin color and race and the roles they’ve played socially, biologically and from a health perspective over the last 200,000 years.
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January 8, 2016
Sustainability goes far beyond reducing our carbon footprint and recycling. In this episode, three Appalachian State University professors explore social equity - what it is, and why it may be the most important of the 3E’s of sustainability.