In light of social issues and national movements, the College of Arts and Sciences and Women and Gender Studies have teamed up to celebrate Kingsville’s multicultural community by discussing race, activism and justice throughout a series of Teach In events.
During the summer, A&M-Kingsville students were strong advocates of the Black Lives Matter movement, and professors searched for a way to keep that energy going throughout the Fall semester. Teach Ins provide a platform for faculty and students to interact and ask questions about social issues and discuss some of America’s history.
“The main exercise in this [Teach Ins], is making people become active learners and to look at the world critically and think about the world we live in,” Associate Professor of History Dr. Alberto Rodriguez said. “We want people to connect the dots and say this is part of our larger issue. Each of us have sort of highlighted a period in our work to look at, and hopefully our students and community can say ‘Oh wow, I didn’t realize this was going on in 1960s.’ So we want people to look at that and look at the world we live in and think ‘Why haven’t things changed? Or have they changed?’”
Professors who are experts in a field will highlight social issues and encourage students to dive deeper and analyze the root of some problems. The purpose is to further engage with students and motivate them to think outside the box.
The School of Music will kick of the Teach In events on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with a faculty recital. Students can expect a variety of topics raging from America’s Lynching Craze to Movements in Criminal Justice.
Through these Teach In events, professors hope students are able to gain a better understanding and appreciation for the diversity found in South Texas.
“When I teach about the Civil Rights movement in my history courses, I see the passion of students for righting the wrongs of the past,” Professor of History and Director of Women in Gender Studies program Brenda Melendy said. “I am confident that they also see the wrongs of the present, and they are the ones who will need to lead us into a more enlightened future. As my parents taught me, I want them to teach their children about human rights.”
Teach Ins will continue throughout the Fall semester. All events will be live streamed through the College of Arts and Sciences website TAMUK.edu/artsci. Students seeking to attend any face to face event should register in advance.
“In a time where everything can feel disconnected and isolated, this is a wonderful opportunity to come together as a campus and a community to address issues that are often painful, but also to celebrate what a wonderful diverse city we live in,” Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Interim Assistant Dean Barbara Cooke said.