Ryan Lucas is also a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, where he studied theatre management and business. Upon his return to America, he will be moving to New York City to pursue a career in theatre production. Ryan shares his reflections on the Johannesburg Symposium, a day of celebration, reflection, and dialogue. You can watch Ryan read a portion of his dispatchby clicking here.
“Symposium: A conference or meeting to discuss a particular subject; a collection of essays or paper on a particular subject by a number contributors”
I really did need the dictionary. Hailing from the theatre, I’ve been familiarized with seminars, master classes, conferences and competitions, but never before had I understood, let alone attended, a symposium. The term fell into that category of academic words one has heard, yet fails to explicitly conceptualize. In classic Nesha fashion, Dr. Haniff guaranteed I’d get a practical comprehension; she appointed me moderator.
Essentially, I’d be hosting a daylong discussion of Pedagogy of Action that featured various presentations from my peers and our SouthAfrican partners. I began the day at complete ease, thinking of myself as a sort of master of ceremonies and timekeeper for the day. Such a role would be a breeze given my theatre background, I thought.
Dr. Haniff crafted this particular symposium with the intention of fully realizing the definition, featuring Michigan scholars as well as our SouthAfrican partners both at the podium and in the audience. After all, these incredible individuals stand at the front lines of HIV/AIDS work within their communities. Having their voices in the conversation, joining in our inspection of the impact of Pedagogy of Action, “service” and “aid” was critical. Through Dr. Haniff, I’ve learned this heterogeneous involvement doesn’t happen as frequently as the label “symposium” is used.
As I reflect on the symposium, I am struck with its novelty. How often do we get to sit in on a legitimate discussion, to truly listen to multiple perspectives? More often, we watch debates and intellectual battles to be won with high-end words and recycled arguments. After sitting at the helm of this past weekend’s events, the notion of a symposium has indeed become quite clear; it is the precious meeting space where many ideas are exchanged to enlighten and enrich all those who enter. Moderating nuanced conversations that have been brewing for more than 15 years was a profoundly enriching privilege. The pages of quotes, questions, and ideas that arose from the day will be dancing through my head for the rest of the trip, if not for many years to come.
