Bethel Woods
One part that stuck out to me the most was seeing the album covers of the legendary bands and musicians that performed at the event, and seeing the overall overview of the event. At first, I found the cover art cool or colorful, but after studying the counterculture and the Vietnam War protests, I started to understand the deeper meaning. The album covers were full of messages–some loud, some subtle–about peace, rebellion, and imagining a different kind of world. I've realized that music and art were tools of protest, just like marches and sit-ins. Looking at the albums and the photography of the event, I realized that young people back then used whatever they had–guitars, paint, their voices–to fight for change. And that made me wonder: What are the creative ways we speak out and push for a better future? Seeing them reminded me that protest can be personal, creative, and that change often begins with culture before it shows up in politics.
Being a woman of color in sports, I've always believed that sports are more than just games– they reflect who we are as a society–but listening to speakers like Pablo Torre, Schuyler Bailar, Anna Baeth, Alisa Ali Jospeh, and Amira Rose Davis made me realize how truly intertwined they are. When Torre said that “sports are human rights” and his point about the “death of resistance” made me question why modern athletes face backlash for speaking out, even though protest has always been part of sports history. His reminder that “players don't make the game, we make the game” pushed me to think critically about the power fans hold in shaping culture. Red and Schyuler’s insights as trans athletes highlighted how media-driven panic distracts from the real issue, basic human dignity and bodily autonomy, which connects to broader struggles for equality. Dr. Baeth's discussion of how sports can both connect and dehumanize people, along with Dr. Davis’s view of sport as a laboratory for identity and justice, helped me see athletics as a mirror for societal change. Lastly, NCAA representative Alsia Ali-Joseph’s words about playing with “a higher purpose” and “being a good future ancestor” reminded me that sports can also be a spiritual way to honor history and community. Overall, this conference strengthened my belief that sports hold an unmatched potential to challenge injustice and promote human rights, and it reaffirmed why this topic has always mattered so deeply to me.
UCONN Human Rights Summit
Conversation with Kevin Rudd
Reflection coming soon!
Rosh-Hashanah Service
Reflection coming soon!