21st Annual Ray Warren Symposium Explores the Concept of Borders

In what ways do borders keep us from each other and for what purpose? How do borders “other” and racialize those on “the other side”? Where might we find areas of joy, hope, and connection despite the divisions that borders can create? These are just a few of the questions that will be explored during On the Border, the 21st annual Ray Warren Symposium on Race and Ethnic Studies.

Kimberly Brodkin, director of the Ray Warren Symposium on Race and Ethnic Studies and associate professor with term of humanities Early last spring, when symposium organizers were thinking about possible themes and topics to take up this year, questions about borders quickly rose to the top. “We became interested in how people experience the borders and boundaries of personal identity, how national and other spatial borders are created and enforced, what role borders play in shaping our ideas about race, and what happens when we cross borders or are constrained by them,” said Kimberly Brodkin, director of the symposium and associate professor with term of humanities. “These are urgent questions historically and today, both in the U.S. and around the world.”

Student Cochairs

The student cochairs for this year’s symposium are Meilin Beloney BA ’26, Sonali Blair BA ’25, Alicia McMahon BA ’25, and Damaris Medina BA ’25.

Symposium Events

There will be several opportunities for Lewis & Clark to engage in Community Dialogues that offer structured conversations about physical space, identity, and culture; in addition, there will be a roundtable that will reflect on the outcome of the 2024 presidential election through the lens of ethnic studies, and a faculty-moderated panel about students’ experiences with borders.

Cochair Sonali is particularly excited for these dialogues. “I hope this discussion catalyzes these conversations beyond the symposium and into other social groups on and off campus about the real impact of borders on our lives and identities. I hope this specific event also encourages open dialogue as a way to transcend borders and foster empathy as we engage with other people’s personal stories.”

Cochair Meilin addresses another event that will foster dialogue surrounding borders. “ Frontiers [of Dreams and Fears] is an incredibly moving documentary by Palestinian-American filmmaker Mai Masri that follows the everyday lives and friendship of two Palestinian girls, one living in a refugee camp in Beirut and one living in occupied Bethlehem. It showcases the brutal and heartbreaking reality of occupation and dispossession, and the ways in which borders can be used as a tool of violence.”

Following the symposium itself, cochair Damaris highlights a service opportunity for Lewis & Clark students, faculty, and staff to continue their advocacy. “One event I am looking forward to most is the post-symposium service project where we will be building bathroom, cleaning, and personal care Restart Kits together. This event is in partnership with two fantastic organizations: The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) and Refugee Care Collective which help immigrant and refugee families in Oregon settle in and get the resources they need.”

Additional events include a dance workshop hosted by the Palestinian Jafra Dabke Team and a fashion show coordinated by Leanne Robinson BA ’25. The symposium will conclude on November 15 with Race Monologues, an annual performance of personal narratives about race, ethnicity, and identity. This year’s presenters are Shubhika Baral BA ’27, Jazmin Contreras BA ’26, Alina Cruz BA ’25, Anna Kwett BA ’26, Christi San Diego BA ’27, Judith Segovia BA ’25, Mari Sheppard BA ’25, Mithila Tambe BA ’25, and Cole Whitaker BA ’25.

Warren Symposium Ethnic Studies Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement (IME)