The Clark Forum for Contemporary Issues hosted renowned speaker Dr. Bettina Love on November 5, in the Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium (ATS), as their annual Morgan Lecturer. 

The event was co-sponsored by Dickinson’s Sociology and Africana Studies departments, as well as the First Year Seminar program. The talk was coordinated by Clark Forum staff Layla Ilarraza ’26 (supervisor), Kylie De La Cruz ’27 (supervisor) and Bella Lapp ’26 (assistant), who oversaw both the planning and execution of the event.  

Dr. Bettina Love is well renowned in her field; she holds the prestigious William F. Russell Professorship at Teachers College, Columbia University, has dedicated her career to educational justice and is the author of the award-winning book, “Punished for Dreaming.”  

Love’s talk, entitled: “Love, Joy, Creativity & the Brain: The Heart of Culturally Responsive Education” covered a range of topics from the impact of her 1990s childhood, social justice, radical love and the power of learning.  

Love began her talk by talking about James Baldwin’s “Uncle Jimmy,” and his urging people to “go for broke” when it comes to young people. Love emphasized that it is essential for all people, especially adults, to give their all to supporting young people, especially when it comes to creating a world for them that fosters learning and growth.  

“To foster the learning and growth of young people, they need to be taught history, and not just lies, but true history,” was a point that Love returned to throughout the talk. Love gave the example of traditional African braided hairstyles, and the little-known historical significance behind certain braided patterns. Love explained how enslaved Black women would often braid their hair to conceal seeds, or as maps to help them find freedom and escape slavery.  Love challenged the audience to “Go beyond what we are taught and strive to truly know the history” behind things we take for granted. 

Love went on to emphasize the importance of teaching and celebrating Black joy and excellence, and that we cannot end the narrative with Black pain and suffering. Love told the story of the Black women who were responsible for the United States winning the “Space Race” of 1969. She explained how, often the accomplishments and contributions of Black people are overshadowed by the mistreatment and oppression they have experienced.  

However, Love stated that we need to change this narrative, and include the full story of Black joy: “Black people make up only 13% of the [U.S.] population, but we move mountains… You can’t do anything without us.” 

Love emphasized her point by stating, “imagine what Black people could’ve done if they had been left alone… just look what we were able to do with all that oppression.”  

Love explained that an essential part of keeping these narratives alive is keeping the stories of elders alive and preserving public memory. Love stated, “I am not concerned about 2026, I am concerned about 2050… overtime history can be skewed and manipulated, as it is right now with the current administration, it is our job to preserve our history.”  

During her speech, Love circled back to the idea of “going for broke” and being willing to face resistance. That message was amplified by her call to be “co-conspirators” and not simply allies. Love stated “If you are in this room, you have some sort of privilege. Use it. Use that privilege not just to be an ally, but a co-conspirator.”  

Love compared the act of being a “co-conspirator” and putting both your health and your safety on the line for someone else as “an act of radical love.” Circling back to privilege, Love urged the audience to “spend your privilege on love and justice… you didn’t earn it, and as soon as you spend it, it will come back, so why don’t you just spend it on love and justice.”  

In parting, Love left the audience with one final message on radical love, “before you throw my last name around, you need to understand what it means.”