Pop-Up Forum and Forum Theater

In the last couple of weeks, heated discussions about the LGBTQ+ community, immigration, and racism have come to the foreground in the Tri-Cities. The spirit rocks at both Southridge and Richland High became a free speech/hate speech battleground. Other WSU Tri-Cities students expressed concern about the College Republican’s “Trump Wall” on the Pullman campus.

We want to give our students a place to voice these concerns and to understand more about hate speech vs. free speech.

Professors Robin Mays and Katie Banks are facilitating a Pop-up Forum this Thursday, Nov. 3rd at 4pm in the CIC Café. This informal forum will cover hate speech vs. free speech and give students a place to air their concerns.

After this initial dialogue, Jordan Chaney and some of his stellar Urban Poet Society students will be here to facilitate a Theater of the Oppressed/Forum Theater simulation, where students will hear hate speech and (re)work their responses over and over again to allow us to have better tools as we encounter hate speech in our own lives. The creator of Forum Theater–Agusto Boal–called it a “Rehearsal for Reality”!

This is an exceptional device that allows those involved in the process to be both spectator and actor, observing and creating dramatic meaning and action in each performance. Jordan is a terrific community resource, and we’re lucky to have him back on our campus. Join us!