Resources

2023 LGBTQ+ Faculty Round table: Queering Pedagogy and Self-care Gathering Date May 24-26, 2023 Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Team Gina A.S. Robinson, Associate Director Pamela Lightsey, Meadville Lombard Theological School Rodolfo Nolasco, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary Participants Phillis I. Sheppard, Vanderbilt University Bryan N. Massingale, Fordham University Su Yon Pak, Union Theological Seminary Renee K Harrison, Howard University School of Divinity Xochiti Alvizo, California State University - Northridge Luis Menéndez-Antuña, Boston University School of Theology Teresa Smallwood, United Lutharan Seminary - Gettysburg Junehee Yoon, Drew Theological School Craig Ford, St. Norbert College Honorarium and Fellowship Participants will receive an honorarium of $2000 for full participation in the Round Table. In addition, participants are eligible to apply for a $5000 project grant. Read More about Payment of Participants Important Information Foreign National Information Form Policy on Participation Description The aim of this roundtable was to curate a conversation that explored the uniqueness and normativity of LGBTQ+ faculty experiences; consider ways that embodied perspectives might positively and negatively affect pedagogy; addresses the rapidly changing ways identities, current discourse and practices affect teaching; and reflect upon the ways that deep political & theological divides are challenging to queer theory and theology. Additionally, the conversation is designed to help determine how to attend to self-care and determine vocational aspirations in unsafe contexts. On the first evening Anna Deshawn, an Ambie award-winning podcast creator and digital radio host of E3 Radio, facilitated a conversation about the impact they are making in the queer community through their podcast Queer News. Anna Deshawn uses their digital platform to curate conversations at the intersection faith and LGBTQ+ identity. DJ Caryn Robinson created an atmosphere of queer joy by playing music by LGBTQ+ artists and allies. The second day of the gathering was a time to reflect upon the ways LGBTQ+ professors, as embodied professionals enter spaces (some safe, some more challenging) to do the work they are called to do. The leaders grounded the first half of this conversation with two questions: “Who is the LGBTQ+ self that teaches?” and “What pedagogy heirlooms can you share?” These questions invited participants into an exploration of the uniqueness and normativity of LGBTQ+ faculty experiences. Dr. Danie Buhuro facilitated the second half of the session which centered embodiment and self-care. The day ended with an excursion to Lips Chicago to explore teaching in drag. The final session opened with an in depth debrief on what participants learned from the drag performers about embodiment and teaching. Dr. Stephanie Crumpton closed with a ritual to help the participants reclaim rest in their lives as faculty persons. All participants are eligible to receive a $5,000 non-competitive small grant. Description To address the rapidly changing ways identities, current discourse and practices affect teaching To reflect upon the ways that deep political & theological divides are challenging to queer theory and theology To determine how to attend to self-care Description Tenure track, tenured, continuing term, and/or full-time contingency Teaching religion, religious studies, or theology in an accredited college or university in the United States, Puerto Rico, or Canada Identify at LGBTQ+ (Edit)

2022 Wabash Round Table Imagining Projects for Teaching the Black Woman’s Experience Gathering Date March 28th-30th, 2022 Alexander Hotel, Indianapolis Indiana Team Nancy Lynne Westfield, Ph.D., Director Lisa Thompson, Vanderbilt Divinity School Participants Carolyn Medine, University of Georgia Melanie Jones, Union Presbyterian Theological School Shively Smith, Boston Theological Angela Sims, Colgate Rochester Mitzi Smith, Columbia Theological Seminary Emilie Townes, Vanderbilt Divinity School Erika Gault, University of Arizona Rachelle Green, Fordham University Jessica Brown, Choices to Change, LLC Joi Orr, Interdenominational Theological Center Chelsea Yarborough, Vanderbilt University Gay Byron, Howard University Dominique Robinson, Seminary of the Southwest Pamela Lightsey, Meadville Lombard Theological School Courtney Buggs, Christian Theological Seminary Sarah Farmer, Indiana Wesleyan Seminary Emma Jordan-Simpson, Auburn Theological Seminary Yolanda Norton, San Francisco Theological Seminary Dianna Watkins-Dickerson, Independent Scholar Gina Robinson, Northwestern University Honorarium and Fellowship Participants will receive an honorarium of $2000 for full participation in the Round Table. In addition, participants are eligible to apply for a $5000 project grant. Read More about Payment of Participants Important Information Foreign National Information Form Policy on Participation Description The Wabash Center is convening a round table conversation to catalyze emerging projects focused upon teaching the Black woman’s experience. Along with funds for travel, meals, hotel fees, each participant will receive a stipend of $2000. The aim of the Round Table gathering is to shape a conversation that will be inter-generational, multi-disciplinary, and attend the multi-faceted scholarly identities as teachers of religion and theology. Our intent is to use this time to conceive projects that will gain traction and become life-giving. The Wabash Center, to support the emerging projects on teaching, will provide non-competitive grants in the amount of $5000 for each person in attendance. Participants may elect to combine funding to create a collaborative project. Please see the small grant description and proposal process on our website. Proposals for the non-competitive grants must be submitted by May 31, 2022. Each participant is asked to come the conversation with preliminary ideas, dedications, and creative aspirations for the thriving of Black women scholar-teachers, teaching, and teaching lives. At the gathering, a priority is to listen to one another, think together, dream together and see what emerges from being together. The conversation, while not a decision-making moment, will rehearse the wide array of possibilities of imagining a teaching project. The conversation is meant to unearth possibilities, suggest directions, review strategies, and make use of collaborative ingenuity, imagination and creativity. In a creative process, participants will talk, listen, discern, rely upon our spirit of collegiality, and listen for the ancestors, the wisdom, and the muse. Questions for the Gathering In preparation, participants will consider these springboard questions for germinating projects on teaching the African American Woman’s experience: What does it mean to teach and embody the Black woman’s experience? What does it mean to teach African American women’s lives? What can be learned about teaching from the ways and means of Black women? What are womanist ways for a healthy teaching life? What are Black women’s approaches to teaching? In what ways does the imagination and creativity of Black women enhance our scholarly teaching? What would it mean to reinvent your teaching toward your own cultural sensibilities and sensitivities? What strategies can be employed to teach better as an African American woman? Who is the self who teaches when she is an African American woman? What would it mean to redesign your basic courses toward womanist pedagogies?

Roundtables 
 The Wabash Center hosts roundtables, one-time gatherings either in-person or virtually, for teachers of theological and religious studies in higher education in an accredited seminary or theological school in the United States, Puerto Rico, or Canada. Important Links Payment of Participants Policy on Full Participation Travel and Reimbursement Guidelines Reimbursement Form Things To Do In Crawfordsville Honorarium Participants in Wabash Center workshops receive an honorarium based on the number of days and amount of advance preparation and responsibility. Processes and Procedures for the Payment of Honorarium Policy on Deadlines for Program Deadlines The program deadlines are meant to facilitate application by a wide array of participants, as well as create fairness in the selection process. Program deadlines also assist administrative staff who work to support each group and all programs. The Wabash Center will, when we see the necessity, extend the deadline of an application process. We will rarely, if ever, extend the deadline for individual requests. We ask participants, as well as recommenders, to respect these important deadline boundaries. Adherence to deadlines foster fair-mindedness and a spirit of collegiality. Should an issue need to be arbitrated, please be in touch with the Director of the Wabash Center. 2025 Roundtables Creative Writing Storytelling-Based Pedagogy Racial Solidarity SoCap 2024 Roundtables Racial Solidarity Latinx Creative Writing Curiosity Roundtable Arts-Based Pedagogy Roundtable SoCap Sabbath as Teaching Womanist Meeting Past Gatherings See a complete list of Wabash gatherings. Previous Racial Solidarity Latinx Creative Writing Curiosity Arts-Based Pedagogy LGBT Faculty Solidarity Teaching the Black Woman's Experience