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Event: Lecture Eve L. Ewing on “Original Sins”

Date

February 18, 2025

Time

5:00–6:30 pm

Location

Student Center East, Cardinal Room

Address

750 S. Halsted St.
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ABOUT THE EVENT

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In partnership with the UIC Black Studies Department and the Women’s Leadership Resource Center.

Join distinguished author and cultural organizer Eve L. Ewing for a reading of her latest book Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism.

Original Sins traces the history of the American education system, revealing how it was never neutral but deliberately designed to sustain racial inequality and hierarchies. Ewing interrogates the historical foundations of this system from the Founding Fathers’ vision of America and demonstrates how education was used as a tool to enforce white intellectual superiority, “civilize” Native students, and prepare Black students for menial labor. Moving beyond history, she illustrates how these inequities persist today through mechanisms like standardized testing, academic tracking, disciplinary policies, and the uneven distribution of resources across schools. Original Sins calls for a radical reevaluation of what schools are meant to be—and for whom. Following the reading, Ewing is joined by Nakisha Hobbs for a conversation. Free copies will be distributed to attendees.

ABOUT

Dr. Eve L. Ewing is a writer, scholar, and cultural organizer from Chicago. She is the award-winning author of four books: the poetry collections Electric Arches and 1919, the nonfiction work Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side, and a novel for young readers, Maya and the Robot. She is the co-author (with Nate Marshall) of the play No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks. She has written several projects for Marvel Comics, most notably the Ironheart series and Black Panther, and is currently writing Exceptional X-Men. Ewing is an associate professor in the Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity at the University of Chicago. Her work has been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and many other venues.

Nakisha Harris Hobbs is a visionary educator, entrepreneur, and advocate for social justice with a deep commitment to equity in education. As the CEO and Principal of It Takes A Village Family of Schools (ITAV), she leads a groundbreaking network dedicated to providing high-quality, culturally responsive education for children from infancy through eighth grade. Under her leadership, ITAV has expanded to multiple campuses, launched innovative teacher apprenticeship programs, and secured funding to support at-risk youth through wraparound services.

A lifelong educator, Hobbs integrates social justice frameworks into the curriculum, ensuring students learn history and civic engagement from a non-dominant perspective. Her leadership has earned recognition from national education and policy organizations. Passionate about community empowerment, she also champions initiatives in early childhood education, behavioral health, and family support services. Hobbs’ work continues to shape the future of education, fostering academic excellence and leadership in Black and Brown communities.

ACCESS INFORMATION: This program is free and CART captioning will be available. For questions and access accommodations, email gallery400engagement@gmail.com.

This program accompanies the exhibition Learning Together: Art Education and Community, which is part of Art Design Chicago, a citywide collaboration initiated by the Terra Foundation for American Art that highlights the city’s artistic heritage and creative communities. Learning Together: Art Education and Community is funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art.