Special Speaker
Dr. Cornel West
Dr. Cornel West, affectionately known to many as Brother West, is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary. Dr. West teaches on the works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as well as courses in Philosophy of Religion, African American Critical Thought, and a wide range of subjects — including but by no means limited to, the classics, philosophy, politics, cultural theory, literature, and music. He has a passion to communicate to a vast variety of publics in order to keep alive the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. – a legacy of telling the truth and bearing witness to love and justice.
Dr. West is the former Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. Cornel West graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in three years and obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy at Princeton.
He has written 20 books and has edited 13. He is best known for his classics, Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. His most recent book, Black Prophetic Fire, offers an unflinching look at nineteenth and twentieth-century African American leaders and their visionary legacies.
Dr. West has partnered with MasterClass.com to provide teachings on several influential courses including a class with Pharrell Williams on Empathy, MasterClass’s first-ever multi-instructor class on Black History, Black Freedom & Black Love, as well as Dr. West’s standalone class on Philosophy. Visit www.cornelwest.com and click the MasterClass banner to learn more.
TITLE: Living and Loving Out Loud: In Conversation with Dr. Cornel West on Self-Care, Justice, and the Power of Music
Dr. Cornel West is one of America’s most provocative and admired public intellectuals. As a philosopher, academic, and social activist, he has consistently reminded us of the power of love, hope, and human connection. We will learn about his deep love of music and theology, and how these passions inform his social justice work.
In conversation Dr. West will be exploring the importance of self-care and self-love as essential tools for avoiding burnout and sustaining efforts over the long-term. We will learn how he sees self-care as an act of resistance against the oppressive forces of society, and as a means of building resilience and strength for the ongoing struggle for justice. As he once said, “If you don’t love yourself, then you’re not going to have the energy and vitality to love others, to fight for justice, to deal with the pain and trauma that comes with it.”
We will also have an opportunity to share Dr. West’s love of jazz music, which he sees as a form of spiritual expression that reflects the diversity and richness of human experience. He will share how his love of music has influenced his work and how it can be used as a tool for personal and social transformation.
Dr. West’s insights and experiences offer valuable lessons for anyone seeking to live a life of integrity, compassion, and justice. We will hear about his work as a theologian and how it has influenced his thinking on social justice issues. We will learn about his personal struggles with depression and addiction, and how he has used his experiences to inspire others to persevere in the face of adversity.
At GXC, Dr. West will share his thoughts on what it means to be human, and how we can live and love out loud in a world that often seems divided and uncertain. His wisdom and guidance will undoubtedly be valuable for anyone seeking to make a positive difference in the world.