Rhonda V. Magee, law professor at the University of San Francisco, will be the keynote speaker of the Cornell United Religious Work (CURW) series “Into and Out of the Echo Chambers,” which seeks to address current societal challenges and to consider how spirituality and humanizing practices might help us break down the barriers that divide our society.

The virtual talk, Cultivating Peace in the Valley: Practicing for Navigating the Ebb and Flo of the Inner Work of Racial Justice, is scheduled for October 12, at 12 noon. The event is free and open to the public but requires registration. (Registration available online.)

Keynote description: “As we confront the legacy of historical White Supremacy — exploring the effects of wage and wealth inequality, witnessing political polarization, and realizing the related climate distress and public health consequences — we are all challenged to contemplate our own social identities, related habits and attachments, and explore the values and practices necessary to sustain multiracial democracy. Turning toward and taking up our part of the work of minimizing socially-created surplus suffering can lead to greater distress before it leads to more ease. How might our contemplative pedagogies and practices assist us in maintaining equanimity and wellbeing as we strengthen our skillfulness in working with the changing culture and its consequences?”