Photo: YouTube
Union Institute & University‘s (UI&U) The Institute for Social Justice (TISJ), founded to provide innovative and practical solutions for the challenges to social justice around the world, honors and remembers Bob Moses with a new educational series.
The civil rights leader, pioneering math educator and fighter for educational rights leaves behind a legacy of servant leadership, a life-long commitment to activism and innovation in grassroots organization. UI&U faculty, students and alumni will continue to research, study and write about his incredible contribution to civil and human rights, its historic importance and its future impact.
“I feel a deep sense of loss with the passing of Bob Moses,” said Dr. Stewart Burns, UI&U Ethical and Creative Leadership and Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Studies faculty in the Ph.D. program. “Bob valued personal relationships and he and I built one that I cherished. He was not widely celebrated because he did not want to be, but I feel that his contributions reach those of some of our greatest civil rights leaders including Dr. King. His push for quality education as a constitutional right is so important and something we must continue to commit ourselves to as people and as a nation.”
“Bob Moses contextualized education as a civil rights issue and created the Algebra Project as an innovation and example of teaching for liberation,” said Dr. Michael Simanga, UI&U Public Policy and Social Change and Coordinator, Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Studies faculty in the Ph.D. program. “One of his great gifts as a freedom fighter was to seek and develop new ways of organizing and serving those with the least resources. He did this in Mississippi with Freedom Summer and with his work as a teacher. As an activist educator, his impact on the movement for social justice cannot be overstated.”
TISJ plans to release an educational series that captures the words, thoughts and insights of Bob Moses, allowing his influence to continue. “We are incredibly blessed to have an archive of amazing materials we can thoughtfully assemble and share,” said Betsy Martin, Executive Director, TISJ. “We were already in the process of reviewing and repurposing many UI&U materials for the use by the newly-formed TISJ and of course Bob Moses’ work was on the top of our list. We are fast-tracking these efforts as both a tribute and a necessity to continue the work he and others did for civil and human rights.”
TISJ Programs focus on the theme “One Just World” promoting access to excellence in all areas of society, especially regarding economic, health, educational, environmental, social and safety disparities. 2021 programs include:
- One Just World Global Social Justice Certificate
- One Just Workplace Organizational Resources, Marketplace, and Certification
- One Just Response First Responder Innovation Lab & Certification
- One Just Action Community Task Force & Action Board supported by microdonations with current focus on providing Love Beyond Walls “community sinks” washing stations for high traffic homeless areas.
The Bob Moses’ series will offer a number of different opportunities and formats to allow One Just World participants as well as the general public to connect to the content that was previously created and shared within academia.
To learn more about The Institute for Social Justice, visit tisj.myunion.edu.To learn more about Union Institute & University, visit www.myunion.edu or call 1-800-861-6400.
