2021 Symposium Week Keynote Address | Matthew Dicks
Best-selling author, teacher, blogger, storyteller, and life coach Matthew Dicks will deliver the keynote address at this year's Symposium on Social Justice and Inclusion.
The event will take place in-person for the campus community in the McConnell Theater on Tuesday, October 19 at 6:00 p.m. ET. The event will also be live streamed via Zoom, free of charge, for the general public.
» Livestream Zoom Link: Watch the Keynote Address
Tuesday, October 19
6:00–7:00 p.m. ET
Matthew’s address, titled “Finding and Telling Your Best Stories,” will expound on the use of personal storytelling in one’s professional and personal life, along with strategies for telling great stories.
Matthew is the founder and artistic director of Speak Up, a Hartford-based storytelling organization that produces shows throughout New England, as well as Speak Up Storytelling, a podcast on storytelling. He teaches storytelling and public speaking to individuals, corporations, school districts, hospitals, universities, advertising agencies, and more. Matthew is also the internationally bestselling author of several novels, including Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend and Something Missing, among others, as well as the nonfiction title Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Art of Storytelling. He is an advice columnist for Slate and the humor columnist for Seasons magazine. He has written comic books for DoubleTake Comics.
“We are thrilled for Matthew to join us and share his insights and expertise on storytelling and owning your narrative” said Sarah Porter-Liddell, Dean of Equity and Inclusion and an organizer of the Symposium. “Matthew embodies this year’s Symposium theme of ‘joy’ and we believe he will bring meaningful inspiration to the Simon’s Rock community.”
This year, the Symposium will focus on new ways to explore and understand the powers of joy as individuals and communities, with a focus on how everyone can find and use their voices to find solidarity, build coalitions, and cultivate joy. While the concept of joy can be expressed in many different ways, Symposium Week will challenge everyone to continue to make space for finding new and creative ways to adapt, thrive, and redefine the things in our lives that bring us joy. Furthermore, the events, presentations, and workshops scheduled for Symposium Week will encourage participants to continue to seek ways to thrive and empower their communities while addressing systemic racism and oppression.