Martin Luther King Jr. Week at North Central College has a history of bringing in social innovators and leaders of change to deliver keynote speeches. Last year’s speaker was Patrisse Cullors, one of the founding members of Black Lives Matter. Her address came at a pivotal time in the election process; the primaries were upon us, and the future of the country was uncertain.
Now the country’s fate has been confirmed. Donald J. Trump was elected to be the 45th President of the United States in Nov. 2016., and the stakes are high as he takes office. Women’s, LGBTQIA, and civil rights are in tight focus as power in the White House shifts to the GOP.
This was the climate of our country as Roxane Gay took the stage on Jan. 17 at Wentz Concert Hall. Gay is known as a cultural critic and author, penning the critically-acclaimed “Bad Feminist” and most recently “Difficult Women,” a collection of short stories and personal essays.
Though her writing is how she is best known, Gay is also an associate professor of English at Purdue University in Indiana, and the first black female to write for Marvel Comics with her comic “World of Wakanda.”
Dorothy Pleas, the director of multicultural affairs at the college, stated that Gay was chosen to deliver the keynote address because of her storytelling abilities. “One of King’s lasting legacies was his ability to use stories to get people to connect to his vision,” Pleas said.
Prior to the actual keynote address, a handful of North Central students were able to participate in a Q&A with Gay herself. Hope Kennedy, a junior English major, was one of the students involved.
“I was in Dr. Paustian’s theory class last spring, and she sent out an email recently asking us if we wanted to go,” said Kennedy. “I immediately said yes.” Kennedy has admired Gay’s work since “Bad Feminist.”
Gay’s address was different than in year’s past. Instead of delivering a conventional speech, Gay instead did a live-read of a selection of stories from both “Bad Feminist” and “Difficult Women.” Gay also spoke briefly about her upcoming memoir, “Hunger,” set to be released in June.
In the stories that Gay read to her audience, several themes emerged. In “Typical First-Year Professor,” Gay told the story of her first day as a college professor and the self-doubt she felt. “At that time I was bewildered by everything,” Gay said.
Gay also read the piece “The Illusion of Safety/The Safety of Illusion,” which focuses on the concept of trigger warnings. This topic has become a hot button issue over the course of the past year, beginning with the University of Chicago declaring that there will be “no safe spaces” on their campus and culminating in the election.
In regards to trigger warnings, Gay said that there are some instances in which they can be useful, but in other situations they can make things more difficult, and turn emotional trauma into a constant reminder.
Following her reading, Gay took questions from the audience at Wentz Concert Hall. Many of the questions were in regards to the inauguration of Trump, the women’s marches that were planned for the following day, and activism in the face of injustice.
“The internet is just a fraction of what activism is,” Gay said in response to a student question. Gay also spoke about the importance of self-care for activists, and stated that even though it may be difficult, it is okay to step away.
Another topic that was discussed during the audience Q&A were the women’s marches scheduled for the day following Trump’s inauguration. “This is a symbolic gesture,” said Gay. “After the marches, we need to ask ‘what are some concrete ways to take this moment and capitalize on it in meaningful ways.”
Through her readings and the following audience questions, Gay told her audience to be hopeful but not complacent in the coming months, and to continue to create. “We have to make sure more than ever that we continue to hold injustice accountable,” said Gay. “We have to make art more than ever.”
