What do Southeast Texans think?
And what do we do?

Beaumont—Port Arthur—Jefferson County

November 5, 2022 video and program, see below

March 3, 2023 special section of the Beaumont Enterprise

Summer 2023 in-service workshop for teachers and community workers

Fall 2023 writing prize for high school students in Jefferson County, TX

Nov 2022 jpg flyer

Nov 2022 pdf flyer

Nov 2022 program

Watch the entire video on Facebook, download the program

9:00 am - 5:00 pm on Saturday, November 5, 2022
8th floor of the Mary and John Gray Library at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas
This event was open to the public, free with advanced registration, lunch included, streaming option

Welcome session video
Dann Brown, Lamar University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (starts at 00:02.40)
Chris Durio, Beaumont Mayor Pro Tem (00:05.51)
Dave Williams, Ancient to the Future (00:08.10)
Jimmy Bryan, Professor of History and Director of Lamar University's Center for History and Culture of Southeast Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast (00:10.44)

Panel 1: History session video
Alex Perez / Strong Wind, Karankawa tribal historian and cultural advisor (00:02.40)
Judy Linsley, historian (00:14.30)
David Willard, Middle School Dean of Students at All Saints Episcopal School, and Commissioner, Port of Beaumont (00:28.15)
Jim Sanderson, novelist and professor and chair of the Lamar University English department (00:43.40)
Kate Williams (chair), Ancient to the Future / University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Panel 2: Economic and Social Inequality session video
Jeff Darby, President, Sabine Area Central Labor Council (00:01.25)
Paula O'Neal, recently retired executive director, Some Other Place (00:15.47)
Fred Vernon, II, founder, KLV Enterprises (00:31.30)
Barbara Azalia Wilson, Owner, BAW Resale (00:46.25)
Dave Williams (chair), Ancient to the Future

Panel 3: African American and Latinx Inequality session video
Jesse Garcia, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Lamar University (00:00.35)
Vernon Durden, 100 Black Men of Beaumont (00:14.43)
Michael Cooper, NAACP (00:28.20)
John Beard, Port Arthur Community Action Network (PACAN) (00:43.05)
Abdul Alkalimat (chair), Ancient to the Future / University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Panels 4 and 5: Extreme Weather and The Future session video

Panel 4: Extreme Weather
Margot Gage Witvliet, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Interim Associate Director of Lamar University's Center for History and Culture of Southeast Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast (00:00.00)
Ellen Buchanan, Big Thicket National Heritage Trust (00:04.56)
Chanelle Stigger, Meteorologist, National Weather Service, Lake Charles, LA (00:20.12) slides, video 1, video 2
Chris Jones, Diadem Enterprise / South End Charlton-Pollard Greater Historic Community Association (00:39.07)
Hilton Kelley, Community In-Power and Development Association, Inc. (00:54.12)
Margot Gage Witvliet (chair)

Panel 5: The Future
Bryan Gross, United Steelworkers (01:32.30)
Jimmy Bryan, Lamar University (01:37.09)
Kaitlin Bain, Beaumont Enterprise (01:52.40)
Dave Williams, Ancient to the Future (02:06.40)
Kate Williams (chair)

For more information, contact Kate Williams at katewill@illinois.edu

The Center for History and Culture acknowledges that Lamar University is located on the traditional territory of the Atakapa-Ishak Nation, and we recognize that the region our university serves includes the homelands of the Akokisa, Bidai, Karankawa, Alabama-Coushatta, and other nations. We further acknowledge that, as Lamar, the namesake of our university, oversaw the forced removal of Caddo, Cherokee, Comanche, Delaware, Kickapoo, Shawnee, and other peoples from their homes. We affirm and respect tribal sovereignty in this land and in all territories.

What do Southeast Texans think? And what do we do?

What do Southeast Texans think?
And what do we do?