Union Institute & University's the Institute for Social Justice Honors Bob Moses Through Educational Series

CINCINNATI, Aug. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

About Stewart Burns, Ph.D.
Dr. Burns is a distinguished historian of the Civil Rights Movement and other U.S. social movements, and a leadership scholar. Among many notable publications, he wrote the Wilbur Award-winning biography of Martin Luther King Jr., To the Mountaintop (2004). Read more

About Michael Simanga, Ph.D.
Dr. Simanga is an activist writer, scholar, educator and multi-discipline artist. He is on the doctoral faculty of the Union Institute and University where he also is director of the Martin Luther King Specialization. Read more 

About Betsy Martin, Executive Director
Ms. Martin is the Executive Director of The Institute for Social Justice. An alumna of UI&U, she is an advocate of women's and minority entrepreneurship, and is the founder and CEO of Vaya Ventures, which owns, licenses, and consults with high-growth organizations that provide a meaningful impact to people and the planet. Read more

About TISJ
The mission of TISJ is to apply theory to practice through a coalition of thought leaders who are scholar-practitioners, philanthropists, policymakers, community advocates and others who are committed to promoting social justice and equity in the U.S. and globally through research, education and policy. Since its founding in 1964, UI&U has focused on academic excellence, creativity, diversity and integrity. TISJ aims to reach significant and clear progress toward social justice by advocating for equality, valuing diversity and committing to an innovative teaching and learning environment that shrinks economic disparities and eliminates racism. TISJ connects programs and individuals that are committed to providing "innovative and pragmatic solutions" globally.  To learn more about The Institute for Social Justice, visit tisj.myunion.edu.

About Union Institute & University
Founded in 1964, Union Institute & University has been a pioneer in educating adults through distance learning. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Union Institute & University offers undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degree programs and certificates designed for those seeking to make a difference in their own lives and within their communities. The university offers specialized online and low residency degree programs with high-touch faculty attention, designed for students regardless of where they live and work. Union's flexible delivery models emphasize relevant and transformative coursework taught by a national faculty of scholar-practitioners. Union graduates, including two dozen college presidents, leaders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, members of the United States Congress, and the first female prime minister of Jamaica, promote Union's legacy of utilizing education to transform lives and communities. Based in Cincinnati Ohio, UI&U has additional Academic Centers in California (Los Angeles and Sacramento) and Florida.  To learn more about Union Institute & University, visit www.myunion.edu or call 1-800-861-6400.

For media inquiries regarding The Institute for Social Justice and interviews with Dr. Stewart Burns and Dr. Michael Simanga, please contact Rita Tennyson at (310) 779-9747 or [email protected]. The Institute for Social Justice will be releasing additional updates on our content series, which focus on Bob Moses. For future updates, please visit the News & Events page at The Institute for Social Justice or contact Orca. 

SOURCE Union Institute & University

Related Links

http://tisj.myunion.edu
https://myunion.edu