2026 Community Over Chaos Speaker Series
Overview
"Community Over Chaos"
A series that brings scholars, organizers, and community leaders together to explore how nonviolence, dialogue, and collective action can build a more just and compassionate society in times of crisis.
Inspired by Rev. James Lawson’s lifelong commitment to nonviolence and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to choose “community over chaos,” the series examines the interconnected struggles for justice and the transformative power of nonviolent action. Through these conversations, Community Over Chaos seeks to inspire moral reflection and collective action grounded in solidarity, truth, and the enduring power of community.
This series is presented in collaboration with Dialogue Vanderbilt’s 250 Conversations on America: Civil Discourse in Action series.
Click on an event below to learn more and register. Registration links will be updated as events approach.
Upcoming Events
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February 11, 2026
12:00 PM Virtual
3rd Annual Sports & Activism Symposium
Get ready for an exciting virtual event where sports meets activism. Hear from renowned, passionate speakers, athletes, and change makers who are using the power of sports to make a real difference.
Panels will include:
“The Revolt of the Black Athlete—Then and Now: A Tribute to Dr. Harry Edwards”
"The State of Sportswashing"
"Race, Gender and the Economics of College Athletics"
Panelists include:
Dr. Harry Edwards, Michael Fletcher, Carl Suddler, Ajah Hawley-Alexander, Tracie Canada, Lou Moore, Kevin Blackistone, Jules Boykoff, Minky Worden, and Sarath Ganji
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February 18, 2026
6:00 pm Woolworth Theatre
Rev. James M. Lawson, Jr. Memoir Release Celebration
This celebratory book release will feature musical performances, dialogue with Rev. Lawson’s son, John Lawson, and the co-author, Emily Yellin.
The program will highlight how Lawson’s legacy continues to inform contemporary conversations around justice, nonviolence, and collective action in times of social and political uncertainty.
The first 200 event attendees will receive a copy of Rev. Lawson's memoir: "NONVIOLENT: My Life of Resistance, Agitation, and Love by Reverend James Lawson, Jr. and Emily Yellin
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February 24th 2026
4:00 pm Vanderbilt Divinity School Room G29
We Live Here: Community Power and the Struggle for Environmental Justice
Join us to discuss environmental racism and the fight for health equity and dignity in frontline communities.
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March 17th 2026
4:00 pm
Housing Justice: Community Over Chaos Speaker Series
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April 2, 2026
4:00 pm
Poverty: Community Over Chaos Speaker Series