Mode of Program Participation
Community Organizing and Educational Programming
Participation Type
Workshop
Session Title
Student Debt - Unpopular Economics in Appalachia: Workshop for students, graduates, and workers to share their experiences, look at the larger education situation, and find individual and collective solutions
Session Abstract or Summary
Student debt is the second highest source of debt in the U.S., saddling the future of students and their families. Declining public funding for education, tuition increases and economic pressures are resulting in large debt loads students and workers while education institutions are hiring fewer full-time faculty. Highlander Center partnered with Jobs with Justice, the American Federation of Teachers and other unions to create a curriculum to help students, graduates and workers share their own experiences, look at the larger education situation, and find both individual and collective solutions. We plan to share a short version, a very interactive and solidly useful session on this important topic for Appalachian students and universities.
Presentation #1 Title
We will be doing a participatory workshop.
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This session will be a participatory session, with Susan Williams and Kierra Sims facilitating the workshop.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Susan Williams is on the education team at the Highlander Center, where she currently is working on an economics and governance curriculum for communities and coordinates Highlander's library and archive.
Kierra Sims is co-coordinator of the education team at Highlander. Kierra spent seven years of working as an organizer, recruiter, and fundraiser in Spartanburg and currently helps to lead Highlander's Seeds of Fire program and the Appalachian Fellowship Program.,
We will be doing a participatory workshop.
This session will be a participatory session, with Susan Williams and Kierra Sims facilitating the workshop.
