I’d say sitting on the floor with seven members of the audience – college boys, no less! – answering a stream of meaningful, relevant, pressing questions FOUR hours after my speech began is a pretty solid indicator of success.
Yes, there are more glamorous, impressive and crisp photos of the rows of people listening to me present before slides about activism, public service, and the current political and social landscape (the good/bad/ugly), but the depth of honesty and connection in this image is that which I treasure.
The students at Bradley University were unbelievably engaged, making for rich in-depth exchanges – from our vegan, glutenfree pizza dinner to my speech itself to the formal (and extended!) Q+A. I am grateful to the student organizers, Bradley University, Bradley University Hillel, and Hillel International for this beautiful opportunity in my latest midwestern discovery of Peoria, Illinois.
