Tarana J. Burke of the #MeToo movement will deliver Extraordinary Women Lecture Sept. 26

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Tarana J. Burke will deliver the Extraordinary Women Lecture in the Telfair Peet Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 4 p.m.

Burke, an alumna of Auburn University at Montgomery and Alabama State University, was named one of the 100 most influential people of 2018 and person of the year in 2017 by Time. Best known as the founder of the #MeToo movement, Burke is a civil rights activist who works to change culture in ways that end sexual violence, support survivors and eliminate toxic work environments through dialogue.

Hosted by Auburn’s School of Communication and Journalism and the Women’s Leadership Institute in the College of Liberal Arts, this timely and impactful presentation promises to open discussion among members of the Auburn Family regarding the staggering numbers of women who are assaulted during their college years.

“Ms. Burke’s presentation will help each of us to become intentionally engaged in ensuring human integrity for all by bringing to light, discussing and educating our students to understand why our society must be free of sexual violence and trauma that threatens women,” said Joan Harrell, lecturer and diversity coordinator in the School of Communication and Journalism.

The Extraordinary Women Lecture Series has brought renowned speakers and activists such as Maya Angelou, Lilly Ledbetter, Mae Jemison and Gloria Steinem to Auburn’s campus. This lecture series provides students and the general public the opportunity to interact with and be inspired by outstanding women leaders. 

“Tarana Burke ignited a social movement the size and breadth of which have been rarely rivaled in the digital age. Sadly, the #MeToo movement has such gravity and impact because so many women in so many communities have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives. Ms. Burke is truly an extraordinary woman doing extraordinary things to heal survivors, mend communities and shine light on this social issue. We welcome her and message of hope to Auburn University’s campus,” said College of Liberal Arts Dean Joseph Aistrup.

Supported by numerous academic units across campus, the event is free and open to the public. For more information contact Joan Harrell at jrh0098@auburn.edu.

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The College of Liberal Arts is the intellectual heart of the university and one of the largest colleges on Auburn's campus. The College continues its long tradition of quality education, instruction, and outreach in a number of outstanding departments. The College of Liberal Arts is composed of the School of Communication and Journalism, the University College, and twelve departments which are divided into four academic areas: fine arts, humanities, communications, and social sciences. Our graduates hold a strong record of industry employment and/or acceptance into graduate schools and training programs, both here and abroad.