8th Annual SJA Symposium

Thank you for joining us at the 8th Annual Social Justice Alliance (SJA) Symposium. Our 2026 SJA symposium theme is Freedom Dreams and Radical Joy: Youth Voices in the Pursuit of a Just Society. The symposium will be held on April 10, 2026 at The University of Maryland College Park.

• Date: Friday, April 10, 2026
• Time: 11:00AM - 1:00PM
• Location: University of Maryland, Riggs Alumni Center, 7801 Alumni Dr, College Park, MD 20742

This year’s symposium continues to honor the life and legacy of Lt. Richard W. Collins III and will center the voices, visions, and leadership of individuals who are reimagining justice through creativity, resistance, and collective joy. This gathering calls us to center joy, mental health, and persistence as acts of resistance and renewal. Together, we will explore how radical hope and youth-led movements are shaping a more just, compassionate, and liberated future.

The BSU-UMD Social Justice Alliance annual symposium will bring together change makers, scholars, and community leaders to explore ways we can build community and collective action for the days, weeks and months ahead and champion the importance of active participation and collective resistance in today’s social justice landscape.

Please contact Shabina Asghar at sasghar1@umd.edu or Dr. Jeanette Snider at jcsnider@umd.edu with any questions.

Parking information will be shared prior to the event. Transportation will be provided for folks traveling from BSU's campus, more information to come.

The Social Justice Alliance continues to honor the legacy of BSU student 1st Lt. Richard W. Collins III, who was murdered in 2017 by a UMD student.

Hosted by the BSU-UMD Social Justice Alliance, 2nd Lieutenant Richard W. Collins III Foundation and the UMD Anti-Black Racism Initiative.

Panelists: Abby Phillips, CNN Anchor, Kier Gaines, Licensed Therapist, Lynae Vanee, Creator & Artist, Stevener Gaskin, Poet, Giovanni Porrata, BSU Student, Madison Diggs, UMD Student