Global Challenges speaker, Dean Spade, named “Freedom Scholar”

December 8, 2022

Global Challenges speaker, Dean Spade, named “Freedom Scholar”

The Honors Program is excited to congratulate our colleague at SPU, Dean Spade, for his recent recognition by the Casey Foundation as a “Freedom Scholar.”

Spade, a renowned local lawyer/educator/activist/media-maker, spoke with Alexis Harris and Ben Danielson on political engagements in a “Post-2020” world, at Honors’ annual public Global Challenges event. Spade works to transform policies and support social movements centering on queer and trans liberation based in racial and economic justice. He currently teaches law at Seattle University and has offered to be a contact/resource for UW students or anyone who wants to learn more about intersectional grassroots activism. Many UW students and faculty are familiar with Dean’s publications, especially his most recent book: Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the next), which was released by Verso Press in October of 2020. 

Guests of last year’s Global Challenges event were moved by Spade’s passionate explanation of why he shows up for fights led by seemingly different “groups” of people, whose underlying needs and aims deeply intersect.

Watch/listen to our video recording of his conversation with Harris and Danielson, as facilitated by disability rights activist and Honors Husky, Christine Lew.

Global Challenges 2021 details/video here

Freedom Scholar announcement here