UST Partners with Alumnus Larry Payne for Social Justice Podcast
The murder of George Floyd and the protests that followed sparked a movement that is demanding change, growth and dignity given to all people. But, for change to occur we must continue to have uncomfortable conversations and further refine how justice and dignity for all people is actualized.
With these thoughts as a catalyst the University of St. Thomas has partnered with Laurence Payne ’72, to create a platform for these conversations, titled For Such a Time as This.
Through conversations with thought leaders from across the community, For Such a Time as This seeks answers to the big questions in life and the current issues of today using the lens of Catholic Social Teaching and Social Justice as a guide.
Payne asks us to envision what we hope Houston will be like in 2036, the 200 year anniversary of our city, and begin to work backwards from there.
“We want to work backwards along this timeline so that we can begin to talk about the components necessary - socially, economically, politically and spiritually - to live Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of the beloved community,” Payne said. “How do we make the dream of the beloved community a reality?”
For Such a time as This has already published three episodes and will continue to publish on a bi-weekly basis. Episodes can be found on YouTube and on all major podcast platforms including apple podcasts, google podcasts and spotify.
Preview what we have published
The Role of a University w/ Dr. Richard Ludwick
In the inaugural episode of For Such a time as This, Payne converses with Dr. Richard Ludwick, President of the University of St. Thomas - Houston, Tx about the role a University plays in building a just society and what the University of St. Thomas is doing to meet the needs of the community while addressing the iniquities that exist in society.
Click here to watch video version
Houston as a Model for Our Nation w/ Dr. Stephen Klineberg
Houston, Tx is a microcosm of the demographic shifts that are occurring across America. As the most diverse major metropolitan area in the country, Houston is the leading example of how to navigate this shift in demographics. Payne talks with Dr. Stephen Klineberg, Founding Director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, on his life’s work, the Kinder Houston Area Survey, and what steps we must take as a community and as a society to successfully navigate Houston and America into the future.
Click here to watch video version
Maintaining Love and Dignity in Dialogue w/ Fr. Binh Quach, Cssp
In this episode of For Such a Time as This, Larry Payne ’72 talks with Fr. Binh Quach Cssp, director of the Nesti Center for Faith and Culture about the Catholic response to racism, the role of love in the midst of challenging conversations and the importance of beginning dialogue acknowledging the dignity of everyone involved.
Click here to watch video version
