Call for Participation — Zora Neale Hurston Summit

You're cordially invited to join us in honoring the enduring legacy of Zora Neale Hurston alongside the Hurston Family at the inaugural 2025 Zora Neale Hurston Summit!

Date: January 31, 2025-February 1, 2025

Location: Barnard College

New York, NY

Learn More

Photo Credit: The Zora Neale Hurston Trust

Apply to participate!

Are you inspired by Zora? Has her work impacted your life?

If so, we invite you to share your idea for a presentation, performance, breakout session, etc during the 2025 Zora Neale Hurston Summit. This momentous event will unfold over two transformative days, January 31, 2025 and February 1, 2025, on the Barnard College campus — Zora’s alma mater — where artistry, activism, and academia intersect. The Zora Neale Hurston Summit is for anyone who loves and finds inspiration in Zora’s work or who wishes to celebrate her incomparable legacy!

We welcome all ideas ranging from academic to creative expressions that honor, celebrate, and reimagine Zora’s expansive work. Submissions will be accepted from July 19, 2024 through October, 31, 2024 at 11:59pm. All proposals will receive notification by November 21, 2024 regarding submissions.

*Accepted submissions will require travel to New York, NY where Barnard is located for participation.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Programs Committee, 2025 Zora Neale Hurston Summit

Submit Summit Proposal

Name *

First Name

Last Name

Salutation *

(Mr., Mrs. , Miss, Ms. Dr. etc)

Preferred Pronouns *

Organizational Affiliation *

Please enter N/A if none apply.

Role *

(i.e. Founder, Professor, Visionary, etc.). Please enter N/A if none apply.

Email *

Phone *

(###)

###

####

Website URL *

Please enter N/A if none apply

Social media handles *

Please enter N/A if none apply

How has Zora and/or her work impacted you personally and professionally? *

200 words maximum*

Submission Title *

Session Description *

500 words maximum*

Choose the category that your submission most closely fits into *

Artist ~ individual who draws inspiration from Zora’s exploration and celebration of Black, African Diasporic, and Indigenous cultures.

Activist ~ individual committed to social justice and those who see Zora’s work as a beacon for change and a call to voice the stories of marginalized groups.

Student ~ individual eager to delve into Zora’s rich legacy and to explore the intersections of her work with contemporary movements and ideas.

Educator/Academic/Scholar ~ individual who guides the next generation in understanding Zora’s impact on American literature, anthropology, and beyond, enriching curriculums with her timeless wisdom and insights.

Community Member~Anyone moved by Zora’s storytelling, her cultural contributions, or her pioneering role as a woman of color in the Harlem Renaissance and in fields dominated by white males.

Other

What type of proposal is your submission? *

Presentation

Discussion/Panel

Performance

Workshop

Other

Who is your target audience? *

Choose all that apply.

Children (under 5)

Adolescent /school age children

High School

Young Adults

College Students

Educators

Cultural Practitioners

Writers

Other

Are you submitting as an individual or a group? *

Individual

Group

If you are submitting as a group, please list the name of all individuals who are a part of this submission. *

If not submitting as a group, enter "N/A"

Tell us more about each of your group members, if applying as a group. *

Please share website, social media handle, etc. Enter N/A if you are not applying as a group

Session Length *

30 minutes

45 minutes

60 minutes

Other

What technological resources, if any, do you need for your session? *

Choose all that apply.

Monitor

Projector

Chalkboard or Whiteboard

Other

What are the immersive components of your proposed session? *

For example: Dance movement, crafts, Q & A, etc

What are 3 key takeaways for those attending your proposed session? *

200 words maximum*

How would your contribution honor Zora Neale Hurston? *

200 words maximum

Share a Google Drive link containing a video sharing more about your submission. (Optional)

Limit of 60 seconds.

Share a Google Drive link containing up to 3 selections of relevant mix media that supports your submission. (Optional)

Preferred Date/Time for session. *

Choose all that apply.

Friday, January 31, 2025-Morning

Friday, January 31, 2025-Afternoon

Friday, January 31, 2025-Evening

Friday, January, 31, 2025-No Preference

Saturday, February 1, 2025-Morning

Saturday, February 1, 2025-Afternoon

Saturday, February 1, 2025-Evening

Saturday, February 1, 2025-No Preference

No prefences

Please select your preferred room set up. *

We will do our best to accommodate preferences.

What disability accessibility accommodations do you need? *

If none, enter "N/A"

Can your proposed session be done virtually? *

Yes

If we cannot accept your submission for the 2025 Zora Neale Hurston Summit, are you interested in being contacted for future opportunities. *

Yes

Do you need financial support to participate in-person? *

Yes

Please share anything additional we should know about you and/or your submission.

Thank you! Your submission has been received.

We will respond to all entries by November 21, 2024 regarding submissions. If you have questions regarding your participation submission, please send an email to support@zoranealehurstonsummit.com with a subject 'SUMMIT PARTICIPATION INQUIRY' and we will respond within 1-2 business days.

With gratitude,

Programs Committee, 2025 Zora Neale Hurston Summit

For inquiries about the submission process, please reach out to us at support@zoranealehurstonsummit.com and we'll be sure to respond within 1-2 business days.

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