SXSW EDU 2025 - Weaving an Inclusive Social Fabric for America

Описание: Belonging is the foundation every student needs to succeed. Across America, children are reeling from a crisis of disconnection, with many feeling isolated, divided, and lonely. Our lack of connection and trust has led to increased bullying, violence and suicide. Solutions require more than programs. They require culture change.

The Aspen Institute’s Weave: the Social Fabric Project invests in the local leaders who are putting relationships first across colleges and classrooms and weaving students together across differences in race, class, faith, gender, and ability.

The speakers for the session are:

Nikki Stokes - Nikki helps local government, public schools, and community agencies walk their talk of serving everyone. Her journey started when she needed to advocate for her son, who is on the autism spectrum. Raising a child who doesn’t process the world like others revealed the obstacles and opportunities for helping people who don’t fit the “norm.” An artist by passion and training, Nikki leaned into creativity to find solutions. She creates kits and spaces out of yarn, fabric, and other materials that not only feel “safer” for those who are neurodiverse, but also empowers them to advocate on their own behalf. It helps a community grow in empathy. Through examples and stories, she guides schools, hospitals, and other social agencies into the shoes and feelings of those they serve. Nikki has been honored with several awards, including a 2023 Baltimore Weaver Award and a fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Social Innovation Lab.

Danielle Battle - Danielle moved from the Midwest to Baltimore for college. She met and married Michael, who had been born and raised in the city’s Cherry Hill neighborhood. They settled there, determined to support and uplift the small community. They started with a prayer walk. Thirty people showed up. The couple kept at it, and the turnout eventually grew to over 650 as they organized more walks and festivals with games, pony rides, and hotdogs. Soon neighbors were sharing their hopes and needs with her. Battle is an educator who has been supporting students and families from underserved communities for more than two decades. Yet her greatest passion is Cherry Hill. She and her husband started responding to the needs they heard, for after-school programs, adult job training, and more community events. They began the nonprofit RICH - Restoring Inner City Hope, INC to connect more Baltimore residents to resources and experiences that build individual, family, and community strength through a range of youth and adult programs. Battle’s work has been recognized locally and nationally, including with an Aspen Institute 2021 Weaver Award and a fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Social Innovation Lab.

Reed Howard - Reed, a resident minister at Georgetown University, has redefined what it means to create inclusive spaces on campus. Through his innovative weekly event, Reed opens his home to students every Tuesday night for warm chocolate chip cookies, lively conversations, and spontaneous karaoke sessions. What began as a simple gathering has evolved into a vibrant community where students from all backgrounds come together, discuss everything from faith to pop culture, and form lasting friendships. Reed’s unique approach to community-building offers a model for how leaders can foster inclusivity and connection in any environment. His events aren't just social gatherings; they’re safe spaces where students can be themselves, explore their identities, and engage in meaningful dialogue. Reed’s ability to create these welcoming atmospheres has made a lasting impact on over 1,200 students, with more than 30,000 cookies baked along the way.

Frederick J. Riley - Frederick grew up in a tough neighborhood of Saginaw, Michigan where he didn’t have a lot, but he did have a community. His mother taught him that when times were tough, you shared what you had, offered emotional support, and showered love abundantly on everyone. That’s what he gave and received from his community. His pastor convinced him he could be grow up and be somebody. His high school English teacher regularly sent notes of encouragement with fifty dollars tucked inside while he was in college. She knew it was not an expected or easy rite of passage for someone like him. This network of people helped him weave a life path. Now Riley leads the Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project, which supports people in communities everywhere who are weaving trust, connection, and hope.