2023 Annual Report Update: Decolonization at Brown

In 2022–2023, Decolonization at Brown (DAB) underwent vital restructuring to ensure sustainability, refocusing efforts and recruiting new members. Despite mid-year challenges, DAB hosted key events, including a screening of "What is this Place" and a discussion with Azad Essa on "Hostile Homelands".

Professor Winder and Azad Essa discuss the parallels between Indian and Israeli forms of occupation as part of the discussion on his book, *Hostile Homelands*
*Credit: Brown SJP*

The 2022-2023 academic year has been a whirlwind for DAB. Early in the year, the Steering Committee decided that some reform was necessary to ensure the organization's long-term sustainability. As seniors were graduating and upperclassmen activists were experiencing burnout, DAB had to come together and strategize on how to proceed best. Parts of the conversations included the restructuring of the steering committee itself to better reflect the leadership of the various task forces, refocusing DAB’s efforts on the more popular/impactful events from its past, and recruiting new members.

At the beginning of the second semester, DAB was faced with several challenges. Primarily, the rejuvenation of the organization in the middle of the year impeded a lot of new faces from joining, and consequently, encouraging others to join became difficult as well. Fortunately, a small but dedicated group of DAB members were able to muster up the energy to host some general body meetings and end the semester with a viewing of one of DAB’s most iconic workshops, “What is this Place” (2020). The subsequent discussions were enlightening and helped frame DAB’s trajectory for the upcoming academic year.

Moreover, the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice was incredibly helpful in supporting various initiatives throughout our year of transition. An example was the funding the Center gave us in hosting Azad Essa's discussion on his book "Hostile Homelands" in March where he described the relationship between Zionism and Hindutva ideologies. Moreover, the Center's support in purchasing recording materials for the new Carte Blanche podcast and magazine, which focuses on anti-colonial cultural productions, has been crucial in continuing our message.

As we move into a new year, DAB hopes to maintain the burgeoning momentum it had established this semester. What that will look like remains entirely up in the air, but we know that the passion of the students involved in DAB—past, present, and future—will guide the organization to new zeniths.