Things We Imagined: Screening & Talk-Back with Filmmakers

Wednesday, October 21, 2026
4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Alumni, Community, Faculty, Staff, Students

Join us for a special screening of Things We Imagined, a powerful documentary that explores the journeys, aspirations, and lived experiences of Black faculty in higher education. Through personal stories, the film invites viewers to reflect on the realities of academic life, the possibilities of Black futurity, and the ways institutions shape who is seen, supported, and positioned to thrive. Following the screening, attendees will have the unique opportunity to engage in a live conversation with producer Dr. Candace N. Hall and director Dr. Charles H.F. Davis III. GVSU Associate Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling Dr. Laila McCloud and associate producer for this film and will moderate. Together, they will discuss the inspiration behind the film, the stories it brings to light, and the questions it raises for colleges and universities working to cultivate more equitable and inclusive learning and working environments.

This event is designed for faculty, staff, students, and community members interested in advancing meaningful dialogue about belonging, leadership, and institutional change while imagining what higher education can become when everyone has the opportunity to flourish. Sponsored by the College of Education and Community Innovation, Inclusion & Equity Department, and the Provost Office.