Hi Thinkers!

We at Think Inc. want to deeply thank all of you who attended the Australian talks by Dr. Cornel West in June 2015! Dr. West’s passion for social justice set venue stages ablaze through his wildly witty rhetoric, a taste of which many of you witnessed in his recent appearance on what has now become the highest-rated episode of ABC’s Q&A.

Not one to mince words, Dr. West garnered rounds upon rounds of applause with his carefully-aimed socially-critical buckshot at “…a democracy with a legacy of white supremacy and an attempt to sustain a fragile social experiment.” Though the issues that Dr. West addressed were greatly social and political in nature, he did not shy away from making known his love for blues and jazz music, and the fundamental roles they play not just as a ‘soundtrack to the movement’, but in sustaining his own sense of love and respect for each person with whom he crosses paths (and philosophies).

The importance of his Australian talks has not gone unnoticed, and we are enamoured to see that they have been met with positive reception from reviewers…

“…at a period of time where the disparity between the rich and the poor is growing ever wider, and with the situation for the aboriginal people getting even more dire, we need more people like West […] speaking in the face of injustice.”

– Simon Clark, the AU review

“His explosive rhetoric and propensity to preach like a reverend akin to Martin Luther King Jr. are just some of the reasons this man is so popular. And boy did he deliver. … He is a relatable educator, unlike so many he described as running on “abstraction based on insecure existential crises.””

– Sarah Barratt, asother.wordpress.com

…but we were especially overjoyed with the impact that Dr. West had on the full range of our audiences, who took to Twitter to express what they took away from the talks:

Once again, we would like to thank all who attended and made this event possible, and trust that Dr. West’s enriching words stuck as talking points beyond just your safe commutes home!

We look forward to seeing all your wonderful faces at Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s talks this coming August! Tickets available here.

To view event and meet-and-greet photos with Dr. West, please select a city: PERTH | BRISBANE | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY

Dr Cornel West toured Australia in June 2015 with a series of talks across Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, tackling the issues of race, gender, classism, equality, asylum-seeking, Indigenous rights and the rights of minority groups in our society, and many other topical and pressing issues.

Dr Cornel West has been recognised, rightly, as one of the most dynamic public intellectuals in America and he is a titan of social justice, globally. He is renowned for his outspoken critiques on the condition of race, class, gender and religion in society and is also the first African-American to graduate from Princeton University with a PhD in Philosophy.

Dr. West’s academic rigour jumps off the page and through the microphone as his career also encompasses a musical element. His social passions are shared vastly throughout the Hip Hop community with three spoken word albums, and collaborations from the likes of Prince, Andre 3000, Jill Scott, and Talib Kweli. Dr West’s zeal for jazz and funk transcends musical limitations, as being “…not so much…a musical art form, but a mode of being in the world”.

In June, An evening with Dr Cornel West will see one of the world’s most prominent activists drawing parallels of the social injustices that plague both Australia and the United States, and what course of action ought to be taken to ensure a society that is both equal and educated: “I see comparisons between my country and Australia in terms of race, gender, class and culture and I believe a revolution in our priorities, a reevaluation of our values, a reinvigoration of our public life and a fundamental transformation of our way of thinking and living is needed to get our countries back on track”. As a pledge of dedication to his cause for racial equality, Dr West has shown support for the SOS Blak Australia campaign.

Dr West’s appearance will be supported by numerous Australian personalities, such as indigenous activists Dr Gary Foley and Jenny Munro, comedians Nazeem Hussain and Aamer Rahman, and poets Omar Musa, Luka Lesson, Abe Nouk and L-Fresh the Lion.

SYDNEY

Opening: Jenny Munro
Musical guests: Luka Lesson
Host: Nazeem Hussain

MELBOURNE

Opening: Dr Gary Foley
Musical guests: L-Fresh the Lion
Host: Aamer Rahman

PERTH

Opening: Clayton Lewis
Musical guests: Omar Musa
Host: Aamer Rahman

BRISBANE

Opening: Wayne Wharton & Bogaine Spearim
Musical guests: Abe Nouk
Host: Nazeem Hussain