HESED X celebrates ten years of student leadership

It all started in 2013 over an all-too-familiar table conversation, where leaders from the (then) African American Student Group and Hispanic Student Association came up with the idea of collaborating on something unique and substantive which could give voice and representation to people and issues from their respective communities. Shepherded by faculty members Drs. Gregory Cuéllar and Asante Todd and staff from across campus, this collaboration culminated in the HESED Lectures. Named after the Hebrew word חֶסֶד, meaning justice, love in action, loving-kindness, and steadfast love, this grassroots initiative would soon grow to become a staple of community life at Austin Seminary. Centering the intersection of social justice and the work of the church, HESED intentionally brought scholars and faith leaders from historically marginalized communities to speak and preach on timely issues facing persons of color as well as the wider community. Worship, lectures, workshops, and panels fostered connections with local organizations which shared expertise on topics relevant to each year’s theme.

Since its inception, HESED has become a transformational experience for students and the institution—challenging perspectives, creating community, and forming dynamic student leaders who have helped to serve and improve Austin Seminary. Three of the past four student body presidents served as chairs for the HESED organizing committee and nearly thirty Black, Latinx, and Asian students have won graduate fellowships and awards since 2014. After graduation, they have continued to serve their communities by leading congregations, advocacy organizations, and working as chaplains and in many other settings, promoting the mission of HESED out in the world.

The 2023 HESED Lectures, “HESED X,” marked the tenth event in the series, the first to be held in person since the COVID-19 pandemic. HESED X commemorated ten years of student leadership, celebrating the historic impact it continues to have within the campus and wider community. This year’s HESED theme, “Cages,” called to mind the dehumanization all oppressed people feel when placed in cages of racism and injustice. Though not easily broken, HESED X emphasized that cages can be stretched and weakened when the people within create community and work toward incremental change—change that we have experienced and celebrated as a Seminary community.

The Reverend Dr. Stephen Ray, president of the Society for the Study of Black Religion, was the keynote speaker and preacher, alongside workshops and exhibits from organizations and community experts on human trafficking, legislative advocacy, migrant justice, and mass incarceration, among others. The event kicked off with a dynamic opening worship service, featuring alumni from past HESED events, spoken-word and musical performances, praise dances, and a gospel choir. This year HESED honored the stories from its founders, featuring a “HESED in Action” panel of alumni (many shown above with Professor Cuéllar) from the first HESED, sharing their insights and reflections on HESED both as an event and as a guiding principle.

With a record attendance of more than 200 people—over half of whom were first-time attendees—HESED X was the culmination of countless hours of work by student organizers and volunteers, sustained through a beautiful collaboration of students, staff, faculty, and alumni, reflecting nothing short of the Beloved Community it aspires to.

Save the date for next year’s HESED Lectures, scheduled for March 1 and 2, 2024! We hope to see you there!

–Written by Usama Malik (MDiv’20), program coordinator in the Office of Student Affairs