Connecting the curious and the hopeful. . .one idea at a time!
What is The Ex+Change?
There are questions about who we are, where we are headed, and what it will take to get us there. And we know these questions come with special challenges. But daring ideas can inspire change. And determined people can unlock ideas. The Ex+Change is where this dynamic force happens.
Our first interdisciplinary exchange - our inaugural symposium - happens in 2026 as the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
We are planning a series of events to prepare for what the nation might look like at that moment, and what we hope to be celebrating then.
The beginning . . .
The Conversation Starter
We held our first pre-inaugural event on October 10th at Centennial Hall at Georgia State University where two nationally recognized experts discussed how violence is too much a part of our civic discourse and what needs to be done to cure us of this dilemma.
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"The question is not what's wrong with a person. The question is what happened to them."
Dr. Apryl Alexander, Director of the Violence Prevention Center at UNC Charlotte, suggests that we can better solve violent behavior in society if we ask the right question and have the right focus.
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"At the core of extremism is the sense that our group is under threat."
Dr. Tony Lemieux, a communications psychologist at Georgia State University, offered insights on the connections between language and violence.
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We Can't Keep Living Like This . . . the discussion
Our conversation began with one thought - Dr. King wrote, Where do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community. Today we ask, why do we always end up here, a community in chaos?
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The Roundtable
Attendees discussed what it would take to solve the problem of violence in our civic life. See their responses here.
The middle . . .
The Workshops
In 2025, we will hold four pre-inaugural workshops. The pillars of Law, Divinity, Business, and Journalism, will take the lead as we begin working out - and working on - what it takes to be a more perfect union.
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Law
Moral force is the most urgent call the law should heed to secure the justice we all need.
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Divinity
Our deeply held beliefs have led us to great works, but is our faith enough for what we face?
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Business
Can we do well and do good? How we make a living does matter to the life we make.
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Journalism
The truths we hold depend on us knowing the truth - the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
And The Ex+Change 2026 . . .
Our inaugural symposium takes place in 2026 to explore what truths we hold, and what it will take to hold on to them.