About the Social Justice Institute
The beating heart of social justice at Philander Smith College is its Social Justice Institute. Reimagined and reinvented in 2017 with strategic thought partners Auburn Theological Seminary and Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, the Institute works to transform the campus, the community and the world. Here you’ll find information about the Institute’s history and mission, programs, services and opportunities.
The reimagined Social Justice Institute
The work and mission of Philander Smith College is deeply rooted in social justice and equity — going back to its founding nearly a century and a half ago. In the early 2000s, the College reasserted its identity as a center for thought, leadership and action in social justice, forming the College’s Social Justice Institute. In 2017, following significant research, development and strategic integration with partners Auburn Theological Seminary and Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, the College reimagined and reinvigorated the SJI with a vision for global impact. Themed “Justice Reimagined,” the Institute seeks to embrace and catalyze work in social justice across multiple domains: education, health, environment, community, economics, politics, identity, civil, criminal, religious, racial, gender, age.
Transforming Our Campus
While the Social Justice Institute engages the wider world, its first focus is impacting the community of students, faculty, staff and alumni of the College — training, researching, convening and serving as a resource center.
The SJI works to foster an integrated approach to community engagement, student development, research and academic activities. It works to create a culture where social justice is a permanent part of everyday society by inciting a community of consciousness, academic engagement and advocacy grounded in justice. And it seeks to cultivate consciousness, provide intellectual activities, and engage student communities through social justice centered work.
Bless the Mic
A Philander Smith College visiting speakers program that exposes students to leading social justice thinkers and activists.
Social Justice Undergraduate Fellowship
A year long experience that deeply engages about two dozen students in discourse, research, writing and activities of social justice.
Impacting Community and the World
SJI aspires to influence the world through ambitious service, discourse and engagement. It does so by:
- Training and equipping leaders
- Sponsoring meaningful conversations
- Elevating the visibility of social justice issues and values in the surrounding community and region.
The Institute fans the flames of justice and equity by actively engaging others in the city of Little Rock, in the mid-South region and beyond. Services and initiatives led by the Institute include:
The SJI Resource Hub
A comprehensive, accessible learning and resource hub for change leaders. Any interested leaders and advocates from outside our campus are encouraged and welcomed to use the Hub.
JusticeCon 2019
Launched in summer 2018, is designed to bring leading thinkers, speakers and activists to the campus for several days of intense discussion, discovery and deliberation. Speakers and attendees from throughout the U.S. will reimagine together and inspire each other through lectures, workshops and informal conversations.
Auburn Theological Seminary
We bring content and experiences to the mid-South uniquely positioned to train leaders in positive change and social movements. Auburn’s noteworthy workshops on communications, dialog and solidarity in social movements are now available to leaders of social change in the mid-South.
Local Events
On an annual basis, the Institute sponsors local events to drive the conversation about equity in our community. For example, the Mayoral Forum focuses attention on social issues in the Little Rock community, and the Law & Justice Summit is designed to engage the community in exploring the intersection of the law, policing and equity in Central Arkansas.
Christopher L. Harvey, M.P.S., serves as the Interim Associate Director of the Social Justice Institute at Philander Smith College. In this role, Christopher directs and manages the Institute to ensure implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion program objectives and social justice initiatives through research, policy, advocacy, and academic programming.
He has accumulated a decade’s worth of public policy and political advocacy experience. Christopher most recently served as a Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX- 07) in the U.S. House of Representatives. In that role he managed an extensive legislative portfolio that consisted of the House Science, Space, & Technology Committee, Agriculture, Appropriations, Budget, Education, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Housing, Immigration, Intellectual Property, Judiciary, NASA/Space, Social Security, and the United States Postal Service. He was also appointed to serve as the House Deputy Director of the Joint Congressional Staff Task Force on Racial Justice and Reform that was charged with amplifying legislative solutions through proposed policy recommendations.
Contact Us
Get involved and engaged with the Social Justice Institute at Philander Smith College. Connect on social media and participate in workshops and events.
The Social Justice Institute at Philander Smith College
Cox Administrative Building —
2nd Floor, Room 201A
900 West Daisy L Gatson Bates Drive
Little Rock, AR, 72202
501-975-8543
sji@philander.edu
The Social Justice Institute is an initiative of 
