Ashton Speaker Series, Spring 2025

Wednesday, March 5th

Where: Waters Room, Zimmerman Library

• 12:30 - 1:30 PM: lunch (Included with registration. To guarantee a lunch choice, please register by Monday, April 25th.)
• 1:30 - 4:00 PM: workshop

Audience: instructors, librarians, and library professionals

Registration for the workshop is free, but limited to 30 participants. In the event that the workshop fills, we will maintain a waitlist. Please register only if you are certain you can attend!   

Workshop Description

Navigating difficult conversations requires a deep understanding of the diverse lived experiences, interpretations, and perspectives that shape our world. As cultural workers, our expertise rests in our ability to encourage our audiences to embrace new ways of understanding complex and often uncomfortable topics. Whether it's confronting silent histories, grappling with collective grief, or delving into subjects that push us outside our comfort zones, these conversations demand open and active listening. In this workshop participants will use objects (primary source materials) to:  

• Acknowledge and validate differing perspectives, creating space for empathy, growth, and a richer, more nuanced understanding of the world around us.   
• Challenge us to step outside ourselves, resist the urge to seek solutions or consensus, and simply embrace the inherent complexity of the human condition.   
• Demonstrate a willingness to listen, to learn, and to expand our horizons so that we find the true transformative potential of difficult conversations.  

Presenter Biography

Ashleigh D. Coren is a content strategist, educator, and curator based in the Washington, D.C. area. Ashleigh has previously worked for the Smithsonian, the University of Maryland, College Park, and West Virginia University Libraries. She is an alum of the ALA Emerging Leaders Program, and is currently on the board of directors for the Museum Education Roundtable.