This year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence — a seismic moment for our country and a source of inspiration for a local event celebrating an anniversary of its own.
Marquette University’s Justice in Action (JIA) Conference will hit the 10-year mark when it returns Saturday, March 28, and the theme responds to both the founding of the United States and the current issues the country faces: “What is justice without democracy?”
“Knowing that this is the 250th anniversary of us signing the Declaration of Independence, we just thought it was important for us to talk about democracy and justice because they go together so well,” shared Angelina Sandoval, the assistant director of research and internships at the Center for Urban Research, Teaching and Outreach (CURTO) at Marquette University and the staff co-chair of the conference’s programming committee.
The JIA Conference was created to give students the opportunity to plan and engage with an event centered around social justice and responsibility. Although it’s student-led in terms of planning, it’s open to community members interested in learning about social impact and developing as change-makers.
Each year, students choose the theme based on current events and what they feel the city of Milwaukee would benefit from. Past themes have included disability justice and the power of storytelling.
But regardless of the central organizing principle, everyone who attends has the chance to pick up knowledge about social justice, engage in civic dialogue, and challenge their own perspectives on social systems through speakers, workshops and breakout sessions. This year’s keynote speaker is Dasha Kelly, Poet Laureate Emerita for both the City of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin.
When Jessica Verdejo, director of the Arrupe Center for Community Service & Social Responsibility, was asked what people should expect from this year’s conference, she said, “I think that they should expect to think critically. We have an amazing keynote speaker that's really going to have them think about how they show up in this world and how democracy, even on a small scale, can have a ripple effect.”
This year’s Justice in Action Conference takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at Marquette’s Alumni Memorial Union. Registration is free online and open until 5 p.m. Friday, March 13.
The 2026 JIA Conference is hosted and sponsored by the Arrupe Center for Community Service and Social Responsibility; the Burke Scholarship Program; the Center for Urban Research, Teaching & Outreach; the Counseling Center; the Division of Belonging and Student Affairs; MUSG; the Office of Inclusion and Belonging; the Service Learning Program; Sodexo; the Greater Milwaukee Foundation; and the Trinity Fellows Program.
