I am honored to share this important community symposium, “Visibilizing a Freedom Fighter—Silvia Hector Webber: A Legacy of Resistance,” taking place Saturday, July 25, at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin.
Bringing together descendants, scholars, genealogists, and community historians, the symposium will illuminate Silvia Hector Webber’s extraordinary legacy and the broader histories of Black resistance, freedom-seeking, and cross-border liberation in North America. It will also recognize the vital work descendants are leading to preserve their families’ histories, cultural traditions, and historic sites.
The symposium is part of the Webber Family Preservation Project, with funding from the Mellon Foundation. Sponsors and partners include the City of Austin, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Academia Cuauhtli, the Tejano Genealogy Society of Austin, and the League of United Latin American Citizens.
The event is free and open to the public. Please join us for a powerful day of learning, remembrance, and community.
-Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.
Visibilizing a Freedom Fighter Silvia Hector Webber: A Legacy of Resistance. A Symposium For Descendant & Scholars.
Saturday, July 25
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center
600 River Street, Austin TX 78701
Free to Attend
RSVP on Eventbrite
Our symposium “Visibilizing a Freedom Fighter, Silvia Hector Webber: A Legacy of Resistance & Black Freedom in North America” will be held at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin Texas on Saturday July 25, 2026. This symposium will not only highlight the Webber Family history in Texas but other descendants who have taken the lead in the preservation and restoration of their history, culture, and sites. Join us for a day of learning, empowering, and sharing.
This symposium is part of the Webber Family Preservation Project’s ongoing work with funding provided by the Mellon Foundation. Our partners and sponsors in this symposium are the City Of Austin, The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Academia Cuauhtli, Tejano Genealogy Society of Austin, and The League Of United Latin American Citizens.
EVENT SCHEDULE (subject to change)
10:00-10:15 am
Welcome & Introduction of Keynote Speaker Dr. María Esther Hammack
10:15-11:00
Inaugural Keynote by Dr. Cheryl LaRoche
11:00-11:10
Brief Break
11:10-12:00 noon
Panel 1: The Legacy of Silvia Hector Webber & the Role of Her Descendants in Reclaiming Her Story. Chair: Dr. Theresa Gatling. Speakers: OJ Treviño, Sofia Bravo, ZaDarius Webber, Victorianna Mejia.
12:00-1:00 pm
Panel 2: Beyond Harriet Tubman: Visibilizing Black Women’s Resistance in North America. Chair: Dr. Angela Valenzuela. Speakers: Dr. Jazma Sutton, Dr. Rolonda Teal.
1:00pm-1:55pm
Catered Lunch
2:00pm-3:15 pm
Panel 3: Bridging Underground Railroads: A Continental Overview of Freedom Pursuits. Chair: TBD. Speakers: Kimberly Simmons, Corina Torralba, Russell Contreras.
3:15pm-3:30pm
Break
3:30pm-4:30 pm
Panel 4: The Consequence of Reclaiming Your Ancestors’ Stories. Chair: Dr. DL Grant. Speakers: Tamara Lanier, Windy GoodLoe, Roger Sashington.
4:30pm-4:40pm
Brief Break
4:40pm-5:40pm
Panel 5: The Webber Geographies of Resistance: A Digital Mapping Project. Chair: Leslie Treviño. Speakers: Dr. Javier Wallace, Colby Coppinger.
5:40pm-6:40pm
Panel 6: Silvia’s Story in the Context of Mexican History & Black Liberation in North America. Chair: Victorianna Mejia. Speakers: Jumko Ogata Aguilar, Dr. María Esther Hammack.
6:45pm-7:00pm
Concluding Remarks, Dr. Angela Valenzuela
RSVP on Eventbrite.
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