James L. Curtis Institute for Social Change

Toward a better world.

James L. Curtis Institute for Social Change provides transformative experiential learning opportunities that nurture the cultural, academic, and civic development of its members, and fosters lifelong confidence and learning in interdisciplinary fields.

We love interdisciplinary conversations that inspire discovery and innovation and prepare students to be agents of change in their professions and communities. We are committed to using education to answer critical questions about justice, equity, and belonging. Curtis Center programming promotes inclusive access to knowledge, credentials, and professions at Albion College and in all of the communities that matter to our members.

Social Changes take shape in many different forms. Martin Luther and James Cones challenged established beliefs in Religion. Sean O’Casey and Lorraine Hansberry wrote plays about the shared material needs and conditions of humans struggling for liberation. Gordon Parks, Maria Verela, and Dorothea Lange capture pivotal moments in photography during the 20th century. Keith Haring used protest art to shed light on the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 80’s and 90’s. Basquiat use his graffiti-styled art, informed by his Haitian-Puerto Rican ancestry to speak out on political issues. Boaz, Huston, and Locke recentered the lens of Anthropology to elevate the value of diverse cultures and revolutionize the field. Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s “Doll Test” helped dismantle school segregation. All these individuals shared a common trait. Their desire to change the world began with a movement of one: Themselves. The formula they all used was an unrelenting commitment to look within while acquiring knowledge about the world itself. They believed in the power of SELF and applied the utility of their unique identities to magnify injustice to affect social change. If these names or events are unfamiliar, come join the James L. Curtis Institute for Social Change. After all, social change always has and always will begin with the power of YOU!