CBGL Fall 2025 Institute
Place-based Pragmatism & Pedagogy:
Food, Land, Culture, & Community Nourishment
November 8-9, 2025
The Beach Institute African American Cultural Center
Savannah, Georgia
In partnership with Nobis Project join us for a place-based, experiential learning retreat exploring and learning from Gullah-Geechee history, traditions, and culture work today.
Key themes of the Institute are:
Ethical community-based storytelling, oral histories, walking tours, and archives
Cultural traditions, displacement, and food sovereignty
History, interdependence, and collaboration
Food justice and agriculture
Community-led efforts to sustain and support the natural environment
Developing programming and partnerships across ideological differences
Registration coming in July!
We will build community through experiential learning together, including a visit to a rice farm, a walking tour highlighting Black history in Savannah, and shared meals.
The Collaborative invites courageous conversation, learning, and applied insights at the intersections among shared history, food justice, and social and environmental change.
Participants will learn how educators, community leaders, and scholars in the region are navigating ecological and economic change through innovations including sustainable agriculture and ethical community partnerships.
All will have opportunities to share best practices and challenges in their home community or institutional contexts, collaborating on strategies that center community voices in global learning.
Tentative schedule
Friday, November 7
(pre-Institute)
Registration Deadline:
October 31, 2025
Experience the Taste, Story, and Soul of the Low Country: Dinner and Cooking Demonstration
Join us for an immersive cooking demonstration and dinner. This heritage-based / garden-to-table event celebrates culture, community, and connection—one plate at a time. From intimate gatherings to cultural experiences, What’s Gina Cooking and The Gullah Heritage Kitchen offer more than just food—we serve legacy. Led by Chef Gina Capers-Willis, our boutique catering brings the rich flavors of Gullah Geechee cuisine to your table with handmade dishes, seasonal ingredients, and Southern storytelling.
Location
The Beach Institute African American Cultural Center
502 E Harris Street, Savannah, GA 31401 Map
Day 1
Saturday, November 8
Historical Context & Community-Based Learning
Breakfast & Welcome
African American History Walking Tour
Explore Savannah’s historical sites connected to slavery, resistance, and resilience
Guided by local historian with a focus on land, labor, and migration
Lunch & Roundtable Discussion
Cultural Interdependence & Collaboration
Case studies of ethical partnerships in global learning
Challenge Talk and Discussion Session A (Choose One)
Discussion sessions begin with three challenge talks followed by intentional, shared reflective conversations in small groups.
Cultural Traditions, Displacement, and Food Sovereignty
Storytelling and Oral Histories
Challenge Talk and Discussion Session B (Choose One)
History, Interdependence, & Collaboration
Developing Programming across Ideological Differences
Reflection Activity
Dinner & Community Partner Panel
Day 2
Sunday, November 9
Food Justice, Agriculture, & Sustainability
Breakfast & Reflection
Visit to a Rice Farm (Outside Savannah, transportation provided)
Discussion with farmers on sustainability and climate resilience and historical and contemporary significance of rice cultivation
Designing Ethical & Equitable Partnerships
Small group work
Lunch & Open Discussion Sessions (Choose One)
Food Justice & Agriculture – Addressing systemic inequities in food access
Climate Change & Sustainability – Community-led responses and adaptation
Action Planning: Bringing Institute Learnings Back Home
Closing Remarks: Next Steps & Commitments