Conversations for Change: When Fear Shapes Belonging
Thu, Apr 30
|Wayland Free Public Library, Round Room
Using the McCarthy era and the targeting of Paul Robeson as a historical anchor, come and discuss how fear and suspicion have been used to sort people into rigid categories of “acceptable” and “dangerous.” Register: tinyurl.com/wyl-change6
Time & Location
Apr 30, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Wayland Free Public Library, Round Room, 5 Concord Rd, Wayland, MA 01778, USA
About the Event
Join us in the Library’s Round Room for a series of discussions designed to deepen understanding, bridge past and present, create brave spaces for dialogue, and strengthen inclusion in Wayland and beyond.
Facilitated by Wayland resident Dr. Eden-Reneé Hayes of Pluralism Solutions, each session will consist of a (non-required) pre-reading to spark reflection, a guided conversation, and a time for reflection and identification of next steps. Light refreshments will be served.
Paul Robeson Testifies Before House Un-American Activities Committee
When fear replaces curiosity, communities shrink. Using the McCarthy era and the targeting of Paul Robeson as a historical anchor, come and discuss how fear and suspicion have been used—past and present—to sort people into rigid categories of “acceptable” and “dangerous.” We will explore how fear-driven narratives and the urge to publicly label or distance ourselves from others continue to shape our institutions, our conversations, and our community life.
Register: tinyurl.com/wyl-change6