Visibilizing a Freedom Fighter Silvia Hector Webber: A Legacy of Resistance

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

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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. BarrientosMexican 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

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