Students engage in conversation at the 2026 Social Justice Summit, reflecting on social entrepreneurship, history, and collective care.
The fifth annual Social Justice Summit capped a nearly two-week series of events that commemorated the legacy and life of civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Held on Jan. 31, the summit brought together students, faculty, and staff from multiple universities across New York state for a powerful day of learning, reflection, and community engagement. At a time when social inequality and cultural erasure remain deeply present in everyday life, the summit served as an important reminder that social justice is not an abstract concept, but something that can be practiced in meaningful ways.
This year鈥檚 summit featured three presenters from the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Christian Vischi, assistant director of entrepreneurship and innovation; Harshitha Talasila 鈥26; and Oscar Brown 鈥26. Although their topics differed in focus 鈥 ranging from social entrepreneurship to queer history to climate wellness 鈥 their messages were connected by a shared commitment to empowerment, sustainability, and collective care.
Vischi opened the summit by challenging traditional ideas about business and success. Rather than viewing profit as the sole purpose of entrepreneurship, he introduced the concept of social enterprise, which describes businesses that directly address social or environmental problems through their products or services while still remaining financially sustainable. He explained that social enterprises operate using the 鈥渢riple bottom line鈥: profit, people, and planet. Profit ensures a business can survive and grow; people represent the social impact on communities, education, health, and access to resources; and planet reflects environmental responsibility and sustainable practices. According to Vischi, the most effective social enterprises are those that integrate all three, proving that economic success and social responsibility can coexist.
To place these ideas in a broader context, Vischi connected social entrepreneurship to the United Nations鈥 Sustainable Development Goals, which outline global priorities such as ending poverty, improving education, achieving gender equality, and combating climate change. By aligning business ideas with these goals, students can ensure their work contributes to long-term global progress.
Vischi emphasized that entrepreneurship is not limited to business majors or experienced professionals. Instead, he encouraged students from all backgrounds to begin by identifying a need in their community and developing a simple one-line mission statement that explains the problem, the target audience, and the solution. He then walked through the steps of validating an idea, creating a lean model canvas, testing the concept, and pivoting when necessary. His message was clear: 鈥淎nyone can become a social entrepreneur, and every idea has the potential to make a difference when rooted in purpose.鈥
Brown shifted the focus from innovation to memory, emphasizing that social justice also requires preserving the stories of those who have historically been excluded. His presentation explored the role of archives and public history in shaping how communities understand the past. He explained that archives are spaces where materials are stored, preserved, and made accessible, while collections are groups of materials organized around specific topics, organizations, or donors. These materials may include newspapers, posters, photographs, recordings, diaries, and meeting minutes. However, Brown reminded the audience that archives are not neutral; they are shaped by decisions about what is considered 鈥渧aluable鈥 and whose voices are 鈥渨orthy of preservation.鈥
Brown encouraged students to approach archival materials critically by considering context and power. He asked them to reflect on who created the materials, who preserved them, and whose perspectives may be missing. He also highlighted the importance of oral history, which captures spoken memories through recorded interviews. Oral histories are especially valuable for marginalized communities, as they preserve experiences that may never be documented in official records. Through this lens, history becomes something that is actively constructed. Brown鈥檚 presentation showed that preserving queer history is not only about honoring the past, but also about affirming identity and resisting erasure in the present.
The final presentation by Talasila turned attention toward the emotional realities of living in a world shaped by crisis. Her session on climate stress and care work explored how environmental instability has disproportionately affected young adults, who report higher levels of climate-related anxiety than older generations. This stress is often fueled by uncertainty about the future, exposure to distressing news, and a sense of helplessness. Talasila emphasized that these feelings are not signs of weakness, but natural responses to real global threats.
Rather than ignoring or minimizing climate anxiety, Talasila encouraged students to normalize climate grief and seek healthy ways to process it. She shared practical strategies they could implement, such as meditation, improving sleep habits, limiting screen time, reducing exposure to negative media, engaging in creative activities, and building strong community connections. She also introduced the concept of care circles, which provide relational support and create spaces for shared healing. Through care work, individuals can sustain their energy and continue advocating for change without burning out. Her message reframed self-care as a collective responsibility and a vital part of social justice work.
Together, the three presentations demonstrated that social justice is not one-dimensional. It exists in the systems we create, the histories we protect, and the ways we care for ourselves and one another. The 2026 Social Justice Summit did more than provide information 鈥 it inspired action and reflection. By highlighting entrepreneurship, storytelling, and emotional well-being, the summit reminded attendees that change is possible when people come together with creativity, empathy, and purpose.