The St. Catherine University-University of St. Thomas School of Social Work is hosting its third annual Justice Lecture on Wednesday, March 16. LeDerick Horne, spoken-word poet, playwright, motivational speaker and advocate, will speak on “Beyond Classification: Accessibility and Disability in School and Society.” The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in Room 100, McNeely Hall.
LeDerick Horne
While in the third grade, Horne was diagnosed as neurologically impaired, and he believed he did not have much of a future; however, using his gift for spoken word as a teaching tool, he has achieved recognition across the country as a motivational speaker and advocate for people with disabilities.
After graduating with honors from New Jersey City University in 2003 with a B.A. in mathematics and a minor in fine art, Horne released “Rhyme Reason and Song” (2005), an album of his poetry set to music. He co-created and performed in “New Street Poets,” a spoken-word play addressing gentrification’s effect on urban culture.
He is the board chair of Project Eye-to-Eye, a national nonprofit that provides mentoring programs for students labeled LD/ADHD. He is working on his second collection of poetry, titled “Black and Blue,” and is collaborating with the writers of “New Street Poets” to develop a spoken-word play called “Commencement,” which addresses the stereotypes that shape the education system.
The School of Social Work Justice Lecture is supported by funding from the Granite Foundation and a UST CommUNITY Series grant. For accessibility accommodations, call Kim Schumann at the UST Enhancement Programs Disability Services Office, (651) 962-6315.
See Horne on YouTube; his poetry is available on iTunes. For more information, visit the School of Social Work website.
