Visibilizing a Freedom Fighter Silvia Hector Webber: A Legacy of Resistance
Date: Saturday, July 25 Time: 10:00am-7:00pm Location: Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River Street, Austin TX 78701 Cost: Free 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. Barrientos Center For Mexican America Culture, Academia Cuauhtli, Tejano Genealogy Society of Austin, and The League Of United Latin American Citizens. SCHEDULE 10:00-10:13 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
