ISSSSC Town Halls

On January 2017, SJSU launched the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change with a momentous town hall event featuring current and retired athletes and journalists discussing race relations in sport.

SJSU has since then hosted many more town hall events that highlight SJSU’s long history of athletes, coaches and alumni who have blazed new trails and moved from words to action, making our university the natural home for such an institute.


Words to Action Town Halls 2017-2019

Sport, Activism and Social Change: From Words to Action

January 24, 2017

On Oct. 17, alumni Tommie Smith and John Carlos returned to SJSU, joined by fellow Olympians, Hall of Famers, journalists and scholars to commemorate 50 years of athlete activism.

Words to Action: Gender, Sport and Society

March 14, 2018

Join San Jose State University for a special town hall featuring some of the leading voices for gender equity and women's rights in the sports world.

Words to Action: Landmarks and Legacy of Athlete Activism

October 17, 2018

On Oct. 17, alumni Tommie Smith and John Carlos returned to SJSU, joined by fellow Olympians, Hall of Famers, journalists and scholars to commemorate 50 years of athlete activism.

Words to Action: LGBTQ+ Activism in Sport

May 29, 2019

San José State’s Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change partners with the San Francisco 49ers to present a town hall discussion on equity, diversity and inclusion in sport.