Megan Phelps-Roper was raised within the virulently intolerant religious group The Westboro Baptist Church: known for picketing against the LGBT community, funeral services for soldiers, and nearly every other religious faith. By 2009, she was running the church’s Twitter account (as granddaughter of Fred Phelps, church founder, and daughter of Shirley Phelps-Roper, former church spokesperson, Megan played a central role in spreading its signature brand of hateful rhetoric to a global audience). However, after interacting with calm, civil, and genuinely empathetic individuals online—including one user who would eventually become her husband—Phelps-Roper began to question the dogmatic assertions of her faith and its celebrations of human tragedy. In 2012, she and her sister made the incredibly brave (and rare) decision to abandon their cloistered way of life, leave their family and home, and renounce the teachings of the church. Since then, Phelps-Roper has championed the power of empathetic dialogue to change minds and connect with those we may disagree with. In her TED Talk—now with over three million views—she shares how understanding and compassion can transform lives, even across the widest of ideological gulfs. As a keynote speaker and educator, she engages with schools, faith groups, law enforcement, and anti-extremism organizations on strengthening human bonds through better public discourse. Her inspiring, moving, and deeply human story of change has been covered, most significantly, by The New Yorker, The Guardian, VICE, The Globe and Mail, and other international publications. She is also the author of a forthcoming memoir, to be released by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. All Lectures are FREE! Brought to you by the MUB, MUSO, Student Life, and Residential Life. You will only get credit for attending this event if you stay the full duration. ** You have 48 hours prior to this event to remove your name from the list. You have 24 hours prior to this event to find a replacement for you. After that you must contact Jen Drohan or Hiwalani Kapanui if you cannot make it, or if you cannot find a replacement. If you don't, you will be docked full hours. **