“My intention is that you too will find a hope that is weathered and wild. A hope that grows in the composted remains of suffering and produces the nourishing fruit of love.” —Jeske
We gathered at Upper House on December 4, 2025, for an evening conversation leading toward hope—an often-unexpected tone when discussing racial justice, a subject that has left many in a state of despair.
Together we explored accounts of believers relating across differences, reckoning with moments when racial justice efforts falter, and considering postures of grace and practices of perseverance.
By the end of the evening, we hope to have wrestled with the question, “Dare we even to hope?”—not a trite or naïve hope, but a hope that is sustainable, weathered, and wild.
About our speaker:
Dr. Christine Jeske is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Wheaton College (PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison; MBA, Eastern University) with expertise in helping people live good and just lives in a multicultural world. She writes and speaks widely on topics of race, work, vocation, faith, and the good life. Her publications include Racial Justice for the Long Haul (IVP Academic, 2025), The Laziness Myth (Cornell, 2020), and numerous other books, chapters, and articles. Before teaching at Wheaton, Dr. Jeske spent a decade in Nicaragua, China, and South Africa working with economic empowerment initiatives. She and her husband have raised chickens, pigs, innumerable weeds, and two wonderful children.
