While the Graboys Leadership Symposium is meant for the Tabor Academy community, this year, the school invites the community to read along.

Classics teacher Frank Townsend will lead the fourth annual event, this year focusing on superheros, leadership and social justice.

As part of the curriculum, students, faculty and the community are encouraged to read one or more of several comic books chosen by Townsend.

The symposium is lead by a different faculty member each year, chosen through an application process.

Townsend, the chair of the Modern and Classical Languages Department, wants students to consider that how they choose to express themselves might be a way to help advance social issues. Inspired by illustrations and statues of Greek heroes saving the day, he wants to illuminate the leadership demonstrated by artists who depict stories of our common struggle. He will focus on superheroes depicted in comic books as one example of this creative expression.

After reading one of four comic books related to social justice, students will hear from author and artist Joel Gill, who will share why he chose the medium of comic books to share his story of racial discrimination and exclusion. The other books, by different authors, also raise themes of exclusion.

Students will then discuss the leadership exhibited through these works and what ideas they evoke.

Next, alumna Sally Taylor ’92, of Martha’s Vineyard, will share her art installation project, “Consenses: Art Makes Sense.” Taylor is interested in perception and truth.

The comic books recommended for the symposium are available through Amazon.com and are as follows: "Strange Fruit" by Joel Gill; "Ms. Marvel: No Normal" by G. Willow Wilson; "X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills" by Chris Claremont and "Maus I" by Art Spiegelman.

Learn more about  Joel Gill at joelchristiangill.wordpress.com, and Sally Taylor at consenses.org.