Jesse Vogel

In this powerful and unflinching talk, public interest attorney Jesse Vogel speaks directly to a moment shaped by state violence, displacement, political loss, and fear. Drawing from his work representing immigrants and refugees, from moments of public grief and collective resistance, and from music, poetry, and faith traditions, Jesse explores Koorsoo, a Farsi word meaning a small glimmer of light, a crack in the wall. Jesse argues that light is not denial or comfort, but truth telling. It is the courage to name what we see, to speak even when we are afraid, and to show up for one another across differences. In a world that often feels broken, Koorsoo becomes a practice of witness, solidarity, and moral clarity. We are not waiting for the light. We are the light.