
Place-based Pragmatism & Pedagogy: Food, Land, Culture, & Community Nourishment
November 8-9, 2025
The Beach Institute
Savannah, GA
Place-based Pragmatism & Pedagogy:
Food, Land, Culture, & Community Nourishment
The Beach Institute, Savannah, GA
November 8-9, 2025
In partnership with Nobis Project join us for a place-based, experiential learning retreat exploring and learning from Gullah-Geechee history, traditions, and culture work today.
Since 2011, the Community-based Global Learning Collaborative Institutes have been a mainstay to bring together stakeholders in deep, integrative, ethical community-based global learning. Members of this community include diverse stakeholders: students, educators across disciplines, practitioners, community organization representatives, and community members.
Our gatherings have developed an inclusive community, advancing best practices and aspiring to the highest standards of community-campus partnerships for global learning locally and internationally. We invite courageous conversation, learning, and applied insights at the intersections among shared history, food justice, and social and environmental change.
Each CBGL Institute has stimulated conversations around critical issues facing the field. Through an applied conference framework, participants build community and determine action steps. The 2025 Institute’s theme is: Place-based Pragmatism & Pedagogy: Food, Land, Culture, & Community Nourishment
We will build community through experiential learning together, including a visit to a rice farm, a walking tour highlighting Black history in Savannah, and shared meals. Participants will learn how educators, community leaders, and scholars in the region are navigating ecological and economic change through innovations including sustainable agriculture and ethical community partnerships.. All will have opportunities to share best practices and challenges in their home community or institutional contexts, collaborating on strategies that center community voices in global learning.
Institute Themes
Ethical community-based storytelling, oral histories, walking tours, and archives
Cultural traditions, displacement, and food sovereignty
History, interdependence, and collaboration
Food justice and agriculture
Community-led efforts to sustain and support the natural environment
Developing programming and partnerships across ideological differences
Logistics and Details
LOCATION
The Beach Institute African American Cultural Center
502 E Harris Street, Savannah, GA 31401 MapBesides an African American history walking tour and visit to a rice farm outside of Savannah (transportation provided), all shared meals and conversation will take place at the Beach Institute
Savannah is on the coast of Georgia, in the southeastern United States, off of US Interstates 16 and 95.
HOTEL
Springhill Suites, Downtown Savannah
$239 per night plus tax (group rate)
Hot breakfast and WIFI included daily
Booking link for group rate (NOBIS- CBGLC Conference 2025)
About a 20-minute walk to the Beach Institute
Other options with Nobis Project connections:
The DeSoto Savannah, 15 East Liberty Street
About a 7-minute walk to the InstituteFairfield Inn & Suites Savannah Downtown/Historic District, 135 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
About a 20-minute walk to the Beach InstituteHampton Inn & Suites Savannah Historic District, 603 West Oglethorpe Avenue
About a 20-minute walk to the Beach InstituteTRYP by Wyndham Savannah Downtown/Historic District, 320 Montgomery Street
About a 15-minute walk to the Beach InstituteCourtyard Savannah Downtown/Historic District, 415 West Liberty Street
About a 15-minute walk to the Beach Institute
MEALS
The following meals are included in registration:
Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Sunday breakfast and lunch
GETTING TO SAVANNAH & AROUND
The closest airport, Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), is 8 miles northwest of downtown Savannah, Georgia. Delta, American, United, Southwest, JetBlue, and Allegiant serve the airport. Within 2 hours 15 minutes drive time visitors can also fly into Charleston, SC Charleston International (CHS).
Ground transportation from the SAV airport to historic Savannah options include taxis, Uber/Lyft, or rental cars. It’s about a 20-minute drive to downtown and rideshares cost $30+ depending on time of day.
Once to your lodging (above) there are many walkable options for coffee, nature, and museums near the Institute site. A free trolley system serves the city.
RATES (Early Bird Until September 19)
To strive for more equity and support of institutions and our member campuses, we align our Institute fees without our tiered approach to membership.
Community partner $100 ($150 after September 5)
Collaborative member $450 (then $500)
Institutional Team Discount $400 (then $450)
for teams of 5 or more from one organizationPresenter $300 (then $350)
Student registration $150 (then $200
Collaborative Non-member Tier 1 $600 (then $650)
Collaborative Non-member Tier 2 $500 (then $550)
Collaborative Non-member Tier 3 $400 (then $450)
Collaborative Non-member Tier 4 $300 (then $350)
Scholarships are extremely limited and we are soliciting Institute co-sponsorships to off-set the cost of participation for community partners and students. If you would like to request a reduced-fee registration, before starting to register please complete this brief form.
Tentative Schedule
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Friday, Nov 7th
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Pre-Institute Workshop
Reimagining Fair Trade Learning for the Current Moment: Theory and Practice
6:00 - 8:00 PM Pre-Institute Dinner and Cooking Demonstration
Experience the Taste, Story, and Soul of the Low Country:
Join us for an immersive cooking demonstration and dinner. This heritage-based / garden-to-table event celebrates culture, community, and connection—one plate at a time. From intimate gatherings to cultural experiences, What’s Gina Cooking and The Gullah Heritage Kitchen offer more than just food—we serve legacy. Led by Chef Gina Capers-Willis, our boutique catering brings the rich flavors of Gullah Geechee cuisine to your table with handmade dishes, seasonal ingredients, and Southern storytelling.Please note: there is an 8-person minimum for this event. If we do not receive this number by October 31 we will cancel this activity.
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Saturday, Nov 8th
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Breakfast & Welcome
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM African American History Walking Tour
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Lunch & Roundtable Discussion
Cultural Interdependence & Collaboration
Case studies of ethical partnerships in global learning1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Challenge Talk and Discussion Session (Choose One)
Cultural Traditions, Displacement, and Food Sovereignty
Storytelling and Oral Histories3:00 PM – 3:15 PM Break
3:15 PM – 5:00 PM Challenge Talk and Discussion Session (Choose One)
History, Interdependence, & Collaboration
Developing Programming across Ideological Differences5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Reflection Activity
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Dinner & Community Partner Panel
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Sunday, Nov 9th
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast & Reflection
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Visit to a Rice Farm (Outside Savannah, transportation provided)
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Travel Back to Savannah
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM Designing Ethical & Equitable Partnerships
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch & Open Discussion Sessions (Choose One)
Food Justice & Agriculture
Climate Change & Sustainability2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Action Planning: Bringing Institute Learnings Back Home
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM Closing Remarks: Next Steps & Commitments
Key Dates
July 28, 2025: Institute registration opens
August 14: Challenge Talk presenters to confirm or decline
September 9: Institute program with speakers and sessions will be available to public
September 19: Early bird registration ends
October 17: Institute registration closes
October 30: Presenters submit presentation materials to be posted on CBGL website
November 8-9, 2025: CBGL Institute
November 12: Post-event survey sent