In early April, scholars and students of the Middle East traveled to Wake Forest University to attend the annual conference of the North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies. Titled “Memories & Futures in Middle East Studies–Temporalities, Nostalgias, Anxieties,” this year’s conference featured presentations on protest and resistance, memory and futurity, transnationalism, and much more. The conference not only provided important opportunities to engage in critical topics in Middle East Studies, but also constituted a pivotal moment of community building for academics, teachers, and students across the state of North Carolina. Given the rapidly changing conditions of higher education, cultivating these relationships in our field could not be more important. It was an honor for staff at the Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies to share space with such an inspiring cohort of engaged intellectuals.

We would like to extend a sincere thank you to the organizing committee at Wake Forest, lead by Dr. Michaelle Browers, for their efforts in creating this thought-provoking experience. Additionally, the conference would not have been possible without the support and participation of the Southeast Regional Middle East and Islamic Studies Society (SERMEISS). Finally, we would like to extend our gratitude to all panelists and attendees; this conference demonstrated the importance of your work in the region and across North Carolina.