About Us

Symposium was founded in San Francisco in 2006 within a bookshop by Roxana Zirakzadeh of Iran and Briana Henderson (now Saussy) of Texas. Roxana and Bri had studied in one of the few colleges that transform lives and they set out to share this boon with a reading public by offering seminars in the back of the shop. Roxy and her family moved to California, where she continues to offer seminars with the Agora Foundation. Bri and her husband David moved to Texas, where David continued Symposium as a local program in San Antonio before setting up online in 2016.

For the last ten years, Symposium Great Books Institute has offered quarterly seminars online, led by volunteer facilitators. The number of seminars and participants has grown and we look forward to some exciting events in 2026!  Jason (on the East coast) and Reynaldo (on the West coast) manage the program today, with the help of many generous seminar leaders and participants.