It’s uncanny, says UA associate professor Dr. Amy Shriver Dreussi, how often she has heard the story.
Begrudgingly, a student attends a Rethinking Race event -- a class assignment.
Afterward, the student has turned 180 degrees, grateful for the experience, talking it up. “I’m glad I went. It made me think, and it changed how I looked at (the topic).”
Dreussi is ready to hear it more than ever this year, given the stellar lineup of speakers, films and conversations in the queue. There’s even a touch of Hollywood included.
‘Ridiculously good’ speakers
“We have a ridiculously good roster of speakers this year,” says Dreussi, one of the week’s organizers.
Included is NPR’s Michele Norris, who will talk about her Race Card Project and how its six-word snapshots paint a picture of America's attitudes and experiences about race. Details and tickets.
Through Feb. 15, students, faculty, staff and alumni are welcome to visit Bierce Library to join the Race Card Project by distilling their thoughts on race into an essay of just six words.
Ernest Green was one of the Little Rock Nine. He and eight other black students were the first to integrate Central High in Arkansas following the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision. It was the start of a remarkable career. Details and tickets.
Actress Yvette Nicole Brown will discuss how she graduated from UA and landed in Hollywood, and the lessons learned on the way. Details.
Tim Wise is known on campuses across America for his provocative talks about white privilege. He acknowledges that he benefited from the debate team at his suburban high school. Across town, no such team existed at the inner city school. How would his life have changed? Details.
Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones will reflect on health outcomes when she presents “Racial Disparities, Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity.”
Other events of significance
The Rethinking Race film festival continues to grow in size and depth, the result of its increasing popularity. See this year’s exceptional schedule.
How would you look as a member of another race? By popular demand, The Race Experience Kiosk is back for a second year.
Dr. Bill Lyons leads a Face 2 Face Conversation.
The Civil Rights Act, hate speech and whether it is okay to use the N-word will be debated in Face 2 Face Conversations (pictured above) during Rethinking Race. See all topics.
In all, this just touches on what’s planned. See the complete schedule on the Rethinking Race site.
Michele Norris