A Day of Collective Engagement: Racism and Antiracism, Our Realities and Our Roles

1. A Conversation About White Allyship, Advocacy & Leadership

This panel of leaders from across the University will explore the haphazard/difficult/uncertain journey to becoming an ally; in what way humility and curiosity play roles in allyship; discuss the mistakes they’ve made along the way, what they’ve learned from those mistakes, and how they’ve grown from them; and strategies for how to successfully leverage one’s own privilege on behalf of creating more equitable practices, policies, and cultures. Closed captions will be available.

• Carrie Preston (Moderator) Professor of English and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, Arvind & Chandan Nandlal Kilachand Professor, Director, Kilachand Honors College
• Emelia Benjamin, Professor, School of Medicine, Assistant Provost for Faculty Development for the Boston University Medical Campus; and Vice Chair for Faculty Development and Diversity for the Department of Medicine
• Ken Freeman, Interim Vice President for Human Resources; Dean emeritus and Professor of the Practice, Questrom School of Business
• Kim McCall, Professor and Chair of the Department of Biology
• Stan Sclaroff, Dean of Arts & Sciences, Professor of Computer Science

2. Psychological and Physiological Impacts of Racism

This panel will feature a discussion of the psychological and physiological effects of racism and exclusion. Panelists will discuss racism and exclusion as chronic stressors that affect individuals’ biological, psychological, and social functioning across the lifespan, including the mechanisms through which racism is linked to disparities in health outcomes. Closed captions will be available.

• Kristin Long (Moderator), Assistant Professor, Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University
  
• Donte Bernard, Postdoctoral Scholar, Medical University of South Carolina
  
• Tessa Dover, Assistant Professor, Portland State University
  
• Karin Schon, Assistant Professor, Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University

3. Racial Violence and the Law: A Sordid History

Despite the laudable ideals expressed by this nation’s founders, the United States has been built on violence against people of color since the first European colonists arrived on the shores of this country. Over the course of this nation’s history, laws have routinely been written, enacted, and interpreted by those in power in ways that have enabled and legitimated continued violence against people of color, and reinforced the status quo. In this discussion, we will examine how US legal doctrine has helped to perpetuate violence against people of color and continues to do so, to this day.

• Angela Onwuachi-Willig (Moderator), Dean of the School of Law; Professor of Law
  
• Gerald Leonard, Professor of Law
  
• Tracey Maclin, Professor of Law
  
• Karen Pita Loor, Associate Dean for Experiential Education; Clinical Associate Professor of Law
  
• David Rossman, Director Criminal Law Clinics Program; Professor of Law

4. Research on Tap: Emerging Scholarship on Racism & Antiracism

Hear from BU faculty, across disciplines, whose research investigates racism, antiracism, racial inequity, and racial injustice. Closed captions will be available. Welcome by Gloria Waters, Vice President and Associate Provost for Research.

Welcome

• Gloria Waters, Vice President and Associate Provost for Research

Presentations

• Poverty and Race in Prisons: Stories of Hope and Despair
  André de Quadros, MEd, EdD, Professor of Music, CFA
• Black Preterm Birth Rate(s) Through a Public Health Critical Race Lens
  Candice Belanoff, ScD, MPH, Clinical Associate Professor, SPH
• Troubling The Natural: Toward Anti-Oppression Vocal Pedagogies
  Christine Hamel, MFA, GPC, Assistant Professor, Voice & Acting, CFA
• Does This Happen To Everyone?: Women Professors of Color Reflect on Experiences in the Academy, a Duoethnography
  Christine Leider, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Wheelock
  Christina Dobbs, EdD, MEd, Assistant Professor, Wheelock
• Framing and its Potential for Detecting Biases in Communicating Text
  
  Derry Wijaya, PhD, Assistant Professor, Computer Science, CAS
• Confronting Racism and Mass Incarceration
  Jessica Simes, PhD, Assistant Professor, Sociology, CAS
• Letters of King Afonso I of Kongo (1506-1542)
  John Thornton, PhD, Professor, African American Studies & History, Director of Graduate Studies, CAS
• How Affirmative Action Myths Mask White Bonus
  Jonathan Feingold, JD, Associate Professor, LAW
• The Boss is Watching: How Monitoring Decisions Hurt Black Workers
  Kevin Lang, PhD, Professor, Economics, CAS
• Racism and Violence in Comparative Perspective: Lessons from Rwanda
  Timothy Longman, PhD, Associate Professor, Political Science, CAS

5. A Clergy Conversation on Strategies for Change in Race Relations

We hope to garner the wisdom of faith traditions and clergy who are interested in addressing the violence of racism in American society. Participants will share their views as religious practitioners from the perspective of their faith traditions. Closed captions will be available.

• Rady Roldán-Figueroa, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Associate Professor of the History of Christianity, School of Theology
• Rev. Milagro Grullon, Pastor of Community Christian Fellowship-Lawrence and Secretary of the Board of AMEDAL (Associación Ministerial Evangelica del Area de Lawrence)
  
• Rev. Jordan Harris, Pastor of Connexion, United Methodist Church
  
• Imam Asif Hirani, Resident Scholar of Worcester Islamic Center in Massachusetts
• Rabbi Elie Lehmann, Jewish Chaplain at Boston University and Campus Rabbi for BU Hillel
  
• Rev. Daryl Paul Lobban, Director of Justice and Advocacy for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington; Senior Fellow for the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute; and on the pastoral staff of the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Arlington, VA

6. The Arts and Antiracist Practices

A conversation exploring the daily practice of arts and activism, ongoing initiatives that celebrate Black and Diasporic culture, and the importance of creating opportunities for our community to experience the stories of underrepresented populations.

• Harvey Young, Dean, College of Fine Arts
  
• Ty Furman, Managing Director of the BU Arts Initiative

Grab a bite and join us for these very informal thematic lunchtime roundtables. Opt-in to a theme that you find most compelling and join current faculty, staff, and students. Roundtable discussions are open to current BU community only. Kerberos authentication required.

Each session will have a 300-person capacity. This may mean that not everyone who wants to join a conversation will be able to.

Allyship

• Alana Anderson, Director of Programs, BU Diversity & Inclusion
  
• Tiffany Enos, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Questrom School of Business

The Impact of Racism

• Karen Coleman, University Chaplain
  
• Stephen Ellis, Data Manager, Sustainability; Vice Chair, Faculty/Staff of Color Community Network

Antiracism and Education

• Sarah Hokanson, Assistant Provost, Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs
  
• Laura Jimenez, Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, Chair Language and Literacy

The Student Experience

• Mariette DiChristina, Dean of the College of Communication, Professor of the Practice in Journalism
  
• Gerry Muir, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, School of Law
  
• Deepti Nijhawan, Director of Special Projects, BU Global Programs

Leading Change

• Natalie McKnight, Dean, College of General Studies
  
• Paul Riel, Associate Vice President, Auxiliary Services

The Law

• Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Dean of the School of Law

1. Black BU: An Intergenerational Conversation About Alumni Experiences with Racism and Antiracism on Campus

Alumni will share their varied experiences about racism and antiracism on BU campus through the decades. Hear their stories and hopes for a more diverse and unified BU. Closed captions will be available.

• Anthony Harrison (Moderator) (COM’81)
  
• Joel Gill (CFA’04)
• Pauline Jennett (STH’05, Wheelock’17)
  
• Ina Joseph (COM’20)
  
• Jonathan Priester (COM’10)
• D.A. Whatley (Questrom’15)

2. Racism and Antiracism in the Clinical Medical Practice

Structural racism contributes to significantly higher morbidity and mortality for people of color. Research has also demonstrated that healthcare providers exacerbate these disparities by providing racially biased treatment. Join this panel of clinicians to discuss racism within health care and how clinicians can incorporate the practice of racial justice into their work. Closed captions will be available.

• Shelly Debiasse (Moderator), Program Director, Nutrition, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College
  
• David Coleman, Wade Professor, School of Medicine; Chair of Medicine, School of Medicine
  
• Laura Driscoll, Director of Faculty Diversity and Inclusion; Clinical Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College
  
• Samantha Kaplan, Assistant Dean, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, School of Medicine; Assistant Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine
  
• Cassandra Pierre, Assistant Professor, School of Medicine; Medical Director of Public Health Programs, Infectious Diseases, Medicine, Boston Medical Center Associate Hospital Epidemiologist, Infectious Diseases, Medicine, Boston Medical Center

3. Inclusive Pedagogy and Decolonizing the Curriculum

Inclusive Pedagogy refers to a network of pedagogical issues and strategies that center or learner outcomes and equal access. Advocates of Decolonizing the Curriculum recognize that university knowledge systems remain rooted in colonial and Western-centric worldviews and encourage faculty to alter and expand these ways of producing knowledge. Panelists will discuss how they have made inroads in their curriculum regarding Inclusive Pedagogy and Decolonizing the Curriculum. Each panelist will speak for ten minutes, and there will be ample time for questions. Closed captions will be available.

• Karin Hendricks, (Moderator), Associate Professor of Music and Chair, Music Education, College of Fine Arts
  
• Yvette Cozier, Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion and Associate Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health
  
• Davena Jackson, Clinical Assistant Professor of English Education Wheelock College of Education & Human Development
  
• Takeo Rivera Assistant Professor in English and core member of Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, College of Arts & Sciences
  
• Lisa Sullivan, Associate Dean for Education and Professor of Biostatistics, School of Public Health
  
• Megan Sullivan, Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning, College of General Studies

Related Programming on Thursday, June 25 | 10:00-11:00 am

Continuing the Conversation: Building the Inclusive Classroom, Faculty-Focused Lightning Talk

Hosted by Digital Learning & Innovation and the Center for Teaching & Learning *This session is intended for faculty, graduate students, and teaching fellows.*

Inclusive learning environments promote connectivity and growth while creating experiences and spaces for all learners to thrive. The faculty panel from campus-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion spaces will discuss the remote teaching and learning landscape and offer a variety of inclusive teaching strategies. Register.

4. A Conversation with Diversity & Inclusion Practitioners

There are multiple individuals at BU who are formally charged with overseeing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This conversation will focus on their work and strategies, the opportunities they see as being possible at BU, common challenges, and the ways in which faculty, staff, and students can be effective partners. Closed captions will be available.

• Crystal Williams (Moderator), Associate Provost for Diversity & Inclusion; Professor of English, College of Arts & Sciences.
• Tiffany Enos, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Questrom School of Business
  
• Rady Roldán-Figueroa, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Associate Professor of the History of Christianity, School of Theology

5. Practices and Ways to Undertake Antiracist Work Outside of the Academy

We describe antiracist and advocacy practices that can be undertaken outside the academy much of it involving partnerships with communities as well as with non-governmental and governmental organizations to influence and change racist programs and policies that largely impact some of the most disenfranchised communities in our society. Closed captions will be available.

• Jorge Delva (Moderator), Dean, SSW, and Director and Paul Farmer Professor CISWH (moderator)
  
• Douglas Luke, SSW Director of Finance and Administration
  
• Dawn Belkin Martinez, Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Equity & Inclusion, School of Social Work
  
• Linda Sprague Martinez, Associate Professor and Chair of the Macro Department, School of Social Work
  
• Judith Scott, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work

6. Inspiring Justice Leadership at BU: Teaching, Research and Practice

The Initiative on Cities, in collaboration with the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, hosts a discussion on the ways BU can nurture and inspire a generation of leaders on racial, social, and criminal justice issues. Panelists will discuss areas where BU must improve, and how BU faculty, students, and staff can make a difference through the classroom, practicums, volunteering, activism, campaigning, convenings, and research. Closed captions will be available.

• Cati Connell (Moderator), Associate Professor and Director of We Gender & Sexuality Studies
  
• Andre de Quadros, Professor of Music; College of Fine Arts
  
• Jessica Hamilton, Master of Divinity Student at STH and Graduate Intern at the Howard Thurman Center
  
• Spencer Piston, Assistant Professor of Political Science
  
• Sarah Sherman-Stokes, Associate Director of the Immigrants’ Rights & Human Trafficking Clinic and Lecturer and Clinical Instructor, School of Law