Discussions relative to race are uncomfortable and continue to divide us as a nation and a people. Simplistic beliefs have created institutions perpetuating inequity and disadvantages. This continues at every level of government and in our institutions of education.
We are deduced to identifying with colors of the rainbow; largely in part from systems and institutional racism, which defines diverse cultures in a monolithic way.
This has resulted in inequity, exclusion and continued avoiding of realistically confronting these lingering problems.
The L. Douglas Wilder School of Government & Public Affairs is hosting our annual Wilder Symposium; this year the focus is “Race in Academia”. The symposium will be held Tuesday, September 24, 2019 beginning at 3 pm.
I’m inviting you to participate with our invited panelists:
- Makola Abdullah, Ph.D., President of Virginia State University
- Ronald Crutcher, D.M.A., President of the University of Richmond
- Paula Pando, Ed.D., President of Reynolds Community College
- Michael Rao, Ph.D., President of Virginia Commonwealth University
Alvin Schexnider, Ph.D., Former Executive Vice President and Interim President at Norfolk State University and former President of Thomas Nelson Community College, will serve as moderator.
We hope you will join us.
