systemic racism

Podcast - EP44: The absurd fallacy of a hierarchy of human value

Damian Cristodero — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 17:45:45 +0000

Podcast - EP44: The absurd fallacy of a hierarchy of human value Damian Cristodero Wed, 11/16/2022 - 12:45

In This Story

When Gail Christopher, executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity and a senior scholar in ��AV’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, talks about “ensuring a future,” she’s really talking about creating a system of equity that produces opportunities for everyone to “actualize their potential.” In her second podcast with Mason President Gregory Washington, Christopher expands on the idea that academic institutions are essential for shifting the cultural ethos to one that is not racist, and discusses the Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Conference recently held at Mason.

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Access to Excellence podcast

Podcast Episode

podcast

President's Task Force on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence

Sociology: Higher education; inequality and mobility; culture; race

Law School takes on 21-day racial equity challenge

Mariam Aburdeineh — Thu, 13 May 2021 20:48:39 +0000

Law School takes on 21-day racial equity challenge Mariam Aburdeineh Thu, 05/13/2021 - 16:48

Jina Hwang, JD ’05. Photo provided.

With racial tension high in the United States, and the need for equity growing ever stronger, students and faculty at ��AV’s Antonin Scalia Law School participated in a 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge virtually in March and April.

The challenge, created by diversity expert Eddie Moore Jr., focuses on the Black American experience and is "designed to advance deeper understandings of the intersections of race, power, privilege, and oppression, and guide participants in becoming more aware and engaged regarding racial equity."

“Wherever one might be in their diversity, equity and inclusion journey, there is always a new perspective to learn,” said Jina Hwang, JD ’05, an adjunct professor and attorney for a federal agency who proposed the challenge to the school after experiencing it herself.

The challenge consists of 21 exercises, roughly 15 to 30 minutes long each, over 21 consecutive days. The exercises include articles, videos, podcasts, music, poetry, and other media that expose participants to perspectives on Black history, identity, culture, and racism. About 30 students and faculty attended.

Senior Associate Dean Alison Price

“The readings take a few minutes per day, but the awareness you get stays with you perhaps forever,” said Marissa Fariña-Morse, a juris master’s student at Scalia Law.

In addition to the personal growth that comes from empathy and learning about diverse experiences, Fariña-Morse said the challenge had professional implications.

“As a mental health professional working in the criminal justice system, racism has a large impact on many of those I serve,” she said. “Providing effective mental health services can only be done by better understanding the past of this country by becoming exposed to perspectives of Black history.”

“One of the most interesting things to me was learning how to be an ally and how to respond to micro-aggressions,” said Senior Associate Dean Alison Price. “I feel more comfortable speaking up when I witness a micro-aggression or talking with a colleague or student who has been the subject of a micro-aggression.”

Price said other exercises that resonated with her included an article on how to not accidentally raise a racist, a poem that painted a vibrant picture of the African American experience, and readings on what it is like to be Black and trying to get a mortgage, or living through homelessness.

Juris Master's student Marissa Fariña-Morse. Photo provided.

Mason launched the challenge with a virtual screening of “True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality,” which follows the attorney’s struggle for racial justice with wrongfully convicted inmates on death row. Hwang facilitated virtual discussion groups for participants to share and expand upon their learnings and experiences.

“My hope is that people have a desire to learn more, and more importantly, to share that information and experience with others,” said Hwang, adding that one student brought his 14-year-old daughter to join the discussions, and others forwarded the challenge to colleagues.

The challenge speaks to Mason’s values, which view diversity as a strength.

“[Mason and Scalia Law] are part of this global community, and it’s time for us to think about how we can do better together,” Price said.

It’s about providing renewed perspective.

“I’ll never know through my own experiences what it’s like to be Black in America, and the vulnerability that poses,” Hwang said. “But I can empathize and educate myself on the circumstances to be a better ally.”

Price said she hopes the school will repeat the challenge next year, as it’s a valuable opportunity for learning, self-reflection, and action.

“I may think I’m not racist,” she said. “This helps you realize we can all do better.”

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Students

Antonin Scalia Law School

Podcast - EP13: We all have skin in the game

Kristin Heydt — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 16:55:56 +0000

Podcast - EP13: We all have skin in the game Kristin Heydt Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:55

Tehama Lopez Bunyasi, assistant professor in the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, explains how using our democratic freedoms will help overcome racism in America.

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Podcast Episode

podcast

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Fighting the fires of social and racial unrest

Mariam Aburdeineh — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 20:16:18 +0000

Fighting the fires of social and racial unrest Mariam Aburdeineh Thu, 01/21/2021 - 15:16

In This Story

Gregory Washington

To honor the memory of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and recognize those on campus who actively live out his vision, ��AV will host the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Evening of Reflection and awards ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m. via Zoom.

“This year, it is particularly important to continue on with the Evening of Reflection, as we consider the state of our nation,” said Hamal Strayhorn, director of the Office of Coalition Building and Diversity Education at Mason. “Our nation has experienced the loss of 400,000 lives to COVID-19, social and economic disparity in full view, the continuation of black bodies being murdered by police without accountability and racial unrest. On Jan. 6 we all witnessed a failed insurrection in our nation’s capital, which was rooted in divisiveness and racism.”

“Our hope is that students and attendees will understand that in our nation and world there is still a lot of work to do around issues of social justice, equity and inclusion and that ‘the time is always right to do what is right,’” Strayhorn said, quoting Dr. King.

Mason President Gregory Washington will be the event’s keynote speaker and will address this year’s theme of “The Burning House,” which comes from another Dr. King quote:

“I’ve come upon something that disturbs me deeply. We have fought hard and long for integration, as I believe we should have, and I know we will win, but I have come to believe that we are integrating into a burning house…”

“How will our commitment to anti-racism work be like the ‘firefighters’ preventing the ‘house’ from burning completely down?” Strayhorn said. “[President Washington] will also look at how the work of anti-racism touches and affects our students, professional members, the local community, the commonwealth and eventually our nation.”

Following the keynote address, representatives from the student body will have the opportunity to ask questions relating to the theme, the work the university is doing around anti-racism, or how they can play a part in keeping Dr. King’s vision at the forefront of social change, Strayhorn said.

Students, faculty and staff who are doing influential work centered on Dr. King’s vision will also be honored with the Spirit of King Awards.

“The MLK Evening of Reflection shows that ��AV is committed to diversity, excellence, and inclusion and to addressing the hard questions of where we are as a people and nation,” Strayhorn said.

Topics

Spirit of King awards

anti-racism

Racism

systemic racism

President's Task Force on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence

Campus News

ARIE

President Washington announces membership to the Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force

John Hollis — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 09:00:00 +0000

President Washington announces membership to the Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force John Hollis Thu, 09/03/2020 - 05:00

Podcast - Laurie Robinson: The Ups and Downs of Policing Since Ferguson

khanse2 — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 21:25:11 +0000

Podcast - Laurie Robinson: The Ups and Downs of Policing Since Ferguson khanse2 Fri, 07/17/2020 - 17:25

Mason professor Laurie Robinson, who during the Obama administration was co-chair of the White House Task Force on 21st Century Policing, explains a complicated legacy. With John Hollis.

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