I
write today to invite each of you to attend our annual Justine L.
Nusbaum Lecture, sponsored by the Center for the Study of Religious
Freedom. In this year’s presentation, esteemed author and professor Dr.
Crystal Fleming will illustrate why Americans of all ethnicities are
ignorant about race. “How to Be Less Stupid About Race: Racism and
Anti-racism in Our Classrooms and Communities” will take place next
Monday, April 23, from 7-8 p.m. in the East Dining Room of Boyd Dining
Center. The event is free and open to the public, and I am pleased to be
hosting a dessert reception following the event.
The lecture will preview Dr. Fleming’s forthcoming book, How to Be Less Stupid About Race: The Essential Guide to Confronting White Supremacy,
highlighting how institutions and patterns of thinking systemically
reinforce racial ignorance on all sides of issues. It will show how, if
we are to be “less stupid about race,” we need to take concrete steps
toward deeper understanding. Dr. Fleming is an associate professor of
sociology and Africana studies at SUNY Stony Brook. She is an
award-winning writer, speaker and educator committed to empowering
individuals and communities with the conceptual tools needed to
understand, confront and challenge white supremacy.
Earlier in
the day on April 23, Dr. Fleming will lead a workshop for VWU students,
co-sponsored by the CSRF, the President's Council on Inclusive
Community, and the Office of Student Activities. “How to Be Less Stupid
About Race: A Workshop for Students of All Backgrounds” will examine how
U.S. citizens of all racial and ethnic backgrounds are socialized to be
ignorant about race. It will offer practical steps for removing
barriers created by assumptions and misconceptions and provide a roadmap
for building a more civil and inclusive community. This event will take
place in GESC 155 from 4:00-5:30 p.m.
Robert C. Nusbaum,
Founding Fellow of the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom, and his
brother, V.H. Nusbaum, established the Justine L. Nusbaum Endowed
Lectureship in honor of their mother and her lifelong volunteer service
and dedication to humanitarian causes. For more information on this
event and other programming coordinated by the Center for the Study of
Religious Freedom, visit www.vwu.edu/csrf, call 757.455.3129, or email csrf@vwu.edu.
