The Boston College Forum for Racial Justice in America, which was established last June under the direction of BC Law Dean Vincent Rougeau, will present an October 20 talk by Camara Phyllis Jones, senior fellow at Morehouse School of Medicine and past president of the American Public Health Association. (Read more about the Forum in BC News and this fall’s other inaugural events beginning October 7 below.)
A family physician and epidemiologist, Jones focuses on naming, measuring, and addressing the impacts of racism on the health and well-being of the nation. Her Zoom presentation, titled “Tools for Becoming a Racial Justice Warrior” and hosted by Boston College Connell School of Nursing, begins at 5:30 p.m.
Jones will move beyond naming racism and how it operates to providing organizing strategies for how to act. She will discuss understanding levels of health intervention, share her allegories on racism, and advise participants how to become effective justice warriors, according to a statement by the event’s host.
The Forum has two key purposes: 1) to provide a meeting place for listening, dialogue, and greater understanding about race and racism in our country, especially ideas for dealing with current challenges and planning for a better future; and 2) to serve as a catalyst for bridging differences regarding race in America, promoting reconciliation, and encouraging fresh perspectives.
Among the ways that the Forum is doing this is by sponsoring panels, seminars, and speakers such as Jones who will address key issues regarding race and needed changes in attitudes and structures.
Other upcoming Forum events are:
October 7, 4 p.m.: Service of Hope and Reconciliation. Limited seating in the STM Chapel. Open to the BC community via livestreaming on the BC YouTube channel.
October 15, 4:30 p.m.: Formation and Racial Justice in Higher Education, a panel discussion featuring BC faculty Regine Jean-Charles, Martin Summers, Shawn McGuffey, and Michael Davidson, S.J. Moderated by Forum Director and BC Law Dean Vincent Rougeau. Via Zoom conferencing.
October 22, 7 pm.: Racial Justice and Democratic Citizenship: A Pre-Election Conversation. Via Zoom conferencing.
Go to bc.edu/forum for additional information.
Photo courtesy of Tony Rinaldo/Radcliffe Institute