New FSU speaker series will examine racism from multiple perspectives

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A series of online presentations devoted to exploring the complexities of racism and racial issues is set to kick off next week.

The program, “Engaging with Racism: Conversations for Change,” is sponsored by the Tallahassee Chan Center and the Social Justice and Innovation Lab at FSU’s Askew School of Public Administration and Policy.

Presentations will last about an hour and will be followed by a question and answer session. A discussion session on that topic will be offered a week later. All sessions will occur online.

Frances Berry, Eminent Scholar Chair in the Askew School and an organizer of the event, said the series will cover U.S. history, Black literature and arts, gender inequality, economic disparities, and racism in health and educational systems, among other topics.

“We will start off exploring the many disparities in our communities, both historically and today,” she said. “Then, we’ll continue the series with talks on individual and community healing.”

The series is the first offered through the Social Justice and Innovation Lab, which was established this summer at the Askew School within FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy.

Organizers hope the lab is a forum for discussing issues, developing new projects, sharing presentations and bringing together diverse perspectives about how to move justice issues forward.

The series is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 15, when Jamila Holcomb, teaching faculty in the FSU Department of Family and Child Sciences, presents her talk on “Racial Trauma and Its Impact on the Black Community.” The open discussion of Holcomb’s presentation will take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22.

According to lab co-chairs and Askew faculty members Daniel Fay and James E. Wright II, the aim of the initiative is not limited to Askew faculty and students.

“We expect to engage community leaders in dialogue so that our actions are in concert with their priorities and so that we can establish collaborative working relationships that will endure over time,” Fay said. “We want to reach out to the broader community, including our colleagues at FAMU and TCC, leadership in the city and county government, law enforcement, nonprofits  the faith-based community, local organizers and other community action groups as appropriate for specific projects and efforts.”

Other sessions scheduled in the series are:

• Tuesday, Sept. 29, 7:30-9 p.m.: “Slavery, Religion and American Freedom,” presented by FSU Professor Emerita of Religion Amanda Porterfield. Discussion to take place at 7:30 p.m.,
• Tuesday, Oct. 6. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 7:30-9 p.m.: “The Rosewood Incident in Florida, 1923,” presented by FSU Professor of History Maxine Jones. Discussion to take place at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Events are free and open to the public. Participants can register at register at tallahasseechan.org/educational-series. Zoom access information will be sent to those who register.

For more information about the “Engaging Racism: Conversations for Change” series, visit the Tallahassee Chan Center at tallahasseechan.org/educational-series.