One primary goal of the Anti-Black Racism Initiative is to address racism on our campus and in our local community, produce scholarship that advances a national conversation and policy agenda on social justice, and empower students to envision and create a racially equitable future.

The Anti-Black Racism Initiative builds upon centers and programs including:

The Baha’i Chair for World Peace has a speaking series on Systemic Racism and the Root Causes of Prejudice. Drs. Hoda Mahmoudi and Ray have a forthcoming book featuring articles from series speakers who are some of the most renown race scholars in the country. 

The Department of African American Studies in collaboration with CRI, Baha’i, and the Judge Williams Center has a speaking series on reparations. It has featured Congresswoman Barbara Lee who has a Truth and Reconciliation Bill in Congress. 

The Departments of Psychology and Economics have impactful programs for students that aim to help students matriculate and view research as a desirable career path. 

Dean Kim Nickerson not only runs the BSOS Summer Research Initiative, but he started the Black History Tour on campus to tell the story of the role of African Americans in the founding of the university. 

The Critical Race Initiative, currently led by Dawn Dow in sociology and students across campus, hold a symposium every year in honor of Congressman Parren Mitchell. Mitchell was the first Black student to obtain a graduate degree while taking courses on campus. 

 

Pedagogy Subcommittee

Jessica Goldberg, Co-Chair, Department of Economics

Kim Nickerson, Co-Chair, BSOS Dean's Office

Bob Choflet, Department of African American Studies

Nicole Cousin-Gossett, Department of Sociology

Kyle Dorsey, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Michael Dougherty, Department of Psychology 

John Drabinksi, Department of African American Studies

Angel Dunbar, Department of African American Studies

Matthew Hansen, Department of Geographical Sciences

Judith Hellerstein, Department of Economics

Chris Justice, Department of Geographical Sciences

Barnet Pavao-Zuckerman, Department of Anthropology

Sally Simpson, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Marshal Washington, Department of African American Studies

 

Policy and Community Engagement Subcommittee

Isabella Alcañiz, Co-Chair, Department of Government and Politics

Joseph Richardson, Co-Chair, Department of African American Studies

Gary LaFree, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Jennifer St Sume, Department of Government and Politics

Rachel Ellis, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Andrea Lopez, Department of Anthropology

Alyssa Whitcraft, Department of Geographical Sciences

 

Professional Development Subcommittee

Antoine Banks, Co-Chair, Department of Government and Politics

Nazish Salahuddin, Co-Chair, Department of Psychology 

William Reed, Department of Government and Politics

Sarah Tahamont, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Alexis Foley, Department of Psychology 

 

Research and Events Subcommittee

Dawn Dow, Co-Chair, Department of Sociology

Hoda Mahmoudi, Co-Chair, Bahai Chair for World Peace

Genesis Fuentes, Department of Sociology

Rebecca Hunsaker, BSOS Dean's Office

Patricio Korzeniewicz, BSOS Dean's Office

Marlaina Martin, Department of Anthropology

Stella Rouse, Department of Government and Politics

Thurka Sangaramoorthy, Department of Anthropology

Kameron Van Patterson, AW Center for Education, Justice, & Ethics

María Vélez, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Jennifer Wessel, Department of Psychology