In the wake of the killing of George Floyd, international mass protests emerged and demands persist for racial justice and an end to policies rooted in racial discrimination. Calls for individuals and institutions to be anti-racist have increased. But what does that mean and how does it apply to our sector?
In How to be an Anti-Racist, Dr. Kendi challenges us to dismantle systems and policies that disproportionately harm people of color. One has to simply look at the numbers to see that race is a reliable indicator for predicting one’s ability to thrive here - Maine’s Black and African American population are 20x more likely than their white counterparts to contract COVID-19. This disproportionate impact, as well as myriad other indicators, have driven the public health community to conclude and many counties and cities to declare racism a public health crisis. Nonprofits and foundations have a vital leadership role to play to dismantle these policies and envision a future where all Mainers can thrive.
Please join us for a conversation with historians, policymakers, and community leaders that explores the history of race within Maine, how racism shows up in our public policy and opportunities for our sector to combat these policies to become an anti-racist state. More information forthcoming.
Confirmed Speakers:
History
- Kate McMahon, Ph.D., Museum Specialist, Center for the Study of Global Slavery, National Museum of African American History & Culture
- Chris Newell, Executive Director, Abbe Museum
Policy
- Dr. Becca Boulos, Executive Director, Maine Public Health Association
- Safiya Khalid, Ward 1 Councilor, Lewiston
- Michael Kedebe, Policy Counsel, ACLU of Maine
- Abdulkerim Said, Executive Director, New Mainers Public Health Initiative
- Representative Rachel Talbot Ross, Portland (part), District #40, Maine State Legislature
- Joby Thoyalil, Senior Policy Advocate, Maine Equal Justice Partners
- Roberto Rodriguez, School Board Chair, Portland Public Schools
Agenda
Below is the agenda for the event -- please join early to avoid hiccups in accessing the event, or join the part of the conversation you are most interested in.