September 25 - October 1, 2020

In honor of Juneteenth 2020, I've committed to educating myself on systemic racism, discrimination, and bias. Every day from June 19, 2020 to June 18, 2021, I will read an article or book chapter, listen to a podcast, watch a movie or documentary, view a webinar, or do something substantive to educate myself in these areas. As part of that commitment, I will post to this blog each Friday with a list of what I've done over the past week as well as any pertinent thoughts or reflections.

Today's post covers the week of September 25 - October 1, 2020.

 

Slavery, Dispossession, and the Way Forward for Universities 

The Rice University Task Force on Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice hosted this hour-long webinar with two members of the Rutgers faculty who have been working in a similar space for the past five years. The Scarlet and Black Project explores the history of the African-American and Native American experience on the New Jersey campus. Drs. Deborah Gray White and and Marisa J. Fuentes discuss their findings and ongoing research with task force co-chairs Drs. Alexander X. Byrd and Caleb McDaniel.

The Systemic Racism Dodge

The Wall Street Journal published this opinion piece from Harvard Professor and Hoover Institution Fellow Harvey Mansfield. In it, Mansfield argues that the systemic racism argument denies agency to Black citizens and both accuses and absolves all White people of racism. How can Whites be guilty of racism, Mansfield says, when it's the system that's at fault? Mansfield's take is that overt racism is socially unacceptable, and Black and White people who are struggling in society should endeavor to better themselves rather than pinning the blame on a system that no one can be responsible for or change.

Don't Be a Savior, Be an Ally

Rayna Gordon, a student at the Pine Crest School, gives this 10 minute TEDx Talk on the differences between saviorism and allyship. She discusses specific examples of her experiences with each and offers recommendations on how to be an effective ally across identities.

 

Black Livelihoods Matter

Keeping with the Hoover Institute theme this week, David R. Henderson makes several free-market arguments aimed at boosting employment numbers for people of color. Henderson argues that regulation, the minimum wage, and occupational licensing are entry barriers that prevent low-skilled workers from getting jobs.

Turning a Moment into a Movement

Two current HBS students and one alumnus started a GoFundMe page this summer that helped distribute money to communities of color, and they have now turned their efforts to corporate diversity and inclusion. They encourage companies to view diversity in the same way they view their bottom line (annually and with measurable results), and they caution those that find inclusion efforts burdensome will get left behind in a world where the workforce is rapidly changing.

 

Policing the Police 

This PBS Frontline special hosted by Jelani Cobb looks into police reforms of the last 30 years following the police beating of Rodney King in 1991. As part of the 1994 crime bill, Congress gave the Department of Justice extraordinary powers to "police the police" via consent decrees. Cobb focuses on the Newark PD, mayor Ras Baraka, and some community policing efforts.

A Battle for the Souls of Black Girls

The New York Times published this article on the disproportionate rates of school discipline on Black girls. Data from the Education Department found that Black girls are over five times more likely than White girls to be suspended at least once from school, seven times more likely to receive multiple out-of-school suspensions than White girls and three times more likely to receive referrals to law enforcement. The disproportionate discipline rates among girls indicate what researchers have long said about all Black children: It is not that they misbehave more than their peers, but their behaviors may be judged more harshly.