Do We Still Need to Talk About Race? Third Event in an OSI-Baltimore Yearlong Series

What: Third in the series "Talking About Race," with NAACP Executive Director Ben Jealous and Gerald Torres, author and professor at the University of Texas Law School

When: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 16

Where: Enoch Pratt Free Library
Wheeler Auditorium
400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore

BALTIMORE—Ben Jealous, executive director of the NAACP, and Gerald Torres, professor at the University of Texas Law School and author of The Miner's Canary: Enlisting Race, Resisting Power, Transforming Democracy, will tackle head on the notion that—with the election of President Barack Obama—race no longer is an obstacle to success in America.

In a panel discussion at the central branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the two men will challenge the assumption that the "American Dream" is more reality than not.

The free, open-to-the-public conversation is the third event in OSI-Baltimore's year-long series, "Talking About Race," addressing how we talk (or do not talk) about race from different perspectives, and why it is important to discuss the topic openly and intelligently. The event and series are cosponsored by the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

Since the historic election of the nation's first African American president, individuals, groups and even officials at the highest levels are engaging the subject of race more often than ever before. But in Baltimore, race is rarely easily discussed.

In April, OSI-Baltimore boldly began that conversation, adding "race" to its agenda of important topics to tackle by sponsoring the series.

"With President Obama in office, this is the perfect time to begin a too-often ignored discussion about race," said Diana Morris, director of OSI-Baltimore. "Especially in a city with a majority African American population, how we talk about race—or why we don't talk about it—is as important and relevant as any other social issue with which we wrestle. Many of the areas of reform on which we focus have been shaped by race and discrimination. The more we all become skilled and comfortable talking about race, the better able we will be to address the practices and policies that perpetuate inequity and undercut the region's prosperity."

Jealous is the 17th president and chief executive officer of the NAACP, and the youngest person to hold the position in the organization's nearly 100-year history. From his early days of organizing voter registration drives up until his nomination and election as NAACP president, Jealous has been motivated by civic duty and a constant need to improve the lives of America's underrepresented.

Torres is a leading figure in critical race theory. His latest book, The Miner's Canary: Enlisting Race, Resisting Power, Transforming Democracy (Harvard University Press, 2002) with Harvard Law Professor Lani Guinier, was described by Publisher's Weekly as "one of the most provocative and challenging books on race produced in years."

"We couldn't be more excited to have such exceptional thought-leaders spend time with us here in Baltimore, as we take on this important discussion about race," Morris said. "Their collective expertise and unique perspectives are sure to encourage a lively dialogue and inform future conversations in our year-long series."

The evening discussion, on September 16th, will be held at the central branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the cosponsor of the series.

The next event in the series will take place on November 2 at 7 p.m. at the Pratt Library.  Entitled "Can We Talk About Race? How Race Affects Our Classrooms," the discussion will feature Beverly Daniel Tatum, president of Spelman College and author of Can We Talk About Race? And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation, a book about how American schools are experiencing increasing and underreported resegregation, and David Hornbeck,  former Philadelphia superintendent of schools and author of Choosing Excellence in Public Schools: Where There's a Will, There's a Way, About How Race Plays Out In Our Classrooms. 

In addition, as part of the yearlong series, WYPR-FM's Maryland Morning and The Stoop Storytelling Series are collecting personal stories about race. They're looking for events or moments in life that taught something about race, laid a foundation for how race factors in life, or caused a shift in understanding of race in major or subtle ways. The idea is to break a hugely complicated subject into life-size pieces by sharing stories of how race is learned and lived in our community.

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Founded by philanthropist George Soros, OSI-Baltimore is a private operating foundation that supports a grantmaking, educational and capacity-building program to expand justice and opportunity for Baltimore residents. With support from a range of investors, its current work focuses on helping Baltimore's youth succeed, reducing the social and economic costs of incarceration, tackling drug addiction, and building a corps of Community Fellows to bring innovative ideas to Baltimore's underserved communities.