NOTE: For conference registration and information visit https://www.pugetsound.edu/RPNC or Tel. 253.879.2435. Keynote speaker events are open to the public. Tickets $20 general admission; free for conference attendees. Tel. 253.879.3419.
TACOMA, Wash. – Oct. 28–30 University of Puget Sound will convene the 2010 Race and Pedagogy National Conference, its second broad gathering of experts, academics, and community leaders who will address one of the country’s most pressing issues: educating its increasingly diverse youth to a high standard in a world where America’s economic leadership is being challenged as never before.
“Race and culture, and how we deal with these issues in our schools, are critical in determining the future of our youth and ultimately of our country,” said Dexter Gordon, chair of the conference and director of Puget Sound’s African American studies program. “This is no longer solely an issue of social justice, crucial 
as that is to our nation’s integrity. Diversity is now at the core of our country and of our future. We need to urgently address race and education, and use our diversity to our benefit, as we prepare for the realities of a global economy.”
The three-day conference will air the views of national experts, including Mark McPhail (pictured above), Freeman Hrabowski (left), Richard Delgado, Jean Stefancic, and Lani Guinier (all below), and seek solutions to improve the experiences of students at all levels of schooling. The conference also will include many arts events, a film festival at The Grand Theatre, a youth summit, and more. (For details see below.)
The conference theme, “Teaching and Learning for Justice: Danger and Opportunity in Our Critical Moment,” recognizes that it has been five decades since the civil rights activism of the 1960s shook the nation and propelled it forward on issues of racial justice. Today President Barrack Obama’s election suggests to some that we have arrived at a postracial state of affairs, while others fear we are witnessing a backlash and a regression in attitudes toward race: the re-segregation of schools, legal shifts against affirmative action, the revolt over illegal Hispanics in Arizona, resentments arising from the economic squeeze, and anxiety among some whites as they face the prospect of minority status in the United States from about 2050 onward.
More than 200 presenters in 50 sessions will address issues including teacher education, tensions in the classroom, partnerships for social justice, bridging the gap between schools and families, the effect of silence, creative use of the arts and community knowledge, dilemmas and new directions, the rhetoric of our times, and culturally competent approaches to teaching. The conference will be a valuable resource for teachers, public officials, academics, parents, students, and many others.
The meetings will be far from strictly academic. Pierce County officials, teachers, artists, 
business people, students, and parents are helping with conference planning and will be active participants, onstage and off. Many of these community partners have been involved in years of grassroots activities that have kept alive the spirit of the first Race and Pedagogy National Conference in 2006. That event attracted more than 2,000 participants from 39 states, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and sparked an array of educational justice projects at schools, churches, and other institutions. The initiative has been carried forward by a series of Achievement Gap Summits, a Parent and Guardian Conference, and many community partner meetings and projects.
The conference is sponsored by University of Puget Sound’s Race and Pedagogy Initiative and its multiple community and campus partnerships. Race and Pedagogy is also affiliated with the university’s Civic Scholarship Initiative, which supports programs that bring together community members with faculty and students in projects of mutual concern.
For interviews with conference speakers or organizers, please contact University of Puget Sound Media Relations Manager Shirley Skeel at 253.879.2611, 510.684.6715 (cell), or sskeel@pugetsound.edu.
For conference registration or information, please visit: https://www.pugetsound.edu/RPNC or call 253.879.2435. Registration is free to Puget Sound faculty, staff, and students. Donations are welcome.
Photos of the speakers are available for download at: Press Photos - University of Puget Sound (Statue of Liberty photo pictured by Brian G. Wilson)
University of Puget Sound
2010 Race and Pedagogy National Conference
October 28–30, 2010
Conference Highlights
Speakers
Keynote speaker events are free for conference participants; $20 general admission Tel. 253.879.3419. All keynote speakers will appear in Memorial Fieldhouse on campus.
Mark McPhail is replacing Harry Belafonte who could not travel for medical reasons. (7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 28)
"Where Do We Learn From Here: The Rhetoric and Politics of (Dis)Integraton."
Inspirational scholar on the politics of language and race, who provided expert witness at the United Nations Rwanda genocide trials. Dean of the College of Arts and Communication at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Tickets purchased for the earlier speaker will be honored for the new program or can be refunded. Visit Wheelock Student Center Info Center or contact 253.879.3419.
Freeman Hrabowski III (8:30 a.m., Friday, Oct. 29)
“Beating the Odds: Higher Education’s Role in Preparing Minority Students for Success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.”
National authority on nurturing excellence in science and mathematics among African American college students; president of University of Maryland Baltimore County; and education consultant and author; named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News & World Report in 2008.
Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic (2:15 p.m.,Friday, Oct. 29)
“Recognizing Critical Moments: An Educator’s Perspective”
Leading theorists and radio and television commentators on race and the law; professors at Seattle University School of Law; co-authors of the prize-winning Critical White Studies: Looking Behind the Mirror; and writers of seminal works on critical race theory, social change, and law reform.
Lani Guinier (9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 30)
“Rethinking Race and Class Within the Context of Our Crisis in Education”
Trailblazing writer on race, gender, class, and social change; first African American woman to get tenured professorship at Harvard Law School; President Clinton nominee to head the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice; and author of The Tyranny of the Majority, a book on the voting system.
The Arts and Special Events
Music, ranging from choral to Latin to hip-hop; a giant Buddha installation and a community mural; theater, poetry, and art at Kittredge Art Gallery and other venues; school workshops in art, music, and theater; and outdoor and indoor performance art are planned. Art of all types will saturate the conference and bring the local community on campus for free public events.
Film Festival
In partnership with The Grand Theatre, organizers will present a series of commercial and independent films that explore race and education themes, Friday, Oct. 22 to Thursday, Oct. 28. Each day one film session will be given over to audience discussion, led by experienced facilitators, so the public can share its views about the issues raised onscreen.
Youth Summit
On Saturday, Oct. 23, hundreds of high school, middle school, and college students will meet at Lincoln High School for a breakfast, rally, and workshops, ending in a film night at The Grand Theatre. The summit will aim to inspire and empower students to take control of their own education and future, with a mix of discussions and activities covering social justice, wellness, media and drama, and civic engagement.
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