Season Two of Racism Series Kicks Off Jan. 26 as Part of LSU-Southern-Louisiana Budget Project-NAACP Louisiana State Conference Partnership

January 15, 2021

BATON ROUGE—The Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs will continue its partnership with Southern University and A&M College’s Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences, Louisiana Budget Project, NAACP Louisiana State Conference and LSU Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to host the spring 2021 edition of “Racism: Dismantling the System.”

The series, which launched this past September, features the voices of community advocates, academics, journalists and more working for racial justice. The inaugural season consisted of five installments, which garnered over 2,400 views and featured local panelists, such as Louisiana Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne and WWL-TV Anchor Charisse Gibson, as well as national insights from panelists like Brad Jenkins, co-founder of RUN AAPI and former associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, and Marc Spears, senior NBA writer for ESPN’s The Undefeated.

“During a time when everyone was clamoring to learn more about the ongoing crisis of racism in this country, the Reilly Center’s series provided exciting, insightful panelists delivering thoughtful conversations critical to understanding the nuance and scope we’re facing,” said Joshua Grimm, interim dean of the Manship School. “Given the success of this series, I’m certain this is just the beginning, and I’m excited to see how this programming strengthens partnerships as the series expands its reach to include solution-oriented projects.”

Launching Jan. 26, the spring 2021 season will build upon past discussions while exploring new facets of systemic racism and its effects on communities of color. The season features four eye-opening episodes that seek to engage and stir audiences to take progressive actions that further the fight for equality and justice.

“I think our fall debut was a great opener for what is sure to be a long haul of conversations. We’re only beginning to unpack all the ways racism has and continues to affect the United States,” said Davante Lewis, public affairs outreach coordinator for Louisiana Budget Project. “Our upcoming season will provide new perspectives that are necessary for true and lasting progress. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but we’re committed to doing that work and doing it in a way that ultimately produces better outcomes.”

The full spring 2021 schedule is below:

January 26 | HBCUs and PWIs: The Importance of Both
February 23 | Race, Religion and the Moment We're In: The Religion of White Rage
March 23 | The Opportunity Gap: A Discussion About Healthcare, Economic and Housing Disparities in Communities of Color, Part I
April 13 | The Opportunity Gap: A Discussion About Healthcare, Economic and Housing Disparities in Communities of Color, Part II

The series will be hosted using Zoom and broadcast on Facebook Live. Admission is free, but you must register in advance on Eventbrite to receive the Zoom meeting access code. Previous episodes are available for viewing on the Manship School’s YouTube channel.

For more information, contact ksibley1@lsu.edu.

###

The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs is partnership-driven, action-oriented and dedicated to exploring contemporary issues at the intersection of mass communication and public life. Its interdisciplinary approach draws together experts from diverse fields to advance research and dialogue. The intent is to inspire our communities to think deeply, take action, develop solutions and broaden knowledge. Underlying the Center’s endeavors is to strengthen and advance the Manship School’s national and state leadership in media and politics.

LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication ranks among the strongest collegiate communication programs in the country, with its robust emphasis on media and public affairs. It offers undergraduate degrees in public relations, journalism, political communication, digital advertising and pre-law, along with four graduate degree programs: master of mass communication, Ph.D. in media and public affairs, certificate of strategic communication and dual MMC/law degree.

The Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences at Southern University and A&M College aims to provide opportunities for a diverse student population to achieve a high-quality educational experience, to engage in scholarly research, creative activities and meaningful public service to the community, the state, the nation, and global environment. Located on the campus of Southern University and A&M College, the flagship of the nation's only HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) System, the College offers six baccalaureate, four masters, and one doctoral degree program.

The Louisiana Budget Project (LBP) monitors and reports on state public policies and how they affect Louisiana’s low- to moderate-income families. Using research, outreach and advocacy, LBP educates policymakers, the nonprofit community and the public about the economic and racial barriers that Louisianans face each day, and looks for solutions that can create a more widely shared prosperity.

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

The LSU Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is a division of the Office of Academic Affairs and provides support, referral and information to students, faculty and staff on issues and concerns related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. For more information, please visit lsu.edu/diversity.