RWLE - Talks | Equity & Inclusion

Talks & Interviews

Ibram X. Kendi on How to be an Antiracist, speaking at UC Berkeley

In his new book, How to Be an Antiracist, Ibram X. Kendi holds up both a magnifying glass and a mirror to examine how to uproot racism from society—starting with ourselves. Followed by his talk at UC Berkeley, on September 12, 2019, Kendi is joined in conversation by john a. powell of the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society, Lateefah Simon of the Akonadi Foundation, and moderated by Alice Y. Hom of Northern California Grantmakers.

Confronting Racism

Racism isn't always obvious, but it can be found almost everywhere. This hour, TED speakers explore the effects of everyday and systemic racism in America—and how we can work to build a country where everyone belongs. (March 29, 2019)

Sherman Alexie | Kinsale Hueston

Kinsale Hueston performs her poem 'Sherman Alexie' at Word Yale, Word's 2018 fall show. Kinsale was named one of TIME Magazine’s 'People Changing How We See the World' for a special TIME 2019 Optimists issue compiled by Ava DuVernay.

We need to talk about an injustice | Bryan Stevenson

Human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson shares some hard truths about America's justice system, starting with a massive imbalance along racial lines: a third of the country's black male population has been incarcerated at some point in their lives. These issues, which are wrapped up in America's unexamined history, are rarely talked about with this level of candor, insight, and persuasiveness.

Why do I make art? To build time capsules for my heritage

Kayla Briët creates art that explores identity and self-discovery -- and the fear that her culture may someday be forgotten. She shares how she found her creative voice and reclaimed the stories of her Dutch-Indonesian, Chinese and Native American heritage by infusing them into film and music time capsules. (2017)

What it takes to be racially literate

Recent high school graduates Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo traveled to all 50 US states, collecting personal stories about race and intersectionality. Now they're on a mission to equip every American with the tools to understand, navigate and improve a world structured by racial division. (2017)

Trust Your Inner Voice - Ronan Farrow

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Ronan Farrow's 2018 Commencement Address at Loyola Marymount University, May 5, 2018. “More than ever we need people to be guided by their own senses of principle—and not the whims of a culture that prizes ambition, and sensationalism, and celebrity, and vulgarity, and doing whatever it takes to win,”

Imagining a New America

At the Chicago Humanities Festival in December 2017, Krista Tippett and Ta-Nehisi Coates explore issues ranging from the idea of a “post-racial” world to Coates' meticulously constructed case for reparations for slavery.

What Words Mean | Masha Gessen

The Russian-born journalist articulates the ways in which truth and language are under assault, by everyone from Vladimir Putin to Donald Trump. On 'Topic - There's More to a Story.'

The Beauty of Human Skin in Every Color | Angélica Dass

In this personal talk, hear about the inspiration behind Angélica Dass's portrait project, Humanæ, and her pursuit to document humanity's true colors rather than the untrue white, red, black and yellow associated with race. (Ted2016)

Tara Houska - The Standing Rock resistance and our fight for indigenous rights

Still invisible and often an afterthought, indigenous peoples are uniting to protect the world's water, lands and history -- while trying to heal from genocide and ongoing inequality. Tribal attorney and Couchiching First Nation citizen Tara Houska chronicles the history of attempts by government and industry to eradicate the legitimacy of indigenous peoples' land and culture, including the months-long standoff at Standing Rock which rallied thousands around the world. (2017)

Diversity, Inclusion, and Free Speech at Berkeley

Monday, October 23, 2017.
Chevron Auditorium, I-House

Panelists:
Suzanne Nosel - Executive Director of PEN America; Erwin Chemerinksy - Berkeley Law Dean, Constitutional Law Scholar;
DeRay Mckesson - Civil Rights Activist and Commentator; Rigel Robinson - External Affairs Vice President, Associated Students of the University of California; and Abdi Soltani - Executive Director, ACLU of Northern California.

The Urgency of Intersectionality |Kimberlé Crenshaw

Now more than ever, it's important to look boldly at the reality of race and gender bias -- and understand how the two can combine to create even more harm. Kimberlé Crenshaw uses the term "intersectionality" to describe this phenomenon; as she says, if you're standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you're likely to get hit by both.

Iraq Veteran Writes Note to Younger Self | Alex Horton

Millions of Americans have served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and we will never know most of their names. One Iraq Veteran, Alex Horton, writes a note to his younger self. CBS New Note to Younger Self. Nov. 9, 2012.

What It Feels Like to Be Transgender | Lee Mokobe (Spoken Poetry)

"I was the mystery of an anatomy, a question asked but not answered," says poet Lee Mokobe, a TED Fellow, in this gripping and poetic exploration of identity and transition. It's a thoughtful reflection on bodies, and the meanings poured into them.

Bridging to Belonging | Tara Housak, Zahra Billoo, Alicia Garza, and Jidan Koon

Three leaders of very significant movements of our time talked about how to build bridges across social movements and solidarity movements that expand the notion of We and Belonging in order to win the world that we want to have. The panel took place at the the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society's 2017 Othering & Belonging Conference in Oakland.

I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much." by Stella Young | Ted Talk 2014

This talk was suggested by Sarah Funes, a political science major. Stella Young is a comedian and journalist who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair — a fact that doesn't, she'd like to make clear, automatically turn her into a noble inspiration to all humanity. In this very funny talk, Young breaks down society's habit of turning disabled people into "inspiration porn."

Why I stand by with Dreamers | Robert Reich

Dreamers are our neighbors, our colleagues, and our classmates. They represent the best of the dream that my parents and most of our ancestors had when they came to America: To make a better life for themselves, and for their kids.

GWS Keynote Lecture | Black Lives Matter Co-founder Alicia Garza

The Department of Gender & Women's Studies (GWS) hosted Alicia Garza for our 2017 Keynote Lecture on October 5th. The talk was moderated by GWS Professor Minoo Moallem, and was followed by a panel discussion with Professor Paola Bacchetta (GWS), Professor Russell Robinson (Law), and Associate Professor Leigh Raiford (African American Studies).

The Slow Pace of Change and the #MeToo Campaign | Anita Hill

26 years after law professor Anita Hill testified to Congress that she was sexually harassed by Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, she joins The Washington Post’s Libby Casey to talk about the slow pace of change and today’s #MeToo movement.

Is anatomy destiny? | Alice Dreger

Alice Dreger works with people at the edge of anatomies, such as conjoined twins and intersexed people. In her observation, it's often a fuzzy line between male and female, among other anatomical distinctions. Which brings up a huge question: Why do we let our anatomy determine our fate?

Equity & Inclusion