The Sum of Us: Moving Beyond the Myth of Equity as a Zero-Sum Game Heather McGhee, Distinguished Visiting Scholar
Thursday, February 1, 2024 6 PM
About this Event
Graham Chapel, St. Louis, MO 63105
https://cre2.wustl.edu/calendar_event/save-the-date-distinguished-visiting-scholar-heather-mcghee/The Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity and our partners are proud to announce Heather McGhee as the 2024 Distinguished Visiting Scholar. Heather is dedicated to the development of solutions to inequity in America. Over her career in public policy, Heather has crafted legislation, testified before Congress, and helped shape presidential campaign platforms. Her book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was longlisted for the National Book Award and Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. The New York Times called it, “The book that should change how progressives talk about race.” and the Chicago Tribune said, “Required reading to move the country forward…”. It is a Washington Post and TIME Magazine Must-Read Book of 2021. Starting at Fairgrounds Park in North St. Louis City, where a riot was sparked after the first Black St. Louis residents attempted to swim at newly desegregated pool at Fairgrounds Park, McGhee chronicles the sobering history of divide and inequity across the United States. However, she implores the reader to reframe equity, moving away from a “zero sum” mindset to an inclusive perspective in which everyone can thrive. RSVP for the event here.
The theme of CRE2 this year is Past as Present: Past as Present: Learning from History to Center Equity in the Future. We believe that our collective resolve must be even stronger now, especially considering the current social and political context. We believe that Heather is an ideal public scholar to speak to the contemporary challenges our society faces while helping to light the way forward to a more equitable future.
This visit is sponsored in part through funding from the Office of the Provost: Distinguished Visiting Scholar Program. Co-sponsored by the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy, Clark-Fox Policy Institute, Center for Social Development, Here & Next, The Program for Public Scholarship.
