A panel discussion titled "Racial Legacies and Learning," the first in a series of dialogues examining race relations in New Haven, will be held at 8 p.m. on Monday, April 13, in Battell Chapel, corner of Elm and College streets. Admission is free, and the public is invited.
Divinity School student Demetrius Semien coordinated the event, which will feature representatives from Elm City civic organizations, the New Haven Mayor's Office, area churches, the New Haven Public Schools and Yale. The panel is sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), which is funding "Racial Legacies and Learning" discussions at more than 50 colleges and universities around the nation. The AACU initiated its project to address the question: "What should higher education be doing with its local communities to prepare graduates to address the legacy of racism and the opportunities for racial reconciliation in the United States?"
"This dialogue will be the initial step in a series of Yale University and New Haven discussions," says Semien. "Hopefully, this dialogue and those that follow in the fall will serve as a bridge between the different ethnic and racial communities and open the door for community projects between Yale and the community."
Divinity School Dean Richard Wood says: "Improving understanding among the wide diversity of racial and ethnic groups that make up America is crucial. Many of us do not realize the extent to which we are influenced by racism. Dialogue is not just talk. It is learning to hear each other, learning to allow others to make a difference in our lives."
The Yale community members who will participate in the panel include Bruce Haynes, assistant professor of sociology and African American studies; Youngmin Jung, a graduate student at the Divinity School; and the Reverend Frederick J. Streets, University chaplain, pastor of Church of Christ in Yale, and assistant clinical professor of social work at the Child Study Center.
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