Keynote Speaker

 

Annette Gordon-Reed (she/her)

Annette Gordon-Reed headshot

Abstract

On Juneteenth: The Essential Story of ‘Freedom Day’ and Its Importance to American History

There is perhaps no one more qualified than Pulitzer-Prize winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed to tell the sweeping story of Juneteenth. In her searing new book, the Texas native chronicles both the state, and the country’s, long road to Juneteenth—and the many hardships that African-Americans have endured in the century since, from Jim Crow and beyond.

Gordon-Reed expertly weaves together her own family’s chronicle—she is a descendent of enslaved people brought to Texas as early as the 1820s—alongside the wider context of American history. It is this combination of poignant personal anecdotes and powerfully demonstrative facts that make Gordon-Reed’s account so vital, stirring, and eloquent.

As our nation verges on recognizing June 19 as a national holiday, On Juneteenth is both an essential account and a stark reminder that the fight for equality is exigent and ongoing. This meaningful and personal talk, based on the book, breathes new life into the historical events that have led us to this moment—and illuminates a new path forward.

About

Annette Gordon-Reed is a Professor of History in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard Law School, and the award-winning author of six books. Her latest book, On Juneteenth, sets out to capture the integral importance of the holiday to American history. “It is staggering that there is no date commemorating the end of slavery in the United States,” says Gordon-Reed.

In her earlier piece “Growing Up with Juneteenth,” written for The New Yorker, she recounts how the Texas holiday became a national tradition: “When I was a little girl, in Texas, I thought Juneteenth belonged to us, meaning to the state of Texas generally and to Black Texans specifically,” she starts, before going on to recount the disconnect between “freedom” in legal terms versus lived reality, the unfulfilled promise of the Declaration for Black Americans, and the horrors they have had to endure even after the Emancipation Proclamation. Impassioned, moving, and articulate, On Juneteenth is an even deeper, more personal recollection—a captivating blend of memoir and history that explores the violence and oppression that preceded and followed this celebration, what it means to us now, and how it relates to our larger fight for equality.

Gordon-Reed is also the author of The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family, which won the Pulitzer Prize in history and the National Book Award for nonfiction—along with fourteen other awards. It explores the inconsistencies of Jefferson’s stance on slavery and his relationship with enslaved woman Sally Hemings, and has been called “the best study of a slave family ever written” by noted Jefferson scholar Joseph Ellis. Her other books include Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy—a rich examination of scholarly writing on the relationships between Jefferson and Hemings, which exposes the possibility that scholars were misguided by their own biases and may even have contorted evidence to preserve their preexisting opinions of Jefferson. Her other book, “Most Blessed of the Patriarchs”: Thomas Jefferson and the Empire of the Imagination, presents a provocative character study of Jefferson that challenges much of the scholarly status quo on his portrayal throughout history. Gordon-Reed’s upcoming title, A Jefferson Reader on Race, is set to be published in 2022.

Her honors include the National Humanities Medal (awarded by President Barack Obama), a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a MacArthur Fellowship. Gordon-Reed was also elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is a member of the Academy’s Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences. In 2019, she was elected a Member of the American Philosophical Society.

 

Social Justice Speaker

 

Dr. Stephen John Quaye (he/him)

Abstract

What is Racial Battle Fatigue, and What Can We Do to Combat It?

The past 18 months has been challenging for many people, particularly students and educators with minoritized racial identities who are navigating dual pandemics: COVID-19 and systemic racism. As students and educators confront these dual pandemics, they are likely experiencing racial battle fatigue, which has negative consequences on their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. The purpose of this keynote is to learn what racial battle fatigue is and offer strategies that educators might use in order to heal. This knowledge will enable educators to understand the impact of racial battle fatigue and take on the onus of addressing racism so that their colleagues of color can rest, recuperate, and heal.

About

Stephen John Quaye is an Associate Professor in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Program at The Ohio State University; Senior Associate Editor of the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education; and Past President of ACPA: College Student Educators International. His research concentrates on engaging students in difficult dialogues about privilege, power, and oppression, and the strategies educators use to facilitate productive dialogues about these topics. His current work focuses on student and scholar activism, as well as the strategies Black student affairs educators use to heal from racial battle fatigue.

Stephen values story-sharing and dialogue as vehicles for fostering change in society and prioritizes empathy and healing in his work as an educator. Numerous campuses have invited him to consult on campus climate, diversity, and equity issues, and he has given over 60 keynotes during his career in higher education. His work is published in different venues, including Teachers College Record, the Journal of College Student Development, and The Review of Higher Education.

Dr. Stephen John Quaye headshot

 

Interviewer

 

Cornelius "Neil" Foote (he/him)

Neil Foote headshot

About

Neil Foote, a member of the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame, is a principal lecturer at UNT’s Mayborn School of Journalism. He currently teaches classes in media entrepreneurship, business journalism, media management and multimedia storytelling. He is director of the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. He is author of Principles of News (Kendall Hunt, 2020) and a contributor to the textbook, Race, Gender, Class, and Media: Studying Mass Communication and Multiculturalism (Kendall Hunt Publisher, 2011, 2017).

Foote has worked at The Miami Herald, The Washington Post, The Dallas Morning News, the Belo Corporation, the Tom Joyner Morning Show and ASNE (now, News Leaders Association).

Foote is a member of the steering committees of Diversity Action Alliance and the Commission on Public Relations Education. He is president of the National Black Public Relations Society, Inc., past chairman of the National Kidney Foundation Serving North Texas, and a past board member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

He grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. and received his B.A. in government from Wesleyan University, a M.S.J. from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, and an M.B.A. from SMU’s Cox School of Business.

 

Presenters

Name (Click for more) Pronouns Title Institution/Company Workshop Session
Aaron Benz headshot

Aaron Benz

he/him/his Degree Analytics Engaging with IT to Accelerate DEI Initiatives on Campus
Alexandria Gurley headshot

Alexandria Gurley, M.A.

she/her/hers Student Affairs Professional/DEI Strategist/Spoken Word Artist Alex Tha Great Inc. I'm a Woman And...
Amairani Espinoza headshot

Amairani Espinoza

she/her/hers DFW Program Manager ImmSchools Race and Immigration: A Student’s Journey
Amanda White Bennett headshot

Amanda White Bennett, Ph.D.

she/her/hers Director of Global Partnerships and Engagement University of North Texas Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: What This Means for Campus Internationalization
Amy Harth headshot

Amy Harth, Ph.D.

she/they Assistant National Dean, Accreditation & Academic Quality DeVry University Ensuring Respect, Equity & Inclusion for Fat People
Angelica Holmes headshot

Angelica Holmes

she/her/hers Director of Operations/ Camp Founder Girls Director Black Outside Race and Immigration: A Student’s Journey
Arshiya Malik headshot

Arshiya Malik

she/her/hers Director of Client Success Aleria Demystifying Inclusion: 9 Focus Areas for Measurable Impact
Brandi Levingston headshot

Brandi Levingston, Ph.D., CRC

she/her/hers Program Director, UNT ELEVAR Inclusive Post-Secondary Program University of North Texas Inclusive Higher Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Brandi Scott headshot

Brandi Scott, Ph.D.

she/her/hers Director University of Texas at San Antonio Building Partnerships for Systemic Change

Brenda Barrio, Ph.D.

she/her/hers Associate Professor of Special Education & UNT ELEVAR Faculty Lead University of North Texas Inclusive Higher Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Chelsea Bassett headshot

Chelsea Bassett, M.Ed.

she/her/hers Director of Student Initiatives and Assessment University of North Texas Beyond the Box: Navigating the Asian American Identity
Christopher Smith headshot

Christopher Smith, Ed.D.

he, him, his Dean of Student Services UA Hope-Texarkana Reframing Allyship: The Noun and Verb
Coby Condrey headshot

Coby Condrey, MLIS

he/him/his Collection Development Liaison Librarian University of North Texas EDI in Organizations: A Libraries’ Perspective

Damian Clarke, Ph.D.

he/him/his Chief Information Officer Meharry Medical College Engaging with IT to Accelerate DEI Initiatives on Campus
Daniel Suda headshot

Daniel Suda, Ph.D. Candidate

he/him/his Director of Affinity Alumni Programming University of North Texas Balancing Two Worlds: Supporting Transracial Asian/American Adoptees in College

David Palumbo, Ph.D.

he/him/his Chief Academic Officer Degree Analytics Engaging with IT to Accelerate DEI Initiatives on Campus
Demetria Miles-McDonald headshot

Demetria Miles-McDonald

she/her/hers Founder and CEO Decide Diversity How to Get Your Organization's DEI Work Unstuck
Desiree Padron headshot

Desiree Padron

she/her/hers Director, First Generation Success Center University of North Texas Supporting First-Generation Students in the Online Environment

Devon West

he/him/his Graduating Student and Accessibility Specialist University of North Texas Creating Accessible Experiences for Students from Freshman to Graduation
Elena Joy Thurston headshot

Elena Joy Thurston

she/her/hers Executive Director Pride and Joy Foundation The ROI of LGBTQ+ Inclusion
Elgrie Hurd III headshot

Elgrie J Hurd III, M.A., M.S.

he/him/his Professor of Psychology and Sociology Dallas College DEI Strategies: When the Pandemic Pauses the World
Eric Green headshot

Eric Green, M.S.O.D.

he/him/his Career Development Specialist University of North Texas Career Center Initiatives to Engage Black and Latinx Students

Ivy Banks, M.Ed., J.D.

she/her/hers Associate Vice Provost Diversity & Inclusion University of Arizona Engaging with IT to Accelerate DEI Initiatives on Campus
Jessica Stone headshot

Jessica Stone, M.S., CRC, LPC

she/her/hers Assistant Director of Accessible Instruction and Assistive Technology University of North Texas Disability and Inclusion
Kelly Evans headshot

Kelly Evans, Ph.D.

she/her/hers Cataloging & Metadata Associate University of North Texas Holding up the Mirror: Exploring White Accountability Groups
Kevin Yanowski headshot

Kevin Yanowski, M.S.

he/him/his Department Head, Cataloging and Metadata Services University of North Texas EDI in Organizations: A Libraries’ Perspective
Khamisie Green headshot

Khamisie Green, M.Ed.

he/him/his Assistant Director of Student Life University of Texas Permian Basin It's Ok to be Black: Programmatic Approaches for Identity Development
Kimberly Mosley headshot

Kimberly Mosley, M.Ed., J.D.

she/her/hers Editorial Assistant/Founder The Mosaic PATH A Mile in Their Shoes: Neurodiversity and Cultural-Based Perspectives
Landon Ellison headshot

Landon Ellison

he/him/his Sr. Director, Office of Outreach University of North Texas Nobody’s Perfect: Implicit Bias in College Admissions
Leslie Ekpe headshot

Leslie Ekpe, M.A., M.B.A.

she, her, hers Graduate Student Texas Christian University Race and Reconciliation: Educate, Engage and Empower

Lilly Ramin, MLS

she/her/hers Sociology Librarian and First Year Experience Coordinator University of North Texas Beyond the Box: Navigating the Asian American Identity
Lisa Russell headshot

Lisa Russell

she/her/hers Co-Founder & CEO Aleria Demystifying Inclusion: 9 Focus Areas for Measurable Impact
LT Robinson headshot

LT Robinson, M.S.

she/her/hers Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Students University of Texas at San Antonio Building Partnerships for Systemic Change
Marcellis Perkins headshot

Marcellis Perkins, M.Ed.

he/him/his Graduate Student Texas Christian University Race and Reconciliation: Educate, Engage and Empower
Margaret Oaikena headshot

Margaret Oaikena, M.Ed.

she/her/hers Assistant Director - Career Center First Year Programming University of North Texas Career Center Initiatives to Engage Black and Latinx Students
Marilu Howard headshot

Marilu Howard, M.S.

she/her/hers Instructional Design Consultant University of North Texas | Center for Leadership, Experimentation, Application, and Research Supporting First-Generation Students in the Online Environment
Megan Cunningham headshot

Megan Cunningham, M.Ed.

she/her/hers Director of Co-Curricular Student Services for Internship Programs University of North Texas - Frisco Holding up the Mirror: Exploring White Accountability Groups
Megan Lawton headshot

Megan Lawton, M.Ed.

she/her/hers Career Coach University of North Texas How Support Can Improve Outcomes for Employees with Mental Illness
Nicole Conant headshot

Nicole Conant, MPA

she/her/hers Associate Director, International Programs and Communication University of North Texas Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: What This Means for Campus Internationalization

Paulina Diaz

she/her/hers Student in Music Education University of North Texas Creating Accessible Experiences for Students from Freshman to Graduation
Rachel Dalton headshot

Rachel Dalton, Ed.D.

she/her/hers TAMS Senior Recruiter University of North Texas Holding up the Mirror: Exploring White Accountability Groups
Rachel Jackson headshot

Rachel Jackson, M.S.

she/her/hers Front Desk Coordinator Heidrick and Struggles Exceeds Standards: Leveraging Employee Evaluations for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Navigating Boundaries in the Workplace with Staff of Color
Randalynn Johnson headshot

Randalynn Johnson, B.A., BEI Level III

she/her/hers Student Services Coordinator/American Sign Language Interpreter University of North Texas Disability and Inclusion
Rekha Gopalakrishnan headshot

Rekha Gopalakrishnan

she/her/hers Senior Immigration Advisor University of North Texas Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: What This Means for Campus Internationalization
Sheryl Burgstahler headshot

Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.

she/her/hers Director, Accessible Technology Services and Adjunct Professor in College of Education University of Washington Addressing Issues Related to Students with Disabilities in DEI Initiatives
Stacey Wolf headshot

Stacey Wolf

she/her/hers Cataloging and Metadata Librarian University of North Texas EDI in Organizations: A Libraries’ Perspective
Stephen John Quaye headshot

Stephen Quaye, Ph.D.

he/him/his Associate Professor Ohio State University Engaging in Dialogues about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Sylviane Greensword headshot

Sylviane Greensword, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow Texas Christian University Race and Reconciliation: Educate, Engage and Empower
Tania Heap headshot

Tania Heap, Ed.D.

she/they Director, Learning Research and Accessibility University of North Texas Creating Accessible Experiences for Students from Freshman to Graduation
Terrian Barnes headshot

Terrian Barnes

she/her/hers Founder/Principal Fe-smart LLC How to Get Your Organization's DEI Work Unstuck

Tishara Jackson, Ed.D., LCDC, CSC

she/her/hers Counselor The Hope Pusher, LLC Equity in School Counseling
Yvonne Dooley headshot

Yvonne Dooley

she/her/hers Business Librarian & Copyright Specialist University of North Texas EDI in Organizations: A Libraries’ Perspective