Western Reads to host Robin DiAngelo Nov. 9

Western Reads is hosting Robin DiAngelo from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9 in Fraser Hall 102.  Her talk entitled, “Why is it so Hard to Talk about Race?  How Whiteness Frames the Conversation,” will be the first event held in conjunction with this year’s book, "Between the World and Me," by Ta-Nehisi Coates. 

DiAngelo will speak between 4-5 p.m., with a Q & A to follow.  Her books will be for sale at the event, and she will be available to sign them.   This event is free and open to the public; faculty are welcome to bring classes.

DiAngelo is a former Associate Professor of Education. She is a two-time winner of the Student's Choice Award for Educator of the Year from the University of Washington's School of Social Work. Her scholarship is in White Racial Identity and Race Relations. In addition to her academic work, DiAngelo has extensive experience as a workplace consultant in issues of race relations and racial justice. She was appointed to co-design the City of Seattle's Race & Social Justice Initiative training. She has numerous publications and just completed the 2nd edition of her book, “What Does it Mean to be White?: Developing White Racial Literacy." Her work on White Fragility has influenced the national dialogue on race, and been featured in Alternet, Salon, NPR, The Atlantic, Slate and Colorlines.

Western Reads is co-sponsoring this event along with the Graduate School, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and Western's Woodring College of Education.