American Public Square At Jewell And The Forward Host ANTI-RACISM: THE SOLUTION OR PART OF THE PROBLEM?

In the wake of the George Floyd murder, the call for racial justice and equality has become amplified and increasingly widespread across the nation. One solution has been the "anti-racist" philosophy, popularized by writers like Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DiAngelo. But a new Black intelligentsia has been pushing back against what they say is a racial essentialism baked into the anti-racist theory.

On Tuesday evening, Dec. 1, join American Public Square at Jewell and The Forward newspaper for an enlightening panel discussion, "Anti-Racism: The Solution or Part of the Problem?". The 5 p.m. virtual program will explore the ideas between thinkers on both sides of this controversial and timely topic. The program is free, but registration is required at: https://bit.ly/3nvAAcC

APS is excited to partner with The Forward, America's leading Jewish voice in journalism since 1897, reporting on cultural, social and political issues. This program kicks off APS' Race and Identity Series that will continue throughout 2021. The series will explore race in a way that is relevant to the world we live in today.

"Race and identity issues have regained a place of prominence in our national consciousness in 2020, and the concept of anti-racism is a byproduct of this movement," said Claire Bishop, APS Executive Director. "It is our goal with this program to create space to respectfully examine whether anti-racism offers an effective solution to address issues of race and racism in our communities."

APS Program Director Denesha Snell will moderate the program with distinguished panelists including:

• Kmele Foster is a co-founder at Freethink and serves as a lead producer. Foster's projects have included shows about the intersection of culture and revolution ("Pop Revolution"), fractious political debates ("Crossing the Divide"), and world-changing innovation ("Challengers," "Super Human"). Foster is a regular contributor to various national outlets and co-hosts a syndicated media commentary podcast, The Fifth Column. In addition to his work in media and commentary, Foster has previously led ventures in the technology, telecommunications and consumer goods industries.

• Issac Bailey, a 2014 Nieman Fellow, is a journalist, race relations seminar creator and facilitator, and the author of "Why Didn't We Riot? A Black Man in Trumpland". Bailey is also the author of "My Brother Moochie: Regaining Dignity in the Face of Crime, Poverty, and Racism in the American South". He has contributed to Politico, CNN.com, Time, and The Washington Post. He is a former columnist and senior writer for The Sun News in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and he was a 2011 recipient of a Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism for stories about a child protection case. Subsequently, South Carolina revamped the way it handles such cases.

• John McWhorter is an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, where he teaches linguistics, American studies and music history. McWhorter hosts Slate's language podcast, "Lexicon Valley," and is a contributing editor at The Atlantic. McWhorter is the author of over 20 books, including "The Power of Babel," "The Language Hoax," and the upcoming "Nine Nasty Words", as well as "Losing the Race". He has also created five audiovisual courses on language in the "Great Courses" series. McWhorter is a former contributing editor at The New Republic and has written for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

In addition to the panel discussion, those participating in the Dec. 1 Zoom Webinar will be able to ask questions through the Q&A function.

For more information about this or any of APS programs, please visit the organization's web site at www.americanpublicsquare.org.

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