‘Racism In America' Series Returns To Montco Community College

Press release from the Montgomery County Community College:

Eric Devlin

January 17, 2023

Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) and its Arts and Culture office are proud to announce the return of the popular Richard K. Bennett Distinguished
Lectureship for Social Peace and Justice Series presentation “Racism in America,”
for its third season.

The three-session virtual series begins Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 12:30 p.m. and, this
year, will focus on the intersectionality of race, class and gender as weapons of
oppression. The second and third sessions will be held Wednesday, Feb. 8 and Wednesday,
Feb. 22, respectively. The series is facilitated by MCCC Professor of English Dr.
Fran L. Lassiter.

Each online session is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Dr. Lassiter and Brent Woods, Senior Director of Arts and Culture, said it’s a thrill
to have the Racism in America series return because it will continue this important
dialogue and provide an opportunity to highlight the College’s faculty.

“A key piece of this year’s series is engaging our brilliant faculty here at the College
into the conversation,” said Woods. “Where people will really gain a clearer understanding
of the people who teach about these subjects here at Montco and in some cases experience
it. This is a wonderful opportunity for not only our students, but for our external
community to have first-hand experience at the level of knowledge and wisdom on our
campuses every day.”

“We have the opportunity showcase our faculty as scholars,” said Lassiter. “I think
one thing we forget is our faculty are teachers, but they have individual interest
and research outside the classroom. I’m excited for them to show a side of their expertise
outside the classroom and engage with other faculty as well.”

Leading the first session in the Racism in America series, “Ethnicity and Culture:
Understanding Race as a Social Construct,” will be MCCC Assistant Professor of History
and Lecture Series Liaison Sanket H. Desai.

“The terms culture, ethnicity, and race are often used interchangeably; however, each
term is distinctly different,” according to the session description. “While race is
a social construct – associated with skin color and physical features – culture and
ethnicity are determined by less obvious traits. In this session, we will explore
the concept of race as a social construct to gain a better understanding of the ways
that culture and ethnicity more accurately determine one’s identity. Additionally,
the session will examine the differences between race, culture, and ethnicity, and
in the process gain a better understanding of how and why racism is based on a flawed
understanding of identity.”

The second session “Class and Economics: How Society Views African American Men Economically”
will be led by MCCC Assistant Professor of Mathematics Dr. Durrell Jones.

“It is impossible to discuss the intersection of race and class without a clear understanding
of the historical foundations of both,” according to the session description. “In
this session, we will explore the origins of race and class distinctions that shape
many of today’s institutions and perpetuate economic disparity between the races.
Covering topics related to slavery, emancipation, immigration, and the American Dream,
this session will examine the concept of social mobility and the ways in which a class-based
merit system continues to limit access and opportunities for minorities.”

The third and final session this year, “Gender: The intersectionality of Race and
Gender” will be led by MCCC Mass Media Studies and Production instructor and Sexuality
and Gender Alliance club advisor Chera Watson.

“Similar to race, gender is also a social construct. In society, we tend to use the
terms “sex” and “gender” interchangeably, and although they are connected, they are
not the same,” according to the session description. “In this session, we will explore
the intersectionality of race and gender and resulting social and political inequities.
In particular, the session will consider the ways in which race further marginalizes
women, often rendering them “invisible” and victims of politically and socially biased
systems.”

There will also be three Hearing and Healing workshops online led by Dr. Keima Sheriff,
founder of Dr. Kem Speaks. These free Zoom discussions online will not be recorded and will allow participants
to reflect on the themes presented in the sessions, allow people to process their
thoughts and feelings on what they have learned. The sessions will look to give people
agency over their lives and become more engaged and encouraged to actively participate
in the healing and reimagining of race in America. Each session is open to the community,
but registration is required.

“These sessions will not be recorded and will give people a chance to open and be
more candid than they might be otherwise,” said Dr. Lassiter. “I strongly encourage
audience members to attend these sessions, too.”

The Richard K. Bennett Distinguished Lectureship for Social Peace and Justice is supported
through an endowment made from the William Penn Foundation through the Bennett Fund
of the Montgomery County Community College Foundation. The entire series is sponsored
by The Black Reserve Bookstore.

For more information about the ‘Racism in America’ series and ticket information,
visit the landing page.

This press release was produced by the Montgomery County Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.