February 5, 2004
Contact: Jean DeCosta
(805) 756-6770
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Social-Justice Activist to Speak on Racism Feb. 19
SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Tim Wise, one of the most prominent white anti-racist voices in the United States, will present “Beyond Diversity: Challenging Racism in an Age of Backlash” Feb. 19 at Cal Poly.
Wise will speak at 7 p.m. in Philips Hall in the Performing Arts Center. During the day, he will meet with students and members of the faculty and instructional staff.
Wise has been a social justice activist for the past two decades. He has trained labor, government, corporate and law-enforcement officials on methods for dismantling racism in their institutions and has served as a consultant for plaintiff’s attorneys in federal discrimination cases in New York and Washington state. As a visiting faculty member at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., he has trained journalists in how to eliminate racial bias in reporting.
Cornel Morton, Cal Poly's vice president for student affairs, linked Wise’s visit with other speakers who have visited the campus this academic year to promote dialogue and discussion about issues of diversity, student success and civility.
“Tim Wise is a leading young social critic and will be an inspiration to our students as well as a catalyst for further campus discussion of these important issues,” Morton said.
Wise’s visit is made possible through sponsorship by the College of Liberal Arts, the Student Affairs Division, Student Life and Leadership, The Center for Teaching and Learning, the Office of Campus Relations/Equal Employment Opportunity and ASI Student Government.
For more information on events planned for Wise’s visit, call Jean DeCosta at 756-6770 or look on the Web at www.calpoly.edu/~ocr.
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