More information:
Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, Assistant Dean for Civic Engagement
312-480-1868, vmdsoto@austin.utexas.edu
Series will focus on systemic racism, policing reform and fair elections.
Austin, TX — The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin will launch its summer series "LBJ In the Arena: Building on the Civil and Voting Rights Legacy of LBJ" on July 1. The series will focus on topics including systemic racism, policing reform and fair elections, with virtual sessions scheduled biweekly on Wednesdays via Zoom through Aug. 25. LBJ faculty will talk with policymakers, practitioners and scholars about the challenges and opportunities in creating meaningful reforms and legislation.
"We are proud to present this series that will explore ways to build on the civil rights legacy of our namesake, President Lyndon B. Johnson, who through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, enacted real, lasting and meaningful change in our society." —LBJ School Dean Angela Evans
"The events over the past month have ignited outrage about systemic racism in this country and galvanized calls for policy reforms to address the fundamental inequities that far too many Americans experience in their daily lives,” said LBJ School Dean Angela Evans. "We are proud to present this series that will explore ways to build on the civil rights legacy of our namesake, President Lyndon B. Johnson, who through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, enacted real, lasting and meaningful change in our society.”
LBJ faculty experts will talk with policymakers, practitioners and scholars about the challenges and opportunities in creating meaningful reforms and legislation — and actionable steps toward real change. The series will explore ways we can build on the civil rights legacy of Lyndon Johnson who through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 enacted real, lasting and meaningful change going forward.
LBJ School launches virtual series, 'LBJ In the Arena,' to explore public policy’s critical role in dealing with COVID-19 (April 1, 2016)
The premiere summer session on July 1, "American While Black – Reaching the Policy Tipping Point," will feature Dr. Niambi Carter, associate professor at Howard University and author of American While Black: African Americans, Immigration, and the Limits of Citizenship. As the racial crisis of this moment is the product of numerous recent events situated within a context of systemic racism, Carter will discuss how public policies such as the "war on drugs" have entrenched inequitable systems, and what policy change is necessary for Black Americans in this country to not just survive but thrive. Register for the summer sessions.
The full schedule of sessions will be announced on a rolling basis. "LBJ In the Arena: Building on the Civil and Voting Rights Legacy of LBJ" comes on the heels of the "LBJ In the Arena" spring series, which focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, and featured policymakers, practitioners, scholars and creative thinkers leading coronavirus response and recovery. All session content, including associated videos, readings and summaries, is free and available on the LBJ School website and YouTube channel.