Race and Social Justice - by Kendra Jason (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This book is designed to support college and university members as they navigate and aim to eliminate individual, interpersonal, and institutional discrimination and seek to create more inclusive workplaces and learning environments for faculty, staff, and students. Through the narratives of faculty and staff from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the University of North Carolina Charlotte, who were charged with dismantling anti-Black racism, we learn from their concerns, challenges, successes, and change process; as well as what works and does not when building diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice into the fabric of a large college. This book centers the work of six Race and Social Justice working groups. Each chapter will detail research in the areas of self-reflection, anti-racist workplace practices, policy, faculty research and outreach, graduate recruitment and success, and undergraduate student success. National and college level statistics are provided as context for recommendations, action steps, and suggested short and long-term planning towards racial equity in higher education.

About the Author

Dr. Kendra Jason (PhD, North Carolina State University, Sociology) served as the in inaugural Race and Social Justice Advocate for UNC Charlotte's College of Liberal Arts & Sciences from 2021-2023. She is an associate professor of Sociology with nearly 20 years of diversity, equity, and inclusion experience. She is currently the Executive Fellow for Strategic Initiatives in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion where she is responsible for serving as the strategic leader for the inclusive excellence plan implementation and as chief operating officer, leading organizational change efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion, while maintaining close relationships with numerous stakeholders.