Center for Racial Justice

Five successful academicians from a variety of disciplines will discuss their work and perspectives regarding racial justice and public policy. April, 2024.

National social policy leader Cecilia Muñoz, in conversation with Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes will reflect on her eight years in the Obama administration and domestic policy work on the Biden transition team. April, 2024.

Chloë Cheyenne will be in conversation with Christian Davenport, PhD about COMMUNITYx, a digital platform for activism, founded by Cheyenne, that connects like-minded changemakers to take collective action on social justice-oriented causes.

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Kyra Harris Bolden discusses her journey to the Michigan Supreme Court and the intersection of race and the law in the past and present. November, 2023.

Seth Gershenson, Michael Hansen, and Constance Lindsay address the historic and contemporary factors that have kept people of color out of teaching. January, 2023.

With Dr. Celeste Watkins-Hayes, Angela Harrelson, aunt of George Floyd and author of Lift Your Voice will share her journey into racial justice activism and her work in this space. January, 2023.

The Center for Racial Justice presents John N. Robinson III, in conversation with Dr. Celeste Watkins-Hayes on housing. November, 2022.

Bianca Wilson discusses LGBTQ rights in a speaker series that focuses on the historical roots and impact of race in shaping public policy as both a disciplinary field and as a course of action. October, 2022.

Steven W. Thrasher, Ph.D., is the inaugural Daniel H. Renberg Chair of social justice in reporting (with an emphasis on issues relevant to the LGBTQ community) and an assistant professor of journalism.

Join Ford School Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes and Paula Lantz as they discuss the devastating structural inequities exposed by the COVID pandemic—and why all policymakers must now be equipped with a toolkit for navigating pandemics.

Four leading experts in firearm violence will offer their insights big picture policy implications of and potential solutions for firearm violence. September, 2022.

The Center for Racial Justice presents Melissa Murray, in conversation with Dr. Celeste Watkins-Hayes on reproductive justice. September, 2022.

Joneigh Khaldun and Celeste Watkins-Hayes they will reflect on the two-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and will discuss the key lessons learned from Michigan's Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities. June, 2022.

The final event in the COVID-19 reflections series will feature Joneigh Khaldun and Celeste Watkins-Hayes, who will reflect togther on the two-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and will discuss the key lessons learned.

Cameron Webb and Luke Shaefer will reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic and will discuss the national response and strategies used to address and mitigate racial disparities. May, 2022.

Julian Brave NoiseCat gives the 2022 Commencement Charge of the Class. April, 2022.

Crystal Olalde-Garcia gives remarks on behalf of graduating MPP/MPA class at the 2022 Ford School Commencement. April, 2022.

Gerald Sill gives remarks on behalf of the graduating BA class at the 2022 Ford School Commencement. April, 2022.

Betsey Stevenson gives the remarks on behalf of the faculty at the 2022 Ford School Commencement. April, 2022.

U-M Provost Susan Collins welcomes the class of 2022. April, 2022.

U-M Regent Paul Brown speech at the 2022 Ford School Commencement. April, 2022.

Ford School Dean, Michael S. Barr, welcomes graduates and their families and gives opening remarks for the 2022 Ford School Commencement. April, 2022.

The Ford School is proud to celebrate the achievements of the graduating classes of 2022!

Dorothy Roberts will share her new book Torn Apart and her belief that the only way to stop the destruction caused by family policing is to abolish the child welfare system and liberate Black communities. April, 2022.

This first event in our COVID-19 reflections series will feature a panel discussion on the local impact of safety nets on communities of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. April, 2022.

Please join us for the final event in an inaugural series convened by the Center for Racial Justice - a conversation with two leading human rights advocates, Gay McDougall and Jamil Dakwar. March, 2022.

American Bar Association President and Michigan alumnus Reginald M. Turner will share more on his leadership at the ABA and his work on some of its most pressing issues like access to legal services and judicial reform. March, 2022.

Please join Robert Fatton and Millery Polyneé for a conversation on how race and racism have affected international governance interventions, including international policing and development initiatives. March, 2022.