Book Talk – Race & Social Equity: A Nervous Area of Government

Like the air we breathe, nervousness about race surrounds us. This webinar launches a pragmatic, solution-oriented discussion about race and social equity in government through a presentation and facilitated discussion with the author of a new book, Race and Social Equity: A Nervous Area of Government.  The book contends that social equity, specifically racial equity, is a nervous area of government. Over the course of history, this nervousness has resulted in an inability to seriously advance the reduction of racial inequities in government. Until this nervousness is effectively managed, efforts designed to reduce racial inequities in the public sector cannot realize their full potential. The webinar includes highlights from government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels that are “ahead of the curve” in navigating this nervous area of government.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan T. Gooden – professor and executive director, Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University

Susan T. Gooden, Ph.D., is a professor of Public Administration and Policy in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs and executive director of the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).  She has is the author or co-author of two books, scholarly articles, book chapters, and technical reports in the areas of social equity, welfare policy, and post-secondary education.  She has conducted several research studies for MDRC, as well as for other national research organizations.  She teaches courses in Public Policy and Administration, Social Equity and Public Policy Analysis, Research Methods, and Social Welfare Policy. She is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and the Vice-President of the American Society for Public Administration. She  is an elected member of the national policy council of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) and was appointed to the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation, the accrediting arm of the Network of Associated Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). Gooden is a faculty affiliate at Duke University’s Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality. She is the recipient of a Fulbright Specialist Award to Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

J. Paul Blake serves as director of Communications and External Relations for the Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. He has an extensive public relations career in higher education and municipal government and has been a contributor to numerous books and publications on public relations, communications, marketing and public administration.

Currently serving his second term as District IV Representative to ASPA’s National Council, Blake is a member of ASPA’s Governance Committee and recently served on the Ethics Committee which revised the Society’s Code of Ethics and the Ethics and Standards Implementation Committee.  ASPA’s Evergreen Chapter received numerous awards from ASPA National during Blake’s three terms as chapter president. He received a Lifetime of Public Service Award from the Evergreen Chapter in 2013.  As a member of two ASPA delegations, Blake has presented papers in Japan and South Korea.

Blake previously served as Community Relations Development Director at Seattle Public Utilities’ where he also served as the department’s Communications Director. SPU’s Employee Recognition Committee selected Blake to receive the Distinguished Achievement Award, an honor rarely given as part of the department’s Employee Recognition program.

REGISTER: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/972817186

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