Talking about race
Rinku Sen, the president and executive director of Race Forward: The Center for Racial Justice Innovation — a group that produces research, media, and initiatives to advance racial equity — spoke on Oct. 14 at MIT on the Black Lives Matter movement and race in America. The presentation, which was sponsored by MIT’s Institute Community and Equity Office and open to the public, was followed by small group discussions among attendees. Colorblindness “In our political and social discourse, the debate over whether or not we’re allowed to say ‘black lives matter’ is really about whether or not we’re allowed to be explicit about racial discrimination at this point in our nation’s history,” Sen said. “What we’re embroiled in as a country is a debate actually about the very nature and definition of racism, and what counts as racial discrimination.” Sen noted that the Black Lives Matter movement has come a long way in reaching...