The live panel series, “We Need To Talk: Conversations on Racism for a More Resilient Las Vegas,” will return with new episodes starting Feb. 4 in conjunction with Black History Month. The series is sponsored by the UNLV Libraries and the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs.
“Much has happened in our world since our last episode in October, and continuing these conversations is essential as we strive to make meaningful change in our city, our state, and our country,” said host Claytee White, who is also director of UNLV’s Oral History Research Center.
All episodes can be viewed on the “We Need To Talk” website.
Feb. 4: This episode will feature conversations on disparities in access to and delivery of health care for people of color. Guests for the conversation include UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield; Jose Melendrez, executive director of community partnerships in the UNLV School of Public Health; and Melva Thompson-Robinson, professor and director of the UNLV Center for Health Disparities Research.
Feb. 11: The next episode will focus on the education system, with an examination of the school-to-prison pipeline and inequality in access to educational opportunities. Scheduled guests include Laurents Bañuelos-Benitez, teacher at Mojave High School;Kenneth Brown, English teacher at Sierra Vista High School and a 2020 Clark County School District New Educator of the Year; Iesha Jackson, assistant professor of teaching and learning in the UNLV College of Education; and Kenneth J. Varner, associate professor of literacy education in the UNLV College of Education.
Feb. 18: A third episode will consider ways to use the information covered in previous topics to pursue meaningful societal change through equity and equality. Guests for the panel include Harriet Barlow, executive director of The Intersection at UNLV; Sondra Cosgrove, professor of history at College of Southern Nevada; Jayce Farmer, assistant professor of public policy and leadership in the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs; and Minister Stretch Sanders, a Southern Nevada community activist.
Feb. 25: The final episode in the series will focus on Las Vegas’ Westside neighborhood. The conversation will examine how the Westside has struggled with the blight of segregation and systemic racism over the years, but is now undergoing a number of positive changes such as the development of Legacy Park along with the potential of government and private funding to change its landscape forever.
Episodes are scheduled to stream live at 5:30 p.m. Archives of each episode will be available on the site along with a resource guide with links to additional readings and other resources on each topic.
Additional funding for this series provided by UNLV Libraries Advisory Board Members Sara Mason, Geri Tomich, and Jerrie Merritt (Bank of Nevada).
