Encouraging More Conversations About Race

Excerpts from an interview with Soledad O'Brien on Essence.com

You have to gather people together to have really tough and thoughtful conversations. You’re never going to solve any issues around race by not talking about it. You have to really have awkward, uncomfortable conversations about access, equity and white supremacy. It’s kind of a step forward that (this is) something we’re even discussing. If you want innovation in thought, you have to tackle some tough questions that deal with data and statistics that we know are pretty bad...

Many times, I’ve done a panel on immigration that had no Latinos; a panel on race that had no black people; a panel on women that had no women. I’m interested in making sure the conversations we’re having include the people who are embedded in that conversation.

You would think by watching television that every economist is a 65 year old white guy. But really, there’s women who are economists. There are people of color who are economists. They also have perspectives on what is happening in America and we can elevate those conversations.