By Jeff Bunch
Author and educator Tim Wise was introduced to an EWU audience on Thursday in the context of icons such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Angela Davis and Cornell West.
Wise humbly accepted his introduction, but then drew a distinction with the honorable association he is white. He then kept a packed Showalter Auditorium engaged for the next hour with a frank discussion about race relations in the U.S.
The truths that I tell are not my own, Wise acknowledged, but he cautioned against a trend he described as commemorative mode, as the country celebrates anniversaries of civil rights battles fought.
When we look back, we dont look forward, said Wise, who was making his first appearance on campus. He then moved through examples from the 1960s to the present day, including Ferguson and beyond.
His message, delivered with doses of statistics and dark humor, was ultimately one of seeking solutions to what divides us. He pointed out that in 30 years or so, our demographics will be even more diverse and we better begin to understand each others perspectives better.
His speech was entitled, Combating Racism: From Ferguson to the Voting Booth to the Border. He covered the topic expertly, adroitly moving between issues related to being black and/or brown. His delivery was powerful and often spared no prisoners in its content.
After Wise finished speaking, the floor was opened to questions from the diverse audience in attendance. An undocumented student spoke of his unique struggle, as did a black student who has done research on race relations.
Wise encouraged both the students and the audience to press on and be part of the solution, first and foremost by not being afraid of having discussions about race otherwise progress cant occur.
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Wise event caps busy month of Black History programs