The election of Barack Obama to the US presidency in 2008 seemed to signal a shift in the way we talk and think about race in the US. For many, it meant the opportunity to broach the topic of race more openly, even when that included addressing claims of a “post-racial” America. Now that Obama’s presidency has ended, conversations about race continue to dominate. Join writer and professor Kim Singletary in a conversation that explores the challenges and benefits of this shift in national racial consciousness and asks us to consider the ways that we are more or less reluctant to discuss race with our family, friends, and strangers. The conversation will also touch on best practices for encouraging constructive “race talks” within participants’ communities. Read more.

This event will take place in the Carnegie Room at McMinnville Public Library