The second edition of The Dean’s Lecture Series on Education, Diversity and Democracy, presented by UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School, will feature a lecture by Dr. Daniel G. Solorzano—“ Using the Critical Race Tool of Racial Microaggressions to Examine Everyday Racism in Academic and Social Spaces.” This event, which is free and open to the public, takes place on Monday, April 23 at 6 pm in UC Santa Barbara’s MultiCultural Theater. Solorzano is a Professor of Social Science and Comparative Education in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at University of California, Los Angeles.
At this lecture, Solorzano will use a Critical Race Theory framework and the tools of racial microaggressions to study everyday racism inside and outside of university spaces. He will share various forms of data and working models to examine racial microaggressions, exploring the trajectory of this research and the questions yet unanswered. Lastly, he will engage our colleagues in a dialogue about how we can improve the university learning environments to maximize engagement, learning and discovery for our increasingly diverse communities.
The objectives of the presentation are to:
1. Help participants gain a better understanding of racial microaggressions and their impact on the campus racial climate;
2. Increase participants’ effectiveness at recognizing, interrupting, and responding to racial microaggressions; and
3. Discuss tools and strategies for developing an on-going inclusive campus racial climate.
Daniel Solorzano is a Professor of Social Science and Comparative Education at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is also the inaugural Director of the Center for Critical Race Studies at UCLA. His teaching and research interests include critical race theory in education; racial microaggressions; critical race spatial analysis; and critical race pedagogy. Solorzano has authored over 100 research articles, book chapters, and research reports on issues related to educational access and equity for underrepresented student populations and communities in the United States. In 2007, he received the UCLA Distinguished Teacher Award. In 2012, Solorzano was presented the American Education Research Association (AERA) Social Justice in Education Award. In 2014, he was selected as a Fellow of the American Education Research Association. In 2017, Solorzano received the inaugural Revolutionary Mentor Award from the Critical Educators for Social Justice (CESJ) within the American Educational Research Association (AERA).
The Dean’s Lecture Series on Education, Diversity and Democracy brings preeminent thought leaders, educators, public figures who will stimulate us to reflect on the important role that education plays, or should play, in helping to build a democratic society that is becoming increasingly diverse. Dean Milem says, “While these topics and issues have always been important to explore, the current state of public discourse greatly amplifies the need for us all to engage in critical conversations that will enhance our understanding and create collective action.” Dean Milem himself gave the initial lecture for the series to a full house at the MCC Theater in October 2017.