Robert Jones joined the GRA on Monday afternoon and gave a dynamic presentation on racial equity. He began by establishing a set of rules for engaging in this discussion, all with the ultimate goal of creating an atmosphere of curiosity and open communication. The group engaged in activities to explore our own biases, blinders, and perspectives; and discussed race, racism, racial equity, and white supremacy culture, establishing the Tenets of Racial Equity beginning with self-critical reflection and concluding with articulating success.

He concluded the session with a history lesson on Bacon’s Rebellion, presented through a rap song and video featuring unique graphic design in How America Invented Race. This moment in history marks the first time the word “white” was used in a legal document in reference to race. The lessons from Jones’ presentation are directly useful in promoting more authentic and equitable workplaces! We thank him for joining us at the 2023 GRA Conference.