Reckoning: Responding to the Backlash to EDI in the US and Beyond

Book Talk and Conversation with Professor Terri Givens, University of British Columbia. Professor Givens will discuss her new book: Reckoning: Creating Positive Change Through Radical Empathy.

Anti-racist movements have continued to grow worldwide after the death of George Floyd in 2020. Following the BLM protests, many promises were made to deal with the impact of structural discrimination. While this led to more talk than action, there has also been meaningful change, some of which has gone under the radar. The US media focused primarily on the backlash that resulted in book bans and laws against having DEI offices in universities. In contrast, this book, a follow-up to Terri Givens’ best-selling book Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides, highlights the promises which were delivered. It focuses on hope and taking action and creating a positive environment including the use of the radical empathy approach to empower ongoing change.

Terri Givens is a Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. From 2021 to 2024 she was a Professor at McGill University where she served as the Provost's Advisor on the Strategy to Address Anti-Black Racism at McGill University. In this role she supported the provost's office's work to increase the hiring of and support for Black faculty, staff and students. She also worked with McGill’s Dean of Arts to develop a DEI strategy for the faculty. She is formerly the CEO of the Center for Higher Education Leadership and has worked with a variety of colleges, universities and ed tech companies on issues related to innovation and excellence in higher education. As the author of the book “Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides,” she is a sought after consultant and speaker on issues related to leadership and inclusion.

Event Chair: Claire Herbert, Head of EDI and Staff Wellbeing, SOAS, University of London