In response to the renewed crisis brought by the death of George Floyd and other events, nine faculty members shared their perspectives on systemic racism and racial inequities, specifically addressing where we are now as a society, how we got to where we are today, how we can better understand the moment, and how we move forward (what can St. Louis and Washington University do better). For this feature project, which appeared in the November 2020 issue, Washington Magazine partnered with The Common Reader, (another Washington University publication that offers the best in reviews, articles, and creative nonfiction), which also ran the collection. The Common Reader’s editor, esteemed Professor Gerald Early, served as a contributing editor on the magazine feature.
What resulted was an in-depth look at the issues, and how our faculty are steeped in the areas of racial justice in their research. The magazine feature also included a short sidebar about actions the university was taking to address racial equity and justice, including creating a Racial Equity Action Plan, guided by our institution’s mission of research, teaching, and patient care.
The set of essays were well-received by our readers, who appreciated our honest look at these very important issues of our time, as well as WashU’s efforts to understand and create positive change for our community.
From the Judges
Wash U did an excellent job of creating a feature out of what is really a Q&A in disguise, and they are to be commended for it.
