Archive Posts
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Outside Consultant: What Should Business Leaders Consider in Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.?
Diversity, Equity and InclusionThis "Outside Consultant" column by Dr. Yohuru Williams, founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative, ran in the Star Tribune on Jan. 17, 2022. As we mark the federal holiday commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, many are wondering how best to honor the memory and legacy of this civil rights leader. His family has called for no celebration…
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Acting on Martin Luther King Jr.’s Call
Anti-racism effortsReverend Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “There are some things in our society, some things in our world, to which we should never be adjusted.” In that 1967 address, King elaborated that those things are poverty, racial inequality, denial of equal rights to people of color, to LGBTQIA+ communities, religious bigotry, Islamophobia and others. … -
Yohuru Williams Named to Governor’s Council on Justice Reinvestment
Anti-racism effortsDr. Yohuru Williams, founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative (RJI) at the University of St. Thomas, is one of 15 leaders from across Minnesota recently named to the Governor’s Council on Justice Reinvestment. This bipartisan effort, convened by Gov. Tim Walz, is aimed at reducing recidivism (chance for re-offenses) of people on probation and supervised… -
In the News: Dr. MayKao Hang Discusses Need for More Nurses
In the NewsDr. MayKao Hang, founding dean of the Morrison Family College of Health, spoke with Minnesota Live on KSTP-TV about the national nursing shortage due to retirements and burnout. She said the new School of Nursing program that is now taking applications for fall 2022 will educate more nurses into the field. However, she said, "Before… -
In the News: Dougherty Family College Is Providing Lower Tuition to Minority Students
Anti-racism effortsBuffy Smith, interim dean of the Dougherty Family College at the University of St. Thomas, was interviewed on WCCO Radio's "The Sheletta Show." Highlighting how the college offers an associate degree designed to propel students towards success and provide a smooth transition to a four-year college, Smith explained how DFC's structure and support helps provide… -
In the News: St. Thomas' School of Nursing Plans to Target Underserved Communities
Diversity, Equity and InclusionMayKao Hang, the dean of the Morrison Family College of Health, spoke with reporter Fred Melo of the Pioneer Press about plans to have 30% of the inaugural class of the university's new School of Nursing be people who are from rural and disadvantaged communities or have a heritage that is of Black, Indigenous or… -
Humans of St. Thomas: Faith Guides First DFC Student Body President
Faith and MissionAs a Muslim American, Mesum Haider ’19 AA, '22 said he felt overlooked academically, personally and socially at his suburban public high school that was more than 90% white. He had a very different experience once he stepped through the doors of Dougherty Family College (DFC) in 2017. There, where the student population was majority… -
Tommie Experts: On Trials, Vigilantes and Citizen's Arrests
Business & LawDr. Yohuru Williams, founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas, discussed recent court trials in a panel discussion he moderated between two of the university’s School of Law professors, Rachel Moran and Mark Osler, both former prosecutors. They examined what was at the root of the killings of George… -
Five Observations: First Friday With St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter
Five ObservationsSt. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter joined Dr. Yohuru Williams, founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative, for a virtual discussion on government, equity, generational trauma and more on Nov. 19. Carter, who took office as the capital city’s mayor in 2018, views the Twin Cities as an opportunity to be an example of equity and inclusion in critical sectors such as housing, education and… -
St. Thomas Establishes Scholarship in Memory of George Floyd and U.S. Rep. John Lewis
Anti-racism effortsIn an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the University of St. Thomas recently established the Good Trouble Legacy Scholarship to support undergraduate students whose identities are underrepresented at the university or whose studies focus on racial and social justice. The Good Trouble Legacy Scholarship, formerly known as the Racial Justice Scholarship, was conceived…