15
April 2011
Past Event
Race and Racism in America: Are We Now A Color Blind Society?

Race and Racism in America: Are We Now A Color Blind Society?

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
April 15, 2011
Share:
Default Event Image
15
April 2011
Past Event

1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Read Transcript Read Transcript Read Transcript
Speakers:
William Schambra,

Hudson Senior Fellow and Director, Bradley Center for Philanthropy & Civic Renewal

Ron Christie,

CEO of Christie Strategies and author

Dr. Gail Christopher,

Vice President of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Sterling Speirn,

President and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Stephan Thernstrom,

Winthrop Research Professor of History at Harvard University

A year ago, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation announced its "America Healing" initiative, a five-year, $75 million program of grants focusing "on bringing healing to divided communities and bridging racial gaps in the areas of education, health, juvenile justice, economic success, the media, and other areas."

Writing in NCRP's Responsive Philanthropy, Dr. Gail Christopher, Kellogg's vice president for program strategy, noted that the initiative reflects a belief that "our racialized social and opportunity structures have generated and continue to generate two consistent outcomes: privilege for some, and obstacles, pain and suffering for others." Acknowledging this fact, however painful, is the "beginning of the healing process." "In mandating that the W.K. Kellogg Foundation become an effective anti-racist organization," she wrote, "the foundation's board of trustees acknowledged both the implicit benefits of white privilege and the foundation's obligation to be responsive to the needs produced by centuries of structural racism."

Kellogg's announcement was viewed skeptically by Stephan Thernstrom, Winthrop Research Professor of History at Harvard University. Writing for the Wall Street Journal, he asked "What evidence convinced Kellogg that racism is such a clear-and-present danger to the children of America today? Foundation officials point to racial and ethnic disparities. . . . But is it self-evident that these economic and educational differences are simply or even largely 'the consequences of racism.'"

Hudson Institute's Bradley Center held a discussion of the "America Healing" initiative and its intellectual underpinnings.

Recommended Reading

Dr. Gail C. Christopher, DN, "Healing America: A Funder’s Commitment to
Racial Equity(Healing America: A Funder's Commitment to Racial Equity)":http://www.ncrp.org/files/rp-articles/rp-summer10-christopher.pdf, Responsive Philanthropy,(Summer 2010)

Stephan Thernstrom, Kellogg's Bet on 'Racial Healing,' Wall Street Journal, May 21, 2010

Related Events
See More
19
May 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Environmental Agendas, Geopolitical Ends: Climate Policy and Great Power Competition
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Zineb Riboua
Brenda Shaffer
Sam Cooper
Getty Images
19
May 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Environmental Agendas, Geopolitical Ends: Climate Policy and Great Power Competition

To examine this emerging challenge, Senior Fellow Dr. Michael Doran will convene a conversation with Research Fellow Zineb Riboua, Professor Brenda Shaffer—Research Faculty Member at the US Naval Postgraduate School and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council—and Sam Cooper, an award-winning investigative journalist focusing on China-Canada relations.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Zineb Riboua
Brenda Shaffer
Sam Cooper
Learn More
20
May 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
A Conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy of the United States, Sarah B. Rogers
Featured Speakers:
Sarah B. Rogers
Zineb Riboua
Eric Schmitt
Michael Doran
Getty Images
20
May 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
A Conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy of the United States, Sarah B. Rogers

Please join the Hudson Institute for a conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers and Hudson Research Fellow Zineb Riboua on how the United States is adapting its public diplomacy tools to advance its interests abroad, counter censorship, promote free speech, and leverage artificial intelligence to deliver more effective, targeted messaging.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Sarah B. Rogers
Zineb Riboua
Eric Schmitt
Michael Doran
Learn More
11
May 2026
Past Event
Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China
Featured Speakers:
Eyck Freymann
Jason Hsu
Getty Images
11
May 2026
Past Event
Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China

With Jason Hsu, Freymann will discuss how the United States and its partners can adapt to China’s evolving strategy and develop a coherent plan to prevent conflict while safeguarding Taiwan’s future.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Eyck Freymann
Jason Hsu
Learn More
08
May 2026
Past Event
Voices Inside Iran: The Internal Dimension of Operation Epic Fury
Featured Speakers:
Zineb Riboua
Mariam Memarsadeghi
Samira Gharaee
Getty IMages
08
May 2026
Past Event
Voices Inside Iran: The Internal Dimension of Operation Epic Fury

Research Fellow Zineb Riboua will discuss how the war is reshaping Iranian society with Mariam Memarsadeghi, who researches civil society, democratic movements, and civic education inside Iran and Samira Gharaei, who reports on political developments and public sentiment across Iranian media.

Getty IMages
Featured Speakers:
Zineb Riboua
Mariam Memarsadeghi
Samira Gharaee
Learn More
See More
Related Research
See More
See More