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1619: Racial Barriers to Social Engagement

Our next 1619: The Lingering Imprint discussion will take up a question that is very much about life today: What are the racial barriers that can keep people from participating fully in the social life of their communities?

We will begin with a post from our Racism Now blog by Lora Harrington-Pride. Lora writes about three Black men she spoke with who had chosen not to join groups. Their experiences raise an important question about what makes people feel welcome—or unwelcome—in organizations and social groups.

That question will be the starting point for our next presentation, “Racial Barriers to Social Engagement,” presented by Sharon Kyle and Dick Price, founders of LA Progressive.

Founded in 2008, LA Progressive is an independent Los Angeles publication focusing on social justice, racial equity, democracy, and progressive issues. Sharon and Dick have continued to operate the publication while producing articles, commentary, interviews, podcasts, and videos. Their work has received numerous honors and awards, including recognition from the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Valley Democrats United, Common Cause California, and Constant Contact.

Sharon and Dick bring a long history of looking at the ways race and social justice affect our communities. Their presentation will give us an opportunity to consider not only the barriers themselves, but also what we can do to recognize and overcome them.

They have presented to the 1619 Group in the past. Their presentations can be found here:

1619: Wokeism & Critical Race Theory with Sharon Kyle & Dick Price

Dick and Sharon, Mixed Race Marriage

A timely connection

There is an interesting opportunity this week to look at some of these issues from another perspective. UCLA School of Law is holding “25 Years After 9/11: Reimagining Freedom, Justice, and Security” on September 10–11. The symposium will examine the continuing effects of the post-9/11 era, including the ways racialized national-security policies, immigration enforcement, policing, surveillance, and other developments have affected American society. The symposium is free and open to the public, with registration required.

If anyone reading this attends the UCLA symposium, we would be very interested in having you share what you learned with our 1619 group. The symposium raises many questions that connect with our continuing exploration of race, discrimination, belonging, and American life. A future presentation or discussion about the symposium could be a valuable addition to our 1619 conversation.

Looking ahead

Our next 1619 presentation, “Racial Barriers to Social Engagement,” will be on September 11 at 12 noon PDT. We will be meeting on the same link. 

And we're already looking ahead to October. On October 16, Dr. Mario Ortiz will lead a presentation on the Harlem Renaissance.

More information about both presentations will be provided in future posts.

The 1619 conversation continues—looking at the past, but always asking what that history can help us understand about the world we live in today.