The University hosted author, critic, and acclaimed journalist Jeff Chang on March 26 as part of the University’s Higher Ed/Higher Ground speaker series.
His talk, titled “We Gon’ Be Alright: Race and Segregation in Today’s America,” emerged from his latest book, We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation, which questions why discussions about diversity continue while American society is resegregating, both racially and economically.
Chang has written extensively about the intersection of race, art, civil rights, and hip-hop. In addition to his most recent work, he has authored Who We Be and Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, which earned the American Book Award and the Asian American Literary Award.
The vice president of narrative, arts, and culture at Race Forward, a national organization that advances racial justice through research, media, and practice, Chang also co-founded ColorLines and CultureStr/ke magazines and has written for numerous publications, including The Guardian, Slate, The Nation, and The New York Times.