Multiculturalism and the Media
Open gallery
How does the Internet bring communities together—and divide them? In what ways might social media serve as an agent for change and reconstruction of our identities? How have marginalized communities found a digital voice?
In November, the ninth annual Ray Warren Multicultural Symposium offered three days of discussions examining issues of race and ethnicity in connection with media and communication. Baratunde Thurston, author of How To Be Black and former director of digital for The Onion, addressed a standing-room-only crowd in Council Chamber with his keynote address titled “Why Is That Black Hunger Games Character Black? Looking at Race, Identity, and the Interwebs.” Merlyna Lim, a noted scholar of technology and engagement, spoke on mobilizing race and identity in the age of social media.
The symposium concluded with a performance of the Race Monologues, written and performed by a group of Lewis & Clark students. Always a highlight of the symposium, the Race Monologues is an emotionally charged and thoughtful expression of students’ experiences with racism, ethnicity, and personal identity.
Find more keynotes online.
