Hello! I’m very excited to announce that Tyler Austin Harper will be our co-host for the next month or so. Tyler was on the show last month and introduced himself then, but for those who missed it, he’s a writer at the Atlantic and a professor of literature in the environmental studies department at Bates College. He specializes in extinction literature and film.
Longtime listener! Welcome Tyler! Thank you for covering the Claudine Gay debacle. As a Black woman administrator who worked at University of Chicago for several years, I have seen these battles in my own realm and on campus. I agree that these institutions should better stand up for the DEI strides they are taking too. Unfortunately, from the inside, leadership's support is not strong for DEI. That's why I think they deny vs. defend these efforts. For example, UChicago created a reparations task force in 2021 that has met NEVER, yet has a website with a list of taskforce members, many of whom have resigned or graduated from the university. It's a literal joke. Lastly, I disagree with Tyler's assessment of Dr. Gay being a "mediocre academic." Her scholarship I found to be eye opening especially because it centers the Black experience in politics. I personally found your sentiment to be really hurtful and flippant. I don't know...there are so few Black women in power in the academy. I don't think Dr. Gay was perfect and by the time you get that high up, you probably are "playing the game," but I hope you understand why she meant a lot to Black women out there really struggling in the academy and hoping to rise and make a difference. As a collective, we (Black women) were really proud of her, imperfections and all. Hers was an unjust situation with no avenue for repair. She was literally a product of a Harvard education. I'm very happy I left UChicago. Despite the ongoing criticism from conservatives about it being a bastion of liberal lefties, inside it felt the opposite, still a sexist and racist white supremacy-focused place... Especially for staff who had no freedom of expression extended to us.
Longtime listener! Welcome Tyler! Thank you for covering the Claudine Gay debacle. As a Black woman administrator who worked at University of Chicago for several years, I have seen these battles in my own realm and on campus. I agree that these institutions should better stand up for the DEI strides they are taking too. Unfortunately, from the inside, leadership's support is not strong for DEI. That's why I think they deny vs. defend these efforts. For example, UChicago created a reparations task force in 2021 that has met NEVER, yet has a website with a list of taskforce members, many of whom have resigned or graduated from the university. It's a literal joke. Lastly, I disagree with Tyler's assessment of Dr. Gay being a "mediocre academic." Her scholarship I found to be eye opening especially because it centers the Black experience in politics. I personally found your sentiment to be really hurtful and flippant. I don't know...there are so few Black women in power in the academy. I don't think Dr. Gay was perfect and by the time you get that high up, you probably are "playing the game," but I hope you understand why she meant a lot to Black women out there really struggling in the academy and hoping to rise and make a difference. As a collective, we (Black women) were really proud of her, imperfections and all. Hers was an unjust situation with no avenue for repair. She was literally a product of a Harvard education. I'm very happy I left UChicago. Despite the ongoing criticism from conservatives about it being a bastion of liberal lefties, inside it felt the opposite, still a sexist and racist white supremacy-focused place... Especially for staff who had no freedom of expression extended to us.