Tim Wise to Speak at UA

Anti-racism activist and scholar Tim Wise will give a public lecture at the UA on March 22.

Notable anti-racism activist and scholar Tim Wise will give a free public lecture at the University of Arizona this week. 

The student-run Wildcat Events Board solidified the contract to bring Wise to campus to discuss issues of race, class, gender and sexuality.

"There are some people who believe racism is no longer an issue," said Kevin J. Cleary, coordinator for student programs at the UA's Center for Student Involvement and Leadership.

"But racism is a hot topic, and Wise does a good job in addressing issues, especially from a position of power and as a white male," Cleary said. 

Wise will present his March 22 lecture at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Student Union Memorial Center, 1303 E. University Blvd. Wise is expected to speak for 90 minutes, and then take questions from the audience. 

He joins a list of prominent scholars to visit the UA in recent years, including Cornel West, Spike Lee, Gayatri Spivak and Noam Chomsky – all who discussed important historic and emerging social and political issues.

Wise has actively worked to dismantle racism throughout his professional career, lecturing at more than 800 college and university campuses and providing training workshops to law enforcement officials, educators and employees of corporations and nonprofit organizations.  

His lecture is co-sponsored by the UA's Residence Life, African American Student Affairs, Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs, Native American Student Affairs Asian Pacific American Student Affairs and the Women's Resource Center. 

Cleary said while many of the events the Wildcat Events Board coordinates are entertainment-based, the organization strives to promote educational talks as well.

"Our goal as a speaker's committee is to bring people who are going to raise questions and be a bit edgy," Cleary said. "I think Wise will bring some light to the fact that racism still exists. Whether you agree with him or not, at least this is raising a discussion." 

Utne Reader, a national socially and politically oriented magazine, named Tim Wise in 2010 as one of the "25 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World." Wise has authored several books and numerous articles, notably "White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son" and "Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White."
1 of 1

Previous Next