Photo courtesy of Shae Albertson.
New London — In partnership with Connecticut College, The Day newspaper has secured state Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard A. Robinson to engage in “A Conversation on Race,” a forum hosted in Connecticut College’s Cummings Art Center.
Free to all guests, the open dialogue discussion will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, from 7 to 8 p.m. — doors open at 6:30 p.m.
“Race is an ongoing issue,” says Karen Florin, The Day reporter responsible for organizing the event. “Learning how to discuss race, recognize implicit biases, and understand racial equity issues is something we all have to work on.”
Florin will have worked at The Day for 25 years this November.
“We’re hoping a lot of students and members of the New London community will attend,” Florin says. “One of the new initiatives at The Day is to better engage the audience. This is one effort at accomplishing that.”
The star of the event, Robinson, has served on the Supreme Court of Connecticut for over five years. Last May, through his appointment as chief justice, Robinson became the first African American to hold the position.
Former president of the Stamford Branch of the NAACP, Robinson has spent time traveling locally and nationally discussing racial issues and matters of “cultural competency.” He will be speaking about these issues during the forum.
“He is a real authority because he feels strongly that people of all backgrounds should be invested in and trust the court system,” Florin said. “Despite being an uncomfortable topic, he’s comfortable with helping people learn how to talk about race.”
Through preregistration, Florin requests that attendees also submit a question for consideration that Robinson can answer. The forum will consist of a discussion panel followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. You can register online at www.theday.com/theforum.
“This is the first of many events [on which] The Day will be collaborating with Connecticut College,” Florin said.
Working with the Institutional Equity and Inclusion Dean John McKnight, Florin outlined plans for future events the college will be hosting. “February, McKnight will bring in Ibram Kendi, a well-known author, to discuss racial issues as well,” Florin said.
“I encourage you to come,” Florin said. “It’s a huge honor that the chief justice is coming. We want to make this as perfect as possible.” •
