In this inflection point for our country, it’s critical that we examine where we’ve been so we can decide together the path forward. We seek to use this moment to redesign the systems that have divided us for generations. We cannot be afraid of our nation’s truth. We must confront it. Because that is what America does, always striving to be better.

That’s why we are hosting a multi-part series of virtual conversations that brings together our country’s greatest thinkers, activists and leaders on race and equity starting this Thursday, July 9. The focus of the series will be truth, action and reconciliation.

Learn more: https://www.unumfund.org/conversations.

We’re breaking up the discussions to do deep — yet digestible — dives into our past and the opportunities for our future. In the first conversation on Thursday, historians and experts will explore the “truth” in our history. They will discuss some of the periods and events that have laid the foundation for the systems that continue to perpetuate racism and oppress people of color in the U.S, including the Civil War, Reconstruction and the Jim Crow era. Subsequent discussions will focus on highlighting the historical “truth” in our criminal justice system, healthcare system, economy and democracy.

We ask that you join us for The Truth Series: How We Got Here each Thursday, through August 6, at 2:30 pm ET/1:30 pm CT as we explore how we can leverage this moment in history to make real, lasting change.

RSVP here: https://epujuly92020.splashthat.com.

Mitch Landrieu
Founder and President

Recent News & Commentary

What the panelists from our first conversation have been saying

MSNBC Morning Joe: ‘It’s historic’: Miss. native Eddie Glaude weighs in on flag change
Mississippi lawmakers voted to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag, a symbol that has flown for more than 120 years.

NY Times: ‘Begin Again’ Calls on James Baldwin to Make Sense of Today
It’s hard enough to think back four months, much less four years, but try to recall the early weeks of 2016 — another time, another planet.

Vox: Why this moment demands radical politics
The killing of an unarmed black man at the hands of the state. Flagrant displays of police brutality against peaceful protesters.

WBUR: With Over 100,000 Americans Dead From COVID-19, Do We Need A National Reckoning?
We’ve lost more than 100,000 people to the coronavirus in the United States. Yet, we’ve started reopening. But what about reckoning?

Resources

Research for learning and taking action from EPU

Divided By Design Report
Our findings from our first report, Divided by Design: Findings from the American South, detail how residents of the American South experience issues of race and class in their communities.

Roadmap to an Equitable Response, Recovery & Resilience
Our 2020 policy agenda provides policy recommendations that center on addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic and the preexisting social inequities that have plagued the U.S.

Become an UNUM Fellow
The application process for our UNUM Fellows program is open. The program is a signature initiative aimed at equipping local elected leaders in the South with resources, training and technical expertise to advance racial and economic equity in their communities.

2020 Survey Shows Southerners Making Some Shifts on Systemic Racism
With the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread public outcry against police brutality, our survey explores attitudes on systemic racism and how southerners are impacted by COVID-19.