University of Maryland School of Public Policy

In honor of Black History Month, SPP is highlighting antiracist projects and research within our community. For our final spotlight, we talked with Chelsea Brown MPP ‘20, the founder and former president of Black Students in Public Policy (BSiPP). In addition to her BSiPP leadership, Chelsea is a philanthropy professional who devotes much of her work to empowering the Black community within the nonprofit sector. She worked alongside Dean Joyce to create the internship award, which provides funding for undergraduate and graduate students who want to work at a nonprofit that focuses on underserved communities, including black-led organizations. Chelsea encourages all SPP community members to read the 9 Anti-Racist Actions, which she helped create, to learn how be a true ally and support the Black community. Learn more about the Nine Anti-Racist Actions at the link in our bio! #PolicyTerps #BlackHistoryMonth

The exact moment when chat tells you the Equality Act passed the House during your conversation about LGBTQ+ protections and human dignity. Wonderful discussion with Dr. Schwenke, Jay Gilliam of @usaid, Dr. Dunning as moderator and of course our active chat. Catch the full webinar on our YouTube channel shortly!

Frederick Douglass, a native Marylander, was a prominent abolitionist and activist for racial equity and women’s suffrage. Born into slavery in 1818, Douglass taught himself to read and write. In 1838 he escaped slavery and became an advocate for abolition. His autobiography, "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" (1845), recounts his life as a slave and the horrific truth of American slavery. Douglass died in 1895 but his autobiography and speech "What to a Slave is the 4th of July?" (1852), remains an important critique of freedom in America. #BlackHistoryMonth

In honor of Black History Month, SPP is highlighting antiracist projects and research within our community. This week, we talked with SPP Student Mira Morgan to learn more about how she advocates for racial justice outside of her studies as an MPP student. Mira accounts that her education in UMD’s African American Studies Department has been the most influential in her advocacy for racial justice. She thinks of her work as twofold processes by first “educating [herself] about the roots and features of systemic racism,” and then “educating [her] friends, family, and peers about the importance of racial justice.” She illustrates that constant introspection is the key to “fully [understanding] how... white supremacy” impacts our lives and thought processes. To learn more, Mira recommends students read Ibram X. Kendi’s “How to Be an Antiracist,” Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow,” and Bryan Stevenson’s “Just Mercy.” #PolicyTerps #BlackHistoryMonth

In 1974 the Combahee River Collective organization joined to address the intersection of black and queer liberation. The collective was a Black lesbian socialist organization that worked to liberate black lesbians. Black women did not feel that the civil rights movement nor the feminist movement adequately represented their needs as black lesbians. This Collective produced a statement in 1977 that addressed this intersectionality and explored Black Feminism. Before dissolving in 1980, the Combahee River Collective laid the groundwork for what activists know today as intersectionality. #BlackHistoryMonth

In honor of Black History Month, SPP is highlighting antiracist projects and research within our community. This week, we talked with undergraduate SPP student Joshua Winston, the president of Black Students in Public Policy (BSiPP). In this role, Joshua represents the needs of Black undergraduate and graduate policy students in meeting with other student leaders throughout campus. Joshua also works on the Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce to make sure that the SPP administration is adhering to the Nine Anti-Racist Actions. These nine actions, intended to signify the nine minutes that resulted in the murder of George Floyd, are intended to increase racial diversity, representation, and accountability within the SPP community. In addition to reading about the Nine Anti-Racist Actions, Joshua encourages everyone to read James Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son (1955) and Ta-Heihsi Coates’s Between the World and Me (2015). Learn more about the Nine Anti-Racist Actions at the link in our bio. #PolicyTerps #BlackHistoryMonth

In 1948, James Baldwin began his writing career in Paris, France. Although he spent most of this career abroad he is still a quintessential American writer. Writing essays such as Go Tell it on the Mountain (1953) and If Beale Street Could Talk (1974) led Baldwin to become an important voice in the civil rights’ movement. Baldwin passed away in 1987 but his work carries on as essential parts of the African American experience and a call for equality in the country. Photo: @nytimes #BlackHistoryMonth

In honor of Black History Month, SPP is highlighting antiracist projects and research within our community. This week, we talked with SPP student Toni Elewa-Gidado about his anti-racist work in the classroom and in his leadership in Black Students in Public Policy. Toni explains anti-racist work should be “targeted to affect all facets of our everyday lives.” From community outreach and education, Toni challenges himself and his peers to explore race to work towards an inclusive environment. The most crucial aspect of this work is communication. Through his anti-racist work he’s learned “taking the time to listen to others who have experienced racism,” strengthens our listening and empathy skills. SPP, Toni and Black Students in Public Policy are examining Black history through the lens of public policy in the Black Friday Webinar Series. Toni was a guest speaker on SPP’s Black Friday Webinar Series: Voting Matters, which examined voter suppression and how to strengthen this essential component of democracy. Toni shares that he hopes this Black History Month event will “educate and inspire conversations in an effort to promote accountability and seek remedy for deficiencies in policies.” #PolicyTerps #antiracist #BlackHistoryMonth #intersectionality