ONLINE: After 20 years lobbying for progressive legislation with the think tank Demos, Heather McGhee began to realize that policies alone would not solve our most intractable societal problems. Instead, she saw that a false belief in a racialized "zero-sum" game was at the root of opposition to policies that would benefit all Americans. In this course, we will journey with McGhee around the country in search of what she calls "the solidarity dividend," described as "the benefits we gain when people come together across race to accomplish what we simply can't do on our own." Combining an in-depth study of her book "The Sum of Us" with episodes of her podcast series, we will explore inspiring stories of people in diverse communities coming together across race and class lines to accomplish extraordinary things. These things would seem normal in a country that sees itself as a beacon of progress and democracy, but that due to our troubled history of racial inequality, have so far eluded us. | Facilitated discussion.
Max enrollment: 30.
Cathy Rimer-Surles, JD, MLS (she/they), a graduate of Duke and North Carolina Central University School of Law, is an attorney, educator and passionate community advocate. A longtime resident of Durham deeply influenced by her experiences growing up as queer, cisgender and white in the South, she organizes, educates and agitates for equity, justice and liberation in this city she loves as a founding member of both Organizing Against Racism (OAR) and Episcopalians United Against Racism (EUAR). In her role as Co-Chair of OAR Durham, Cathy is also OLLI's liaison with the Racial Equity Institute in offering the REI Phase I workshops to our members.