Maryland Humanities Presents Racial Equity Speaker Series

February 2, 2021

A square composite of four headshots. Starting with the top left: Omar Eaton-Martinez, a Black man wears a burgundy sport coat, white shirt, and burgundy and purple tie, and matching pocket square against a white background. Next, Tuajuanda Jones, a Black woman, has short grey hair and wears a Black and white jacket and white shirt underneath. Her arms are folded and her nails are painted bright pink. She is against a yellow background. Alicia McLeod is a Black woman with braided hair with a bun and a black sport coat. She has hoop earings and is in front of a white background. Tonya Aikens wears a gray sport coat and is infront of a gray background.(Baltimore) – Maryland Humanities hosts Beyond the Statements: Leading Racial Equity in Humanities Organizations, a free series focused on operationalizing racial equity work in the humanities field. The three-part series features local humanities leaders who will speak to the efforts they have led in their respective organizations. The speakers are: Tonya Aikens, President & CEO of Howard County Library System; Omar Eaton-Martínez, Assistant Division Chief of Historical Resources for Prince George’s County Parks and Recreation; and Dr. Tuajuanda Jordan, President of St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Alicia McLeod, Maryland Humanities Board Member and Executive Director of Challenging Racism, will moderate the conversations.

Topics include incorporating racial equity into hiring, where to start when leading an organization, and leading the work within a university setting. Conversations will last an hour beginning at 10:00 a.m. and occur on February 22, March 22, and April 19.

“At a time when many organizations have put out public statements in support of Black Lives Matter and in opposition to White supremacy, dismantling our organizational inequities remains an elusive next step,” says Lindsey Baker, Executive Director of Maryland Humanities. “We know other organizations are focusing on this, as well, and we are grateful to serve as a resource to other organizations while educating ourselves.”

Conversation Schedule:

Monday, February 22                                                    Omar Eaton-Martínez

Monday, March 22                                                        Dr. Tuajanda Jordan

Monday, April 19                                                            Tonya Aikens

Participants can learn more about the speakers, find more information and register on Maryland Humanities’ here.

Press Release