The University of Michigan Detroit Center is proud to present the documentary, RACE 2012, at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Friday, May 10. Serving as programming of the University-wide theme semester, Understanding Race, the screening will be followed by an audience discussion of the topics evoked by the documentary. The event includes complimentary admission, parking and light refreshments for all attendees.
RACE 2012 uses last year’s presidential election as a lens for people to view the nation’s racial landscape. The program also highlights how immigrants have reshaped the American electoral process, white voters' reaction to their declining numbers and diminished influence, and the economic imbalance between races that may affect America's political future.

Prof. Dale Thomson, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Associate Professor of Political Science, will moderate the evening program. Panelists include:

Ӣ Conrad Mallett
Chief Administrative Officer, Detroit Medical Center
Ӣ Sheila Cockrel
Former Detroit City Council Member
Ӣ Marshalle Montgomery
Senior Program Associate, Constituency Development, New Detroit, Inc.
Ӣ Ray Lozano
Director, Racial Justice & Cultural Collaboration, New Detroit, Inc.

Theme Semesters are presented by the U-M College of Literature, Science and the Arts and are designed to provide intellectual and cultural engagement in a particular topic.

The goals of the Understanding Race Project includes an exploration of the idea of race as a social construct that has no biological basis, and as an idea that grows in meaning when examined at the intersections of other identities, such as gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and religion. The Understanding Race Project offers numerous opportunities for conversations about race, emphasizing student engagement, highlighting local experience and expertise, and looking beyond the struggles of the black/white ideology.