As the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 approaches, many have questioned whether the U.S. has entered a post-racial era. While some racial progress has been made, conditions suggests the post-racial tag is premature: violence, high unemployment, and low graduation rates particularly afflict people living in communities of color in cities across the country.

Event and Purpose
The Urban and Regional Planning program at Taubman College is proud to host a symposium and special programming that will explore the role of the urban planner in a supposedly “post-racial” society. Join nationally recognized scholars and practitioners to discuss the contributions that urban planners of color have made to cities and to the field of planning; examine how planning is engaging critical debates about race, ethnicity, and poverty; and suggest what will be needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century and to serve the needs of the nation’s evolving demographics.

University of Michigan faculty and guest speakers will include:

Lisa Bates, Portland State University
Teresa Cordova, University of Illinois-Chicago
Harley Etienne, University of Michigan
Malik Goodwin, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Joseph Grengs, University of Michigan
Clara Irazabal, Columbia University
June Manning Thomas, University of Michigan
Catherine L. Ross, Georgia Institute of Technology
Leonie Sandercock, University of British Columbia
Sigmund Shipp, Hunter College/CUNY
Conan Smith, Suburbs Alliance, Inc.
Betsy Sweet, Temple University
Henry Louis Taylor, Jr., University at Buffalo-SUNY
Karen Umemoto, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Schedule of Activities:

Thursday, October 31, optional Student Meet and Greet
Friday, November 1, Symposium
Friday, November 1, Film Screening
Friday, November 1, Post- Symposium Reception
Saturday, November 2, Experiencing the Michigan Difference

Interested in Attending?
Some funds are available to support high-quality candidates, not living near the Ann Arbor area, who wish to attend. To be considered for travel support, please complete the Application for Prospective Students below . The deadline to be considered for travel support is October 2, 2013. The deadline to RSVP for general attendance is October 15, 2013. Please direct any questions to Aja Bonner (Ajalill@umich.edu)

RSVP: https://docs.google.com/a/umich.edu/forms/d/14dACMOxMBldNYfBFWxiq9wIqUroUo3Y1LlIOinHC9lo/viewform