Listen Here:
The Roots of DEI
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion feel ubiquitous now in higher education, but where did it all begin? The ladies speak with Dr. Keith Mayes from the University of Minnesota about the roots of DEI in the Civil Rights Movement, intersectionality, and what is (and isn’t) possible to accomplish through DEI committees and initiatives within higher education. Dr. Mayes talks about the importance of understanding history in order to build a better, more equitable future.
Dr. Keith Mayes is an Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota and currently serves as an Associate Dean in the Office of Undergraduate Education for DEI Initiatives. Dr. Mayes is also the Director of the Center for Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender; Sexuality Studies in the College of Liberal Arts; former chair of the Department of African American & African Studies; and the Horace T. Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor. Dr. Mayes earned his Ph.D. in History from Princeton University. His teaching and research interests include civil rights; education policy and history; black holiday traditions; critical ethnic studies pedagogy; and the history of African Americans. Dr. Mayes has published new book entitled, The Unteachables: Disability Rights and the Invention of Black Special Education available in January 2023.