Gator News

Dr. C. Nicole Mason returns to GRC for Jan. 15-17 leadership series

By Philip Denman, January 3, 2019

Author and social justice advocate C. Nicole Mason will return to Green River College to lead a three-day series of lectures and workshops focusing on equity, diversity and the power of personal narrative Jan. 15-17.

The follow up visit—a rare occurrence, according to Mason—is a part of the One Book series and is a chance to build on the conversations and work started during the 2018 Opening Day Ceremonies.

C. Nicole Mason will be on campus fora 3-day leadership series Jan. 15-17

“After visiting a campus I often wonder what happened next and how the people that I met are doing so I’m super excited at the opportunity to visit Green River again and to see the amazing work that is underway,” Mason said. “There is always a lot of talk about what’s next, but very few institutions prioritize and do the work. It feels really good to be returning to an institution where that is not the case.”

The visit will include intimate meetings with faculty, staff and students, as well as three lecture and workshops that are free and open to the public:

  • My (Our) Changing Reality V. A Changing World
    Tuesday, Jan. 15, 1-2:30 p.m. in SU River Room
    A Talk on Intersectional Feminism, the #MeTooMovement, Men Behaving Badly & Complicit Women
  • Just Like Me: The Power of Narratives and Personal Stories to Build Bridges Across Differences, and Connect Us All
    Wednesday, Jan. 16 1-3:30 p.m. in SU Grand Hall
    A Talk by Dr. Mason and a Q&A moderated by our own Andaiye Qaasim and Marcie Sims. Followed by a meet and greet with Dr. Mason. Co-Sponsored by ODEI & GDEC.
  • The Power of Your Story: Claiming Your Narrative and Finding Your Voice
    Thursday, Jan. 17 1-3 p.m. in SU River Room
    A talk and workshop that invites participants to reflect on their personal histories and narratives, and how they can be used to disrupt, challenge, empower and inspire others. Participants may attend one or both hours.

Mason hopes that the format of the multiday event will allow campus community members to join the in the conversation.

“We each have a story to tell that help define us and connect us and allows us to not only see how we’re different, but also our similarities,” Mason said. “It can be tough to have these conversations, but I don’t believe we can afford not to.”

Faculty and staff are encouraged to join the conversations, as well as to bring their classes, students, clubs or organizations.

For more information on the One Book, contact Jody Segal, faculty librarian, at jsegal@greenriver.edu.

About C. Nicole Mason

C. Nicole Mason, PhD is the author of Born Bright: A Young Girl’s Journey from Nothing to Something in America (St. Martin’s Press). She is also Director of the Center for Research and Policy in the Public Interest at the New York Women’s Foundation. Prior to her position at the Foundation, Mason was the most recent Executive Director of the Women of Color Policy Network at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. There, she held the distinction of being one of the youngest scholar-practitioners to lead a major U.S. research center or think tank.

She is also an Ascend Fellow at the Aspen Institute in Washington, DC. She has written hundreds of articles on women, leadership development and economic security. Her writing and commentary have been featured in MSNBC, CNN, NBC, CBS, Real Clear Politics, the Nation, the Washington Post, Marie Claire Magazine, The New York Times, the Progressive, ESSENCE Magazine, the Root, the Miami Herald, Democracy Now, and numerous NPR affiliates, among others. She also delivered at TEDTalk at TEDWomen on the courage to disrupt and the gift of being difficult.

For more information, please visit cnicolemason.com.

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