"Dr. Williams puts people in a space that allows you to see a different future. We must learn from the past, but we have to move forward,” Black said. Recently, Williams brought his customized RJI educational sessions to Nelson’s leadership team. Like many others who have heardWilliams speak, people were taken aback by how little they really knew about the history of racism in America and the injustices that have occurred. For example, Williams often recommends people watch the documentary “Jim Crow of the North.” Viewers are astounded at the level of racist policies, such as restrictive real estate covenants, that existed in Minnesota through the 1960s, locking Blacks out of homeownership in certain neighborhoods. “I’m advocating to get different audiences that I think would really be impacted by his message, to sit down with him,” Nelson said. “I’m networking within the Twin Cities community to have his message be heard because it’s a remarkable one.” The RJI has helped thousands of people – particularly white people – gain a deeper understanding of the issues through historical context, President Sullivan said. “Dr. Williams’ work through the RJI has been instrumental in helping the St. Thomas community and our Twin Cities community experience the historical recovery necessary to fully appreciate the systemic racism that exists in our country and its historical origins,” she said. A vital voice A highly sought-after voice by local and national media on everything from police reform to the legend of Jackie Robinson, Williams is a charismatic educator with the gift of putting an audience at ease while discussing difficult topics. Since his arrival at St. Thomas three years ago, he’s been an involved member of the community
serving in various positions outside the university, including on the boards of the YWCA St. Paul and Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul. Interfaith Action’s Executive Director Randi Ilyse Roth said she and Williams hit it off the first time they met. “It’s very rare to find someone who has a firmly planted foot in the academic world, their credentials are impeccable, they’ve studied all of the most important things about how to advance racial equity, and they’re willing to get their hands dirty, roll up their sleeves and invest themselves in the real working community,” Roth said. “The way he puts together his thinking about racial equity – drawing on religious values, civic values, humanity, the law, all the different disciplines – it’s very real,” she continued. “And then he combines that with a communication style that seems to work for people of vastly diverse backgrounds and ages. The way he structures multimedia presentations with photos, video clips, text boxes, his own voice, his own facial expressions, his own ethos – you don’t just learn something academic; you experience it in yourself.” Even though RJI is only a year old, it’s a model Williams hopes others can use as they confront systemic racism. Because of its mission and the support of Sullivan and university leadership, he strongly believes St. Thomas is uniquely positioned to be a major player in this work. “The RJI gives me the flexibility to work with community partners and to get to know the issues intimately in this community,” he said. With more people discovering how deep systemic racism is in America and wanting to help make a change, the RJI proves to be an invaluable resource. n
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