I am America Racial Justice Program

I am America Racial Justice Program

UofL’s Muhammad Ali Institute partnered with the Muhammad Ali Center on its Racial Justice Program named after Muhammad Ali’s famous quote: “I am America. I am the part you won’t recognize.” Enid Trucios-Haynes, Director and Professor of Law, and Ashleigh Hazley, Assistant Director, participated in a panel titled “Beyond Black History Month: Bringing Racial Justice Conversations Into Classrooms” on November 11, 2021. The I am America Program, launched in August 2021, helps viewers develop a deeper understanding of how racism operates in the United States. This event, on how racial justice shows up in the classroom, included Enid Trucios-Haynes as moderator with panel members: Ashleigh Hazley; Dr. Shelley Thomas, Assistant Department Chair and Associate Professor of UofL’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD); and Cassandra Webb, Senior Associate of Strategy and Innovation for Cities United and a UofL alum. Professor Trucios-Haynes, Ashleigh Hazley, and Dr. Thomas are part of a UofL Muhammad Ali Institute transdisciplinary curriculum development research team that created a new Muhammad Ali-centered curriculum for the Center which will be piloted at Central High School in Spring 2021. Cassandra Webb has co-taught at Central High School with Dr. Ahmad Washington (CEHD) in a class using hip-hop pedagogy. Dr. Washington also is a member of the Institute’s curriculum development research team.  The “Beyond Black History Month” event focused on the importance of and strategies for incorporating racial justice into K-12 curricula, policies, and procedures. If you are interested in viewing this panel discussion, please visit the Muhammad Ali Center’s Facebook page.