Best-Selling Author Heather McGhee Gives Powerful Virtual Talk on Racism

A frank discussion on the true cost of racism was the premise for a virtual talk on September 15, by New York Times best-selling author Heather McGhee. QCC partnered with the Esler Family Foundation to bring Ms. McGhee to the Greater Worcester and Massachusetts community.

Ms. McGhee talked about her best-selling book, “The Sum of Us,” and addressed the devastating true cost of racism—not just for people of color, but for everyone. The free event brought in hundreds of people from across the Commonwealth, who listened as she discussed how racism destroys us, and did a bit of an historical analysis on how the racial economic divide came to be.

“Where did zero sum come from,” she posed. “It first perpetuated as an excuse to make sense and justify our first economic model – justify the economic model of stolen land from people.”

She talked about how hard working families of color seek the same things as the rest of society, but they are disproportionally out of reach for them. Noting that ...”it is a level of dysfunction that has an impact on all of us.”

After her talk, Ms. McGhee did a brief Question and Answer period on how we, as a region, might take action in the context of Worcester and other Massachusetts Gateway Cities surrounding issues of educational equity and other disparities.

QCC is already addressing the issues or systemic racism head-on beginning with a comprehensive equity audit. Other initiatives to promote inclusiveness at the College include:

• QCC’s Diversity Caucus, which advances the educational mission of QCC and embraces social justice by advancing a campus climate that affirms the dignity and worth of each person;
•  Your Voice Matters: Community Conversations, hosted by the President’s Advisory Council on Equity (PACE) – a safe place where faculty and staff of the college community can engage in open dialogue around equity and social justice.