2024 Distinguished Visiting Scholar Heather McGhee spoke kicked off Black History Month with her thought-provoking talk, “The Sum of Us: Moving Beyond the Myth of Equity as a Zero-Sum Game.” Heather is a national thought leader dedicated to equity. Over her career in public policy, she has crafted legislation, testified before Congress, and helped shape presidential campaign platforms.
Her book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was longlisted for the National Book Award and Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. The New York Times called it, “The book that should change how progressives talk about race.” and the Chicago Tribune said, “Required reading to move the country forward…” It is a Washington Post and TIME Magazine Must-Read Book of 2021.
Starting at Fairgrounds Park in North St. Louis City, where a riot was sparked after the first Black St. Louis residents attempted to swim at a newly desegregated pool, The Sum of Us chronicles the sobering history of divide and inequity across the United States. McGhee implores the reader to reframe equity, moving away from a “zero sum” mindset to an inclusive perspective in which everyone can thrive.
Check out McGhee’s podcast on Spotify, The Sum of Us.
View more pictures of the event below.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost: Distinguished Visiting Scholar Program, the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity, Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy, Clark-Fox Policy Institute, Center for Social Development, and Here and Next.