Son of Civil Rights Titan C.T. Vivian to Lead Next Race at Georgia Tech Conversation
Al Vivian, a national diversity and inclusion facilitator and son of civil rights leader C.T. Vivian, will lead the next Race at Georgia Tech: A Call to Action conversation on Thursday, Jan. 21. The virtual discussion will be the second in a series of campus discussions on race.
The first conversation, “Race at Georgia Tech: A Call to Action,” took place last July and drew more than 1,000 unique viewers during 90 minutes of virtual, candid discussions with mostly Black students, faculty, and staff panelists who discussed their personal experiences with race and ways in which Georgia Tech can expand on its commitment to eradicate overt and implicit racism and develop a more diverse and inclusive campus.
The second event will build upon the summer conversation, featuring a keynote from Vivian and a Q&A.
Conversations about race came about after President Ángel Cabrera and other senior leaders met with numerous Black students, staff, and faculty who shared their personal experiences with racial marginalization.
“The Race at Georgia Tech discussion series represents the Institute’s commitment to create a campus environment where issues of race in society can be robustly engaged — inclusive of diverse perspectives,” said Archie Ervin, vice president for Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “Our goal is to create opportunities for more conversations about race and Mr. Vivian is an expert in facilitating these conversations that some find difficult to engage.”
Al Vivian heads Basic Diversity Inc., a national full-service cultural diversity training and consulting firm best known for its Race Awareness Workshop. His father, a confidant of Martin Luther King Jr., founded the organization more than 45 years ago. The elder Vivian was a member of King’s executive staff and provided civil rights counsel to five U.S. presidential administrations. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013. He died last year.
Vivian will also host a workshop on race for the Institute’s executive leadership team on Wednesday, Jan. 27.
To register for the Jan. 21 Race at Georgia Tech: A Call to Action conversation, visit: bit.ly/RaceatGeorgiaTechJan21.
