Temple Israel invites you to an engaging equity speaker series inspired by the quote, “Who is wise? One who learns from everyone.” (Pirkei Avot 4:1). 

The series takes place at 7 p.m. Mondays, Feb. 8, March 8, May 10, and June 14 and is open to the St. Louis community.

On Feb. 8, join Colin Gordon, University of Iowa professor of history and author of, “Citizen Brown: Race, Democracy, and Inequality in the St. Louis Suburbs,” as he explains how the events in Ferguson exposed not only the deep racism of the local police department but also the ways in which decades of public policy effectively segregated people and curtailed citizenship not just in Ferguson but across the St. Louis suburbs. 

On March 8, State Sen. Brian Williams of University City, the only black member of the Missouri Senate, shares information about his plans for reshaping our systems of public safety to be more equitable and more effective.

On May 10, join Howard Fields III, assistant superintendent of human resources in the Kirkwood School District and co-founder of the organization Black Males in Education St. Louis (BMESTL) as he discusses the inequities of educational funding.

On June 14, Tony J. Westbrook Jr., assistant director of Hillel at Washington University, will explore the ways racism and anti-Semitism in America are linked, the complex relationship between the Black and Jewish communities in America, and how to begin addressing racism and anti-Semitism by finding allies and getting to work — together.    

The events are free to attend, but an RSVP is required. A Zoom link to attend the meeting will be sent to the email address provided in your registration closer to the event.

Register for one speaker or all at: www.ti-stl.org/SpeakerSeries.