DEI Committee - January 2026

(Terri Gulyas, Chair)

News and Reviews

 

Here are two books that will support what we will discuss in our next two webinars. We’ll be changing the day of the week and/or the meeting time to hopefully draw others into the discussion. More details to come!

Three or More Is a Riot – Jelani Cobb

In Three or More Is a Riot, Jelani Cobb brings together incisive essays that chronicle the political, cultural, and racial fault lines of the United States from roughly the early 2010s through the present. Writing with both journalistic immediacy and historical depth, Cobb examines events ranging from mass protest movements to elections, policing, and democratic erosion. His strength lies in his ability to connect contemporary crises to longer American patterns, helping readers see how “now” did not arise in isolation.

The book is intellectually rigorous without being inaccessible, making it especially useful for readers who want to better understand how race, power, and public memory intersect in modern American life. Cobb resists easy conclusions, instead encouraging readers to grapple with complexity and contradiction. The result is a sobering but clarifying work that rewards close reading and sparks meaningful conversation about where we are—and how we got here.

Just Us – Claudia Rankine

In Just Us, Claudia Rankine blends essays, poetry, images, and personal encounters to explore how race, privilege, and power shape everyday interactions. Rather than presenting a linear argument, Rankine invites readers into moments of discomfort—awkward conversations on planes, silences among friends, and missed opportunities for connection. Her writing is reflective and probing, asking not only what is said about race in America, but what remains unspoken.

The book challenges readers to examine their own assumptions and emotional responses, especially around whiteness and belonging. Just Us is intentionally unsettled in form and tone, mirroring the difficulty of the conversations it depicts. While it may feel demanding at times, its honesty and vulnerability make it a powerful catalyst for self-reflection and group dialogue, particularly for readers interested in how personal experience intersects with systemic injustice.