Dr. Chuck GreenDr. Chuck Green

The Faith, Race and Community Lecture Series at Hope College will explore “Getting Race Right” on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. in the Maas Center auditorium.

The public is invited.  Admission is free.

The event, which is scheduled to continue until 8:30 p.m. will open with the address “Getting Race Right: How Did We End Up Here? What, Exactly, is Going On? Where is the Church, Anyway? And What Can We Do Now?” by Dr. Chuck Green, professor of psychology. The address will be followed by a panel question-and-answer session featuring four members of the college’s faculty and staff: Dr. Llena Chavis, associate professor of social work and social work director; Dr. Jesus Montaño, associate professor of English; Amy Otis, senior director of the Fried Center for Global Engagement; and Kasey Stevens, director of the Phelps Scholars Program.

Green is a social psychologist who works to share social science research on race and culture with a broader audience.  He teaches Social Psychology and Race in America, as well as two companion courses with Race in America for students who want to explore the topic in greater depth: Race in Health and Healthcare, and Race in Christian Faith and Life. 

He was the founding director of the college’s Phelps Scholars Program, an academic program for first-year students interested in learning about issues of race and culture, which he led from 1998 through 2013.  His active involvement in Hope’s academic program has also included service in the past as director of the educational assessment program, as co-coordinator of the general education program, as director of the First-Year Seminar program and as director of the Carl Frost Center for Social Science Research.

Green received a Michigan Campus Compact (MCC) Faculty/Staff Community Service-Learning Award in February 2005.  Among other recognition from Hope and Hope students through the years, he received the college’s “Motoichiro Oghimi Global Courage Award” in 2013, was chosen by the graduating Class of 2017 to deliver that year’s Commencement address, and in May of this year received the “Hope Outstanding Professor Educator” (H.O.P.E.) Award from the graduating Class of 2019.

The event is co-sponsored by the college’s American Ethnic Studies program and Phelps Scholars Program.

The American Ethnic Studies (AES) program is an interdisciplinary academic minor designed to introduce students to critical methodologies and scholarly approaches to understanding the diverse historical and cultural issues relating to race and ethnicity in the United States.  Green’s Race in America course — which in addition to its companion courses also has a blog (“Getting Race Right”) and is on Twitter (@getraceright) — is part of the AES program.

Through the Phelps Scholars Program, which combines residential life, academic engagement and social activities, first-year students make a one-year commitment to live in community with others from a broad range of cultural backgrounds, and explore together the issues of diversity that shape the world.

The Maas Center is located at 264 Columbia Ave., between 10th and 13th streets.