PRESS ADVISORY: Join a Discussion of Race, Racism & American Media at Conference Co-Hosted by Media 2070, the University of Houston Law Center and Georgetown Law

WASHINGTON — You’re invited to join us at Race, Racism & American Media, a two-day conference co-hosted by Free Press’ Media 2070 initiative, the University of Houston Law Center and Georgetown Law. During this virtual gathering, we will explore historic and contemporary racial discrimination in all media, and discuss  how government policies have excluded Black people — and other communities of color — from controlling the nation’s communications infrastructure.

The conference will also feature discussions of media reparations and other actions that are needed to repair the harms caused by a media system that perpetuates and profits from the myth of Black inferiority.

The Feb. 25–26 conference will gather activists, public servants, academics and other experts, including Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, MediaJustice founder Malkia Devich Cyril, Cathy Hughes of Urban One, Inc., Antoine Haywood of the Annenberg School of Communication, UCLA Professor and MacArthur Fellow Safiya Noble, Joseph Torres of Free Press and Media 2070, and so many more. (See the current list of participants here.)

What: Race, Racism & American Media: a two-day virtual conference
When: Fri., Feb. 25, through Sat., Feb. 26, from 10:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. ET each day. You’re welcome to attend any or every part of the conference.
RSVP: Please register to attend the event. (Virtual sessions will include opportunities for reporters and others to ask questions of participants.)

The Media 2070 project and essay, which call for media reparations, inspired the idea for the conference.

The first day of Race, Racism & American Media will examine the history of racism in our media system, and will feature a presentation by the Media 2070 team on the critical need for reparations. Free Press’ Media 2070 project is calling for actions that will reconcile and repair the harms that media institutions and government policies have inflicted on the Black community. As part of this effort, Media 2070 and more than 100 allied organizations and leaders joined 25 members of Congress last year in calling for the FCC to conduct a racial-equity audit of its historical and present-day policies and their impact on the media landscape.

The first day will close with a presentation by Rep. Jackson Lee, who is the sponsor of H.R. 40, which calls for the creation of a commission to develop reparation proposals for the Black community.

The conference’s second day will feature panel presentations by professors who are researching racism and the U.S. media system.

We hope to see you there! Click here to RSVP.