A Keynote Conversation with john a. powell

In recent years, political polarization and a sense of “othering” has been immensely apparent, both in ideology and physical manifestations, such as the border wall. It’s time for collective healing. But this will take more than proclaiming individual stances against systems of oppression. The current moment demands we unite and actively work to dismantle those systems — not merely disapprove of them.

john a. powell is the Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute and Professor of Law, African American, and Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley. In his keynote address at the Bioneers 2020 Conference, he challenged us to think beyond individualized practices of bridging across differences, which ignore the structural injustices we live in.

After the conference, Bioneers CEO and Co-founder Kenny Ausubel spoke with john about how we can better understand the structures of “othering,” through the lenses of history, neuroscience, and philosophy, and how we can all contribute to changing these structures through new stories, new practices, and new intentions.

Watch john’s keynote address to the 2020 Bioneers Conference.

To learn more about john a. powell, visit the Othering and Belonging Institute.

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