For 12 years, Michele Norris, former host of NPR's All Things Considered, invited people to share their stories about race in America for The Race Card Project. The responses offered an honest, if sometimes uncomfortable, look at race and identity. Her book Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think About Race and Identity, came out of was borne from that project and is a unique compilation of stories, essays, and photographs providing a window into America during a tumultuous era. In this intriguing talk, Norris shares insights gleaned from The Race Card Project, and explains how honesty, grace, and a willing ear can provide a bridge toward empathy and understanding.

About the Speaker

An award-winning journalist, Michele Norris is senior contributor to MSNBC and former host of NPR's All Things Considered. She is known for her insightful commentary on race and culture and is the author of Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think About Race and Identity, a powerful exploration of personal stories and untold histories surrounding race in America.

Norris is also the creator of The Race Card Project, a national initiative that invites people to share their reflections on race. A respected voice in media, she has received numerous honors for her work advocating for inclusive storytelling and social change.

About the Event

The UO School of Journalism and Communication’s annual Robert and Mabel Ruhl Lecture brings the most influential voices in mass communication to campus. This year’s lecture is co-sponsored by the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics, which promotes the legacy of Oregon’s Senator Wayne Morse by fostering education, research, and leadership to advance justice and inclusive democracy. This is an in-person event on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, in the Redwood Auditorium (Room 214) in the Erb Memorial Union (EMU).