Zoom Presentation: Meera Deo on Beyond BIPOC

Watch virtually Professor Meera Deo speak today on Beyond BIPOC, her Virginia Law Review Online article:

Race and racism evolve over time, as does the language of antiracism. Yet nascent terms of resistance are not always better than originals. Without the deep investment of community engagement and review, new labels—like BIPOC—run the risk of causing more harm than good. This lecture argues that using BIPOC (which stands for “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color”) as a synonym for People of Color not only does a disservice to the People of Color history and legacy, but is a dangerous example of virtue signaling that promises symbolic progress without meaningful change. Applying this thesis to the context of legal education using empirical data from law students and law faculty, it becomes evident that People of Color is the appropriate term to use when making comparisons to whites; similarly, Women of Color works best when considering (raceXgender) intersectionality. Furthermore, academics, advocates, and allies should recognize that while pursuing commonalities and drawing from shared experiences is often critical for political and strategic purposes, aggregating disparate groups under one umbrella risks obscuring particular populations. In these instances, we should be even more specific in naming each community individually to bring necessary attention their unique experiences.

King Hall’s Racial Justice Speaker Series

As protests over police brutality and systemic racism have swept the nation, UC Davis School of Law has reaffirmed its longtime commitment to racial justice. Throughout 2021-22, the law school is offering a Racial Justice Speaker Series examining some of the most urgent issues facing our nation and world today.

The series has gathered leading voices on civil rights, criminal justice, and civic and governmental responsibility. The goals are to inform, enlighten, and — most important — engage in meaningful conversation with our King Hall community and the larger public.

REGISTER for Zoom link

KJ