Our mission is to illuminate, disrupt, and dismantle racism in all its forms. We do this through rigorous interdisciplinary research, high-quality professional learning experiences, the production and wide dissemination of useful tools, trustworthy consultations and strategy advising, and substantive partnerships.
While race and ethnicity are at the epicenter of our work, we also value their intersectionality with other identities, and therefore aim to advance equity for all persons experiencing marginalization.
SECTION TOPICS:
BACKGROUND / HISTORY
Professor Shaun R. Harper founded the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education in 2011 at the University of Pennsylvania, which was its home for six years. The Center was relocated and renamed the USC Race and Equity Center when Dr. Harper joined the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education and Marshall School of Business faculties in 2017.
Founded in 1999 by USC Professor Estela Mara Bensimon, the Center for Urban Education (CUE) has worked to bring equity-mindedness to institutions of higher education through socially-conscious research, tools, and learning institutes. CUE empowers practitioners to act as agents of change, enabling them to be critically race conscious as they respond to changing demographics in our educational systems. Furthermore, CUE developed the framework for equity-minded practice and policy that has been adopted by foundations, professional associations, and institutions of higher education nationally. CUE has helped hundreds of practitioners and institutions become equity-minded by teaching them to effectively question their own assumptions, recognize racial stereotypes that harm student success, and continually reassess their practices to create change. CUE and the USC Race and Equity Center merged on July 1, 2020.
FACULTY AFFILIATES
The USC Race and Equity Center’s strength largely resides in our interdisciplinary network of faculty affiliates. We unite more than 100 professors across academic schools at USC who are experts on race and racism, people of color, immigration, and other important dimensions of equity. These scholars work together on research, as well as on the development of useful tools and resources.
CENTER STAFF DIRECTORY
Jade Agua
Chief Learning Officer
jagua@rossier.usc.edu
Lara Aposhian
Chief Marketing Officer
laposhia@rossier.usc.edu
James Bridgeforth
Research Associate
jbridgef@usc.edu
Dr. LaNita Gregory Campbell
Director of DEI Organizational Strategy
Annie Chen
Office Manager
achen501@usc.edu
Dr. Wilmon A. Christian III
Director of Workplace Equity
wilmonac@rossier.usc.edu
Dr. Kendrick Davis
Chief Research Officer
Associate Professor of Research
kdavis01@usc.edu
Ryan J. Davis
Senior Strategist
rd_892@usc.edu
Dr. Christopher Emdin
Director of Youth Engagement and Community Partnerships
Robert H. Naslund Chair in Curriculum and Teaching
Professor of Teacher Education
emdin@usc.edu
Jenise Evans
Surveys Data Collection Manager
jenise@rossier.usc.edu
Dr. Jordan Greer
Associate Director
jordang@rossier.usc.edu
Debbie Hanson
Associate Director
debbiepe@rossier.usc.edu
Dr. Shaun Harper
Founder and Executive Director
Provost Professor of Education and Business
Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership
sharper@usc.edu
Esmeralda Hernandez-Hamed
Associate Director
esmeralda.hh@rossier.usc.edu
Ya-Chi Hung
Associate Director
yachihun@usc.edu
Dr. Brandi P. Jones
Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff
Professor of Research
brandijo@usc.edu
Dr. Royel M. Johnson
Director of Student Engagement
Associate Professor of Higher Education
royel.johnson@usc.edu
Brandi Junious
Director of DEI and Wellness
Adrienne King
Executive Assistant to Drs. Harper and Jones
kingadri@usc.edu
Dr. Jihye Kwon
Associate Director for Survey Research
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education
kwonjihy@usc.edu
Kaitlyn Lange
Surveys Data Collection Coordinator
langek@rossier.usc.edu
AJ Mada
Equity Coaching Academy Director
amada@usc.edu
Richard Nassar
Chief Strategy Officer
RNassar@rossier.usc.edu
Rodolfo Andy Nuñez
Senior Research Analyst
ranunez@usc.edu
Jaymon Ortega
Research Associate
jtortega@usc.edu
Dr. John Pascarella
Chief Academic Officer
Professor of Clinical Education
pascarel@usc.edu
Dr. Erica Silva
Associate Director
esilva@rossier.usc.edu
Shá Duncan Smith
Senior Strategist
shasmith@usc.edu
Isaiah Simmons
Research Associate
isaiahsi@usc.edu
Dr. Minh Tran
Director of Racial Equity Research Partnerships mctran@usc.edu
Dr. Adrián Trinidad
Associate Director for Community College Partnerships
altrinid@usc.edu
