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](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Jade-Agua.jpg)
Jade Agua
Chief Learning Officer
jagua@rossier.usc.edu
![Lara Aposhian Lara Aposhian](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Lara-Aposhian.jpg)
Lara Aposhian
Chief Marketing Officer
laposhia@rossier.usc.edu
![LaNita Gregory Adrián Trinidad](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/LaNita_Gregory_0010-crop-1.jpg)
Dr. LaNita Gregory Campbell
Director of DEI Organizational Strategy
lanitagr@usc.edu
![Adrián Trinidad](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Annie-Chen.jpg)
Annie Chen
Office Manager
achen501@usc.edu
![Wilmon-Christian Dr. Wilmon A. Christian III](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wilmon-Christian.jpg)
Dr. Wilmon A. Christian III
Director of Workplace Equity
wilmonac@rossier.usc.edu
![SteveDesir-0038_PNG Adrián Trinidad](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SteveDesir-0038_PNG.png)
Dr. Steve Desir
Assistant Professor of Research
sdesir@usc.edu
![Jenise Evans](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Jenise-Evans.jpg)
Jenise Evans
Surveys Data Collection Manager
jenise@rossier.usc.edu
![Jordan-Greer Jordan Greer](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Jordan-Greer.jpg)
Dr. Jordan Greer
Associate Director
jordang@rossier.usc.edu
![Edith Samano-Gutierrez Edith Sámano-Gutiérrez](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/EdithSamano-Gutierrez-0171_High_Res-crop-scaled-e1688770545868.jpg)
Edith Sámano-Gutiérrez
Finance Manager
samanogu@usc.edu
![Debbie Hanson USC Shield](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Debbie_Hanson_0016-scaled-e1688770591689.jpg)
Debbie Hanson
Associate Director
debbiepe@rossier.usc.edu
![Shaun Harper Dr. Shaun Harper](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Shaun-Harper.jpg)
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 Esmeralda Hernandez-Hamed](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Esmeralda-Hernandez-Hamed.jpg)
Esmeralda Hernandez-Hamed
Associate Director
esmeralda.hh@rossier.usc.edu
![Ya-Chi Chung Ya-Chi Hung](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Ya-Chi-Hung.jpg)
Ya-Chi Hung
Associate Director
yachihun@usc.edu
![Royel Johnson_Cropped Adrián Trinidad](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Royel-Johnson_Cropped.png)
Dr. Royel M. Johnson
NACCC Director
Associate Professor of Higher Education
royel.johnson@usc.edu
![Brandi-Junious Brandi Junious](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Brandi-Junious.jpg)
Brandi Junious
Director of DEI Workplace Wellness
junious@rossier.usc.edu
![Jihye-Kwon-New Adrián Trinidad](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Jihye-Kwon-New.jpg)
Dr. Jihye Kwon
Associate Director for Survey Research
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education
kwonjihy@usc.edu
![Kaitlyn Lange Kaitlyn Lange](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Kaitlyn-Lange.jpg)
Kaitlyn Lange
Surveys Data Collection Coordinator
langek@rossier.usc.edu
![Sarah Toutant](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AJ-Mada.jpg)
AJ Mada
Equity Coaching Academy Director
amada@usc.edu
![Justin Morrow Justin Morrow](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Justin_Morrow_0165-scaled-e1688770684834.jpg)
Justin Morrow
Head of Sports Programs and Partnerships
Justin.Morrow@usc.edu
![Richard Nassar Richard Nassar](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Richard-Nassar.jpg)
Richard Nassar
Chief Strategy Officer
RNassar@rossier.usc.edu
![Rodolfo Nunez Rodolfo Andy Nuñez](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Rodolfo-Nunez.jpg)
Rodolfo Andy Nuñez
Senior Research Analyst
ranunez@usc.edu
![John_Pascarella_0140 (204kb-Large)-crop Dr. John Pascarella](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/John_Pascarella_0140-204kb-Large-crop-1.png)
Dr. John Pascarella
Chief Academic Officer
Professor of Clinical Education
pascarel@usc.edu
![Melissa Romero Melissa Romero](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Melissa_Romero_0224-scaled-e1688770819748.jpg)
Melissa Romero
Finance Manager
mromero4@usc.edu
![Minh Tran Dr. Minh Tran](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Minh-Tran.jpg)
Dr. Minh Tran
Director of Racial Equity Research Partnerships
mctran@usc.edu
![Adrian Trinidad Adrián Trinidad](https://race.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Adrian-Trinidad.jpg)
Dr. Adrián Trinidad
Associate Director for Community College Partnerships
altrinid@usc.edu