�A Retrospective Look at MSRI’s 2021 Math and Racial Justice Workshop

RON BUCKMIRE (OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE) �CALEB ASHLEY (BOSTON COLLEGE)

DUANE COOPER (MOREHOUSE COLLEGE) �MONICA JACKSON (AMERICAN UNIVERSITY)

OMAYRA ORTEGA (SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY) �ROBIN WILSON (CAL POLY POMONA)

�2022 JOINT MATHEMATICS MEETING�SIAM MINISYMPOSIUM ON ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS

APRIL 9 2022

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Outline

• Overview
• Planning
• Summary
• Impacts
• Next Steps
• Questions?

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Overview

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Math + Racial Justice Workshop Overview

The overarching goal of the Workshop on Mathematics and Racial Justice is to explore the role that mathematics plays in today’s movement for racial justice. For the purposes of this workshop, racial justice is the result of intentional, active and sustained anti-racist practices that identify and dismantle racist structures and policies that operate to oppress, disenfranchise, harm, and devalue Black people.

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Math + Racial Justice Workshop Overview

• Hosted online by Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) over 6 days in June 2021: 6/9, 6/10, 6/11, 6/16, 6/17, 6/18
• Program Organizers
• Omayra Ortega and Robin Wilson (co-chairs)
• Caleb Ashley, Ron Buckmire, Duane Cooper, Monica C. Jackson
• Incredible staff support by MSRI DD Helene Barcelo and Alexander Lawhorn
• Organized around four themes:
• Bias in Algorithms
• Disparities in Public Health
• Racial Inequities in Mathematics Education
• Fair Division, Allocation, and Representation
• Videos of every session online: www.msri.org/workshops/1012

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Math + Racial Justice Workshop Overview

• Six Co-sponsors
• National Science Foundation
• American Mathematical Society
• Center for Minorities in the Mathematical Sciences
• Mathematical Sciences Research Institute
• National Association of Mathematicians
• Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematicians

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Math + Racial Justice Workshop Overview

• 11 Featured Speakers
• Robert Q. Berry III (University of Virginia)
• Rediet Abebe (UC Berkeley)
• Emma Benn (Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai)
• Sharad Goel (Stanford)
• Maria De-Arteaga (UT Austin)
• Michael Jones (AMS/Math Reviews)
• Danny Martin (UI Chicago)
• Darius McDaniel (Leidos)
• Brittany Mosby (Tennessee Higher Education Commission)
• Michael Ralph (NYU)
• Stephanie Somersille (Somersille Math Education Services)

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Math + Racial Justice Workshop Overview

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Planning

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Math + Racial Justice Workshop Planning

• Began in June 2020 (email suggestion by Robin Wilson)
• Organizing Committee formed in September 2020
• Monthly meetings then bimonthly meetings in early ‘21
• Incredible support by MSRI staff
• “If you want something done, ask a busy person”
• 1 Dean/Vice-Provost (Jackson)
• 1 Associate Dean/Director (Buckmire)
• 1 Department chair (Cooper)
• 2 Assistant Professors (Ashley & Ortega)
• 1 Co-PI on big NSF grant (Wilson)

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Program

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06/09/21: Day 1

• Welcome and Overview of Workshop Expectations (Wilson and Ortega)
• Keynote addresses
• “Seeking racial equity and social justice in mathematics teaching and learning” (Berry)
• “Roles for Computing in Social Change” (Abebe)
• Panel: Moderated by Lou Mathews w/ Berry and Abeb
• Panel: What To Expect Over The Next 5 Days (Organizers)

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06/10/21: Day 2

• Bias in Algorithms and Technology (Ashley)�The existence of types of “automated social bias” has been established in a variety of algorithms, from those governing housing and lending practices, to those employed in policing and the criminal justice system. We will explore many facets in the creation/lives of algorithms which adversely affect social justice during this session. Our emphasis will primarily center on bias in algorithms which threaten racial justice. We ask how mathematics can be wielded to detect, even dismantle, such bias in algorithms.
• Plenary Talks
• “Designing for Equity”(Goel)
• “Sources and consequences of algorithmic bias ”(De-Arteaga)
• Panel (moderated by Talitha Washington, Clark Atlanta University) w/ Goel and De-Arteaga

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06/11/21: Day 3

• Disparities in public health (Jackson and Ortega)�A racial justice approach to health equity requires that we address how issues of racism, disproportionate distribution of wealth opportunities, and privilege within society produce negative outcomes for the Black community. In this session we will discuss the racial disparities that exist within healthcare, how mathematics has been used to perpetuate these problems, and how mathematics can be used to identify and mitigate these disparities.
• “The Pandemic within the pandemic” (McDaniel)
• “Race and causality in health disparities research: time for a necessary paradigm shift” (Benn)
• Panel (moderated by Julie Ivy, NC State) w/ Benn and McDaniel

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06/16/21: Day 4

• Racial Inequities in Mathematics Education (Buckmire & Wilson)�In this session of the workshop, we will explore the barriers towards dismantling racial inequities in mathematics education that still persist despite numerous, longstanding movements to eradicate or at least ameliorate them. Further, we intend to use this space to envision what racial justice in mathematics education can look like for Black students.
• “Teaching to Transgress: Mathematics as a tool for social justice” (Mosby)
• “Rethinking Equity and Inclusion as Racial Justice Models in Mathematics (Education)” (Martin)
• Panel: (moderated by Jalil Cooper) w/ Martin and Mosby

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06/17/21: Day 5

• Fair Division, Allocation, and Representation (Buckmire & Cooper)�The principle of fairness has particular resonance to questions of racial justice in response to historically unfair systems and treatment. Mathematics can (and should) be involved in any discussion, analysis, or decision-making process about fair division, allocation, and representation. In this session, presenters will address some aspects of the mathematics of fairness, both in theory and application.
• “Elections and Representation” (Jones)
• “Once in a Decade Opportunity to Address Gerrymandering” (Somersille)
• Panel: (moderated by Ron Buckmire) w/ Jones and Somersille

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06/18/21: Day 6

• A Call To Action
• Breakout sessions on 4 thematic areas
• Breakout sessions on:
• Task Force Report on Understanding and Documenting the Historical Role of the AMS in Racial Discrimination
• NSF Racial Equity in STEM program
• The Algebra Project
• Libation

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Impacts

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Impacts

• Hundreds of attendees were able to attend the workshop
• Attendees were given free access to electronic copies of various anti-racist texts
• Mathematics for Social Justice: Resources for the College Classroom (Eds: Khadjavi and Karaali)
• Critical Race Theory in Mathematics Education (Eds. Davis and Jett)
• Mathematics Teaching, Learning, and Liberation in the Lives of Black Children (Martin)
• Dozens more
• List of Suggested Resources for further reading/study

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Next Steps

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Next Steps?

• Compendium document is being edited for release later this year
• AMS Notices article also in the works
• Discussions ongoing to plan biennial cycle of future M+RJ workshops (summer 2023 and summer 2025)
• Other anti-racist efforts/events in Mathematics
• Latinx in the Mathematical Sciences (IPAM July 7-9, 2022)
• Math Leaders 4 Racial Justice (Summer 2022)
• Blackwell-Tapia Conference (biennial)
• Infinite Possibilities Conference

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Questions?

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Ron Buckmire�ron@oxy.edu

Associate Dean & Professor

Occidental College�Los Angeles, CA

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