Racism thrives in silence. It’s when we stop talking to one another about our beliefs that prejudices go unchallenged, and the gap between us widens.

Yet race is one of the most difficult topics to discuss in American society. If we are to heal many of our country’s social, economic, and political divides, we can’t afford to avoid the conversation.

With warmth and openness, renowned author and professor Clyde Ford leads a discussion on race in modern-day America with a heavy emphasis on audience participation. Meant for people of all races, participants will come away with tools for engaging in conversations about race in an honest, transparent, and meaningful way. Though ambitious, this talk aims to make a difference in bridging and healing the racial divide.

Ford was an instructor at Western Washington University where he taught “The Introduction to the African American Experience.” His books include We CAN All Get Along: 50 Steps You Can Take To Help End Racism and The Long Mile, for which he received the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award. Ford was a featured guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, where he discussed practical steps people can take to help end racism.

Ford lives in Bellingham.