Panelists will discuss the implementation and impact of a community building exercise (Unify America’s “Unify Challenge”) conducted in an online environment with University of Akron students. The Unify America Challenge is an online video conversation between two students from different US regions who may vote differently or have significant differences across race or age. Together, the pair with differing backgrounds take a survey to discuss goals across a range of issues including criminal justice topics. The experience is designed to be a high-impact way for people from across the USA to discover common ground, shared goals, and learn about new perspectives in a low-risk setting. Students who participated in the challenge engaged in dialogue across racial and political lines. Topics covered in this student-focused experience included race relations, politics, criminal justice concerns, and other pressing social issues of our time. Panelists will speak about their experience with the “Unify America” assignment from the vantage point of Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, and from the vantage point of an executive from the Unify America Organization.

Panelists include Drs. Carolyn Behrman (Anthropology), William T. Lyons (Political Science), and Robert L. Peralta (Sociology). Morgan Lasher, Vice President of Marketing, Unify America will provide context and analytics from the Unify America Organization.

This event is sponsored by the Center for Conflict Management and the Department of Sociology at UA.

This event is part of The University of Akron’s Rethinking Race event series, a two-week forum of events focused on facilitating “courageous conversations designed to promote inclusive excellence” regarding race and race-related issues. Thank you to our Rethinking Race sponsors the County of Summit ADM Board, Mercury Plastics, Goodyear, FirstEnergy Foundation, FedEx Custom Critical, Alpha Phi Alpha Foundation of Akron, Ilene Shapiro’s Summit County Department of Job and Family Services, the Akron Community Foundation, the City of Akron, Philip and Paulette Thompson, and Dr. Sheldon Wrice.