Dr. Rupert Nacoste will be the convocation speaker for this semester on January 28. He is a professor of Psychology at North Carolina State University where he has been on the faculty since 1988. At NCSU he served as the first Vice Provost for Diversity and African American Affairs for two years. He reflects on these years as Vice Provost in his memoir “Making Gumbo.” Along with his book, he has published several articles on the topics of affirmative action, cultural diversity, and stereotyping. His most recent interest is how people are having problems dealing with what he calls “neo-diversity” in America. According to Dr. Nacoste, “Neo-diversity is what we live with today; a time and circumstance when for all of us, contact with people who do not look like us happens every day.” Unfortunately, many stereotypes surrounding different groups of people exist.  He says, “Silence lets stereotypes live on.”  He believes that ignoring slurs towards any race, religion, or sexual persuasion shows “too much tolerance for intolerance.” He says that” if we really want change, silence is no longer an option.”

To hear more from Dr. Nacoste, watch his TEDx speech at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y73bRAwJY6I where he talks about life, race, history and what is perception and what is reality.

Following the incidents of earlier this year, the AMHS community will be able to benefit from the thought provoking discussion that Dr. Nacoste is sure to provide.