On the latest episode of Basic Black, host Callie Crossley was joined by four college presidents in Boston on the challenges of running a college or university during COVID-19 and racial unrest. The conversation included Dr. Kymberly Pinder, acting President of Massachusetts College of Art and Design; Dr. Lynn Wooten, President of Simmons University; Dr. Valerie Roberson, President of Roxbury Community College; and Dr. Lee Pelton, President of Emerson College.
Wooten, who began her tenure as President of Simmons University in July, commented on the role she and other college presidents play in combating racial injustice.
“For me, what I’ve been peeling back the layers at Simmons to understand is, who is caring about marginalized populations? What’s the Black experience like at Simmons?” she said.
“Yes, as presidents, we are leaders. That’s who we are,” she went on. “But this has to be collective work. And part of that collective work is understanding our lived experiences. Who we are, the pain points and what we’re not doing right. And how we can make it better.”
Watch the full episode of the latest Basic Black episode here.
