Monday, November 14th, 2016
Campus Center 10th Floor, Rm. 1009
5:30-7:30 PM

Gyasi Ross (Blackfeet) is a writer and attorney. He has spoken at various campuses nationwide on topics related to Native America as well as broader discussions on race, racism and white privilege. He recently keynoted at the 18th Annual White Privilege Conference in Louisville, KY.

Ross also appears regularly on various talk shows and news programs to discuss current issues - from politics to sports, pop culture to history, the environment to immigration - and all the intersections with Native life and national dialogues about race. He also writes and speaks about historic and contemporary relations between African Americans and Native Americans.

Ross confesses that although he wasn't always the best student when he was younger, he was still a smart kid. "I was seen as very intelligent, but underachieving," Ross recalls. Yet, despite his early educational struggles - he attended six colleges, including two tribal colleges, before graduating from Columbia Law School - Gyasi continued in the family tradition of working within the community and telling his people's stories. And drawing from his own background, Ross is a powerful inspiration and mentor to young people wherever he speaks.