The paper is the abridged text of the author’s opening keynote address given on June 28, 2017 at the 10th Annual Equality Diversity Inclusion Conference hosted at Brunel University (London, UK). The conference theme was Borders. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
The address was given orally accompanied with slides that included pictures and quotes of referenced authors and works, websites, memes and various civil rights events. The address interwove personal experiences, published research, social movement strategies and current events and social issues. A brief question and answer period followed the address.
The address made the case that while scholarship is important, diversity scholars need to do more than publish scholarship but also engage in activism. In fact, the author argued that history has informed us that scholarship has never been enough to produce significant civil rights advancements.
Toward this end, the author provides three action steps that diversity scholars can take to engage in activism that produces results: translate research for the general public; partner with activist groups, and call out respectability politics and false equivalencies.
