ULRPI

Current SeriesFall 2009 Series

Undergraduate Lecture Series on Race, Poverty, and Inequality

The Undergraduate Lecture Series on Race, Poverty and Inequality is a quarterly lecture series founded in 2002 that seeks to educate Northwestern students about public policy issues from a social justice standpoint. In the past, the lecture series has addressed topics including Alternative Energy and the American Worker, Universal Health Care, Income Inequality in Chicago and at Northwestern, Immigration, LGBT Rights, and Food Insecurity. The lecture series has featured speakers including Anna Burger, Secretary-Treasurer of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Chair of the Change to Win labor federation, renowned education author and activist Jonathan Kozol, Paul Vallas, Superintendent of Recovery School District in Louisiana, Madeline Talbott, lead organizer of Action Now, and Quentin Young, the Coordinator of Physicians for a National Health Program.

ULRPI in the news:

http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/campus/panel-encourages-growth-of-green-living-economy-jobs-1.2063385.

http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/campus/robert-f-kennedy-jr-outlines-america-s-environmental-outlook-1.2110306

http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/campus/panelists-raise-awareness-of-clean-coal-in-u-s-1.2095846

List of Former Keynotes and Panelists:

  • Mary Gallagher, of Mary Gallagher Research and Consulting Group
  • Debbie Hillman, co-founder of Evanston Food Policy Council
  • Angel la Luz, Greater Chicago Food Depository
  • Maura Daly, VP of Government Relations and Advocacy for Feeding America
  • Prof. Bill Leanard, NU Professor of Anthropology, Chair of Global Health Program
  • Dr. Celeste Watkins Hayes, Assistant Professor of African American Studies
  • Carolyn V. Lindley, NU Director of Financial Aid
  • Matt Schumwinger, UNITE-HERE Midwest Director of Food Services Division
  • Rafael Marquez, Sodexho union steward and NU employee
  • Dr. Ivy Wilson, Assistant Professor of English
  • Tom Balanoff, President of SEIU Illinois State Council
  • Madeline Talbott, lead organizer of Action Now, former president of ACORN
  • Professor Jody Kretzmann, co-director of ABCD institute
  • Professor Lane Fenrich
  • Awilda Rodriquez, De Paul Professor
  • Dr. Susan Popkin, Urban Institute
  • Alex Polikoff, attorney and visiting scholar at NU Institute For Policy Research
  • Kathryn Edin, Associate Professor of Sociology
  • James Rosenbaum, Professor of Education and Social Policy
  • Wendell Primus, Former Chief Economist, House Ways and Means Committee
  • Ron Haskins, White House Senior Advisor for Welfare Policy
  • Marvin Krislow, Vice President, University of Michigan
  • Henry Bienen, Northwestern University President
  • Eugene Lowe, Jr., Editor of Promise and Dilemma: Prespectives on Racial Diversity and Higher Education
  • Quentin Young, Coordinator of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP)
  • Paul Vallas, Superintendent of Recovery School District in Louisiana
  • Mary Meg McCourtney, National Immigrant Justice Center
  • Julian Lazalde, Community Organizer for LISC
  • Benjamin Page, Professor of Political Science, Northwestern
  • Leemore Dafny, Professor of the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern
  • Judith Haasis, Executive Director of CommunityHealth
  • Burton Weisbrod, Professor of Economics, Northwestern
  • Mark Iris, Professor of Political Science, Northwestern
  • Johnny Savory, convict and activist
  • Brenda Palms Barber, CEO of the North Lawndale Employment Network and Sweet Beginnings
  • Martha Burns, President of the Board of Education for Evanston Township High School
  • Bonnie Lockhart, Member, Board of Education, District 65
  • George Peternel, Associate Director of Center for Talent Development
  • Michelle Reed, Project EXCITE Coordinator
  • Amalia Pallares, Associate Professor of Political Science, Northwestern
  • Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, Professor of Psychology, Northwestern

Co Chairs:

Anna Kelly | annakelly2010@u.northwestern.edu
Mike Waxman | michaelwaxman2007@u.northwestern.edu

Committee Members:

Alison Fredman | alisonfredman2007@u.northwestern.edu
Jack LaFreniere | johnlafreniere2012@u.northwestern.edu
Miles Mamon | milesmamon2012@u.northwestern.edu
Caroline Dzeba | czdzeba@u.northwestern.edu
Jon Cacharani | jrc597@u.northwestern.edu
Sophie Meyers | sophiemeyers2008@u.northwestern.edu
Divya Chhabra | divyachhabra2011@u.northwestern.edu