Culture and Justice Lecture Series to focus on healing conversations about race

Riverside, Calif. (Oct. 16, 2023) – The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences will hold its first event of the year for the Culture and Justice Lecture Series on Oct. 19.

The lecture will feature four faculty members who wrote the book "Healing Conversations on Race": Dr. Veola Vazquez, diversity coordinator for the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program; Dr. Joshua Knabb, associate dean of psychology; Dr. Charles Lee-Johnson, associate dean of social work; and Dr. Krystal Hays, program director for the Doctor of Social Work.

We asked Vazquez about their lecture.

What will your talk be about?

We will discuss the “Healing Conversations on Race” model, addressing four key practices for having healing conversations about race. We will describe examples of common pitfalls in race-focused conversations and provide an alternative model for interacting with others in cross-racial relationships. We will draw from Scripture and psychology as foundational elements for these Christ-centered conversations. Attendees will leave with practical tools to apply to future cross-racial conversations. 

Why is that topic so important to you?

As Christian scholars with diverse backgrounds, this topic is important to us because of the importance of unity within the body of Christ. As we observed the ongoing racial disunity within the Christian community and the church during the last few years, we developed the “Healing Conversations on Race” model to contribute toward a solution. With this model being grounded explicitly in a Christian worldview, we don’t simply translate the most popular secular ideas of the day, but we start with the Bible as a foundation and a starting place for healing conversations that are meant to build deeper unity and connections among Christians of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

What do you hope the audience gets from the message?

We hope that audience members will leave with a clear understanding of our easy-to-follow model for engaging in Christ-centered, race-focused conversations. We also hope that exploring this model and its scriptural foundations will encourage Christians and non-Christians alike to delve deeper into relationships with others from diverse backgrounds.

Culture and Justice Lecture Series

"Healing Conversations on Race"

When: 6 p.m. Oct. 19

Where: Innovators Auditorium, California Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, CA 92504

The lecture series invites professionals in the behavioral science and community development related fields to share their experiences with students. They also provide information on current trends, practices and research within their respective professions. Building upon a foundation of over 40 years of behavioral science education in the Inland Empire, CBSS is excited to expand its reach – building bridges between students, community partners and nationally recognized experts.