Syracuse Sun

Nationally noted author, activist, and philanthropic strategy advisor Edgar Villanueva joined Syracuse University faculty and Atlanta community, business, and government leaders on June 4 for the latest Lender Center for Social Justice symposium examining the racial wealth gap.

The event, titled “Closing the Racial Wealth Gap: Public, Private and Philanthropic Collaborations,” focused on how targeted philanthropy can help bridge racial wealth disparities and lead to economic equity. Participants included Syracuse faculty members who have been studying the causes of and solutions to the racial wealth gap in America, Lender Center leaders, MetLife Foundation officials, and several local business leaders involved in community investment.

Villanueva discussed reparations for Black and Native American communities and efforts by his Decolonizing Wealth Project to create racial equity through education and "radical reparative giving." The discussion was led by alumna Angela Y. Robinson ’78, director of operations for the National Association of Black Journalists.

A roundtable discussion featuring community leaders followed. Participants included alumnus Thomas R. Boyle ’83 of Fourth Ward Neighbors; Brendan Doherty, an Atlanta housing commissioner and founder of The Same House; Cheneé Joseph, president and CEO of Historic District Development Corporation; Jodi Merriday, ombudsman for neighborhoods for the City of Atlanta; Marcelle Haddix from Syracuse University; Kendall Phillips from the Lender Center; David Edwards from Georgia Tech University provided closing remarks.

The event is part of an ongoing initiative by the Lender Center to examine America's racial wealth gap and identify mitigation solutions. Over nearly two years, this work has resulted in symposia in various cities, funding for nine faculty research projects, three postdoctoral fellowships creation, and a thought leader advisory group formation. These steps were made possible by a $2.7 million grant from MetLife Foundation awarded in fall 2022.

Kira Reed greeted guest speaker Edgar Villanueva at the event held at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. Villanueva advocates using intentional philanthropy to achieve economic racial equity.

A large audience attended this third conversation hosted by the Lender Center with support from MetLife Foundation to discuss causes of and potential solutions for America's racial wealth gap.

Charlie Pettigrew from MetLife Foundation interacted with guests during the event reception including Vicki Brackens from Brackens Financial Solutions Network LLC., University staff members Peter Cronin, Stephanie Walgamott, Rachel Vassel among others.

Faculty recipients of Lender Center Racial Wealth Gap research grants such as Willie Reddic (Whitman School of Management), Laverne Gray (School of Information Studies), Kristen Barnes (College of Law) were also present along with Thought Leader Advisory Group members Pablo Mitnik (University of Michigan), Gregory Price (University of New Orleans), Hannibal Newsom (Syracuse University).

Three postdoctoral associates attending were Yvonne Christophe, Mauricio Mercado, J Coley.