The Return of (Unrestrained) White Supremacy and the End of Optimism

(Excerpt) We have heard a lot this morning about optimism. But if I were to name my talk this afternoon, it would be entitled The End of Optimism. I consider myself an equity warrior.1 I love that term, but I am pessimistic about the state of race and racism, and white supremacy in our country, especially now. I am pessimistic, but I have not given up because I think there is value in bearing witness to, recording, and noting what is happening around us.

So, I am going to talk about three projects on which I am working. Each project deals with different aspects of a theme that is certainly not optimistic. But I hope that what I say about my work will help me convey my thoughts about the role of legal scholarship.