This is part of an ongoing series of student-led candid conversations with members of leadership at University of Michigan.

In this campus conversation, Vice Provost for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Robert Sellers, PhD, joined U-M student Cam Turner to discuss the many challenges of 2020, working toward a more equitable society, and the upcoming Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium.

Sellers talks about how the role he is in has evolved since it was established in 1987 and shares some of what it entails, including working with students, deans, leadership, faculty, and staff regularly. 

“One of the things that I enjoy most is that this vantage point allows me to see the many different individual efforts from our students, our staff, and our faculty on a day-to-day basis to make our university more equitable and inclusive,” he says. 

They dive into the challenges of 2020 that everyone faced, but especially those in the Black community. Sellers says that in many ways, 2020 was consistent with African Americans experiences in America, explaining that when things are going great for the nation, they are typically only going good at best for African Americans, and when things are really bad they tend to be much worse. 

“The vulnerability, the marginalization of African Americans to me was very much evident in 2020. At the same point in time, the story of African Americans isn’t simply a story of marginalization. It’s really about resilience in the face of marginalization. The ability to not only survive, but to also thrive,” Sellers says. 

“We saw this over and over again in 2020 as well, both at the level of, again, of individuals, but also in terms of movements and efforts. Brilliant efforts to push this country, this society, to live up to the values that we often say that we espouse, but that we’re in a constant need to be called upon to live up to.”

Sellers also reviews the events that took place at the Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, and the results of the Senate run-off elections in Georgia, and how it all ties into the upcoming Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Symposium themed “Where do we go from here?” 

As he explains it, Sellers sees the institution, as well as the nation in general, at a crossroads in some ways in terms of what type of society will form. Recent grassroots mobilization to make systemic changes that have an impact, he says, is a focus that is consistent with the legacy of Dr. King.

Seller’s parting advice for students as they embark on this new year is to maintain their enthusiasm, their commitment, and their activism—and to do so in strategic ways that help make the university a better place.

“Make sure that you get all that the university has to offer you so that you can be prepared for the next battle, and the battle after that. And to be able to prepare the next generation for the battle,” he says. 

“It’s neither a sprint nor a marathon. It really is a relay race, and we need to be able to pass along our work, our advancement throughout the generations, if we’re ever going to be the type of society that we all want it to be.” 

Learn about the multitude of events being hosted across the university to commemorate the legacy of Dr. King at MLKSymposium.UMich.edu

Attend the annual symposium keynote lecture on Jan. 18