Advancing Racial Equity at Duke

Hewitt, Benmamoun on why they’re hopeful on making progress on changing campus culture

“Change is hard,” says Kim Hewitt, vice president for institutional equity, but through the efforts of many members of the Duke community, change is being made in advancing racial equity at Duke. More is needed. The work is happening in units across the campus; the Racial Equity Advisory Council (REAC) is charged with coordinating this anti-racism work on campus based on the key concepts articulated by President Vincent Price in his Juneteenth message in 2020.

In this short video, Kim Hewitt and Abbas Benmamoun, vice provost for faculty advancement, highlight the objectives of REAC working to address campus culture and advance equity. “What gives me hope is the progress we’ve seen,” Benmamoun said.