Raised in New York City, Professor Rose spent her childhood in Harlem and the Bronx. She graduated from Yale with a BA in Sociology and then received her Ph.D. from Brown in American Studies. In addition to her duties at Brown, Professor Rose sits on the Boards of the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Color of Change, and Black Girls Rock, Inc.

Dr. Rose engages with scholarly and general audiences on a wide range of issues relating to race in America and has been featured on PBS, MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and other national and local media outlets. During her address, she will cover key issues surrounding race in the current political environment from the perspective of Dr. King’s philosophy and insights.