From the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race:
The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race hosted its annual Conversations On Race event at Seton Hall University on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. With the theme “Where Do We Go From Here?”, the forum explored how the long arcs of history — from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement — shape the current social and political landscape.
The evening’s expert panel was moderated by Caroline Smith, and featured Jean-Pierre Brutus, of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; Dr. Robert Pallitto, Professor of Political Science at Seton Hall University; and Tariq Raheem, an educator and school leader in Irvington, NJ who is renowned for launching the AP African American Studies course. The panel provided a vital framework for understanding today’s systemic challenges. Speakers emphasized that modern political polarization and the influence of social media on society’s collective understanding of truth are deeply rooted in historical cycles rather than being isolated contemporary issues.
Attendees participated in facilitated small group conversations about how these topics relate to the South Orange and Maplewood community and shared steps community members can take to resist systemic racism in their own backyard.
