Award-winning journalist and author Sonali Kolhatkar gave a rousing talk on how intentional storytelling can inspire social change as the fall 2023 SUNY New Paltz Distinguished Speaker on Oct. 19.
Kolhatkar’s talk, “The Power of Narrative in Pursuing Racial Justice,” was inspired by her new book of the same name, which she signed copies of after the event.
Her work in this area builds on a career dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices in a media landscape that has long been dominated by straight, white, male perspectives.
Before a gathered crowd of nearly 200 people, Kolhatkar shared thoughts on how a lack of diversity in journalistic institutions can incentivize unhealthy discourse and produce negative outcomes for society – and how more inclusive practices at these organizations could help reverse that trend.
“When you have people spewing dehumanizing ideas, it obviously shapes the way you think,” she said. “We have had a country that has been shaped for several decades by racist narratives, but independent media has been a pioneer in changing the language mainstream media uses to describe human beings.”
Kolhatkar also offered thoughts on how academic institutions like SUNY New Paltz can play a supporting role in shaping media narratives on race, especially through courses that delve into the nuanced racial history of America.
“Education can change people’s perceptions by broadening their perspectives on different issues,” she said. “Another way narrative shifting happens is simply by talking to one another. The way to tell our story of multiracial democracy is to call each other in.”
These ideas resonated for Brianna Hicks ’23 (Black Studies) ’25g (Social Justice Educational Studies), a former New Paltz Student Association President now pursuing a graduate degree with the hopes of promoting diversity and inclusion as a higher education administrator.
“Words can change the perspective of how people treat others,” Hicks said. “We must treat people like human beings because we tend to let our preconceived notions of others affect how we treat them.”
About the Distinguished Speaker Series
The SUNY New Paltz Distinguished Speaker Series connects the University’s alumni, community members, faculty, staff, students and their families with well-known authors, policy makers, scientists, media experts, business leaders and other luminaries.
The Distinguished Speaker Series is made possible by the SUNY New Paltz Foundation. The fall 2023 program was presented with support from Campus Auxiliary Services, Elting Memorial Library, The Louis and Mildred Resnick Institute, M&T Bank, Sodexo, America’s Best Value Inn New Paltz and Hampton Inn New Paltz.
