New book showcasing work towards change

A new book was recently released by author Neal Lester, showcasing practical approaches to diversity, equity and inclusion, ways to build community, earn trust, tell unheard stories and develop solutions to problems.

Lester joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss his new book titled “Social Justice in Action: Models for Campus and Community.”

“We sort of show social justice rather than trying to define it. Once we try to define it, then it tends to sort of get muddy and murky,” Lester said. “What we do try to define though is what injustice is. And that is much easier to identify than trying to figure out some uniform definition of social justice.”

The book is a collection of essays and reflections to spark work toward change. Emphasizing values such as empathy, self-relocation and integrity, the volume is rooted in humanities work, but it also features contributions from various fields.

“It’s who’s being denied humanity. So the idea is not to look at a group and point fingers,” Lester said. “But to say, ‘How are we trying to address the inequity that we are witnessing?’ So there is no question of what is unjust and what injustice is, it’s how we’re practicing that.”

While bringing insights from higher education, Lester’s book also critiques the system, exploring how institutions reinforce power structures and exclude marginalized voices.

Lester will be speaking at Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024.