A national political strategist and author will visit Hobart and William Smith Colleges next week to discuss authenticity, race and representation in American politics.
Maya Rupert will speak March 10 at 7 p.m. in Froelich Hall at the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts as part of the school’s President’s Forum Series.
Rupert will discuss themes from her new book, The Real Ones: How to Disrupt the Hidden Ways Racism Makes Us Less Authentic, which examines how expectations around authenticity shape the experiences of candidates and leaders of color.
The event is free and open to the public.
Rupert previously served as campaign manager for Julián Castro’s 2020 presidential campaign, becoming the third Black woman in U.S. history to run a presidential campaign. She also managed Maya Wiley’s 2021 New York City mayoral campaign.
During the talk, Rupert is expected to address challenges candidates of color face on the campaign trail and how professionals navigate expectations in predominantly white spaces.
The President’s Forum Series, established in 2000, brings national leaders and thinkers to campus to engage students and the community in discussions about public life.
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