Majora Carter is an American urban revitalization strategist based in the South Bronx, New York. Last fall she was invited to deliver the keynote address for the dedication of Hampshire College's R. W. Kern Center. The building is considered a significant addition to the college's sustainability initiative for a carbon neutral campus.
In her address, entitled "Justice or Equality, Talent-Retention or Poverty-Maintenance, the Risk of Change vs. the Cost of Doing Nothing," Carter speaks on the importance of considering how the environments we build affect those who exist within them.
Her work focuses on what she calls "low status" communities; places where there is generally considered to be a low quality of life. These communities often bear the cost of the society's environmental burdens like coal mines and garbage dumps, while enjoying less environmental benefits like public parks. In 2005, Carter was awarded the MacArthur "Genius" Grant for her work in the South Bronx.
This talk was recorded on September 16th, 2016. Special thanks to Hampshire College's Media Services and Communications Office for the use of their recording.