U. unveils Sheila Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America

On Friday, Rutgers—Newark introduced the Sheila Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America, renamed for the late Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver (D-N.J.) who died in August 2023, according to a press release.

Friday's unveiling was attended by Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, members of Oliver's family and James Jones, co-director of the Center and an assistant professor in the Departments of Africana Studies and Sociology.

Jones spoke with The Daily Targum about the Center's academic objectives and community impact goals.

He said the Center plans on deploying a multifaceted approach to dissecting issues at the intersection of race and politics.

One of the Center's primary goals is to help members of the Rutgers—Newark community become informed on political issues, Jones said.

He said the Center will disseminate informational briefs covering topics including candidates, voter representation and voter registration, all with an initial focus on Essex County.

Jones also said it is important for young people to discuss these issues in an all-encompassing, reciprocal manner.

"Oftentimes, we think about … how to participate in politics without getting (our) own perspectives about how (we) understand the world," he said. "And so, I think part of it is doing a lot more listening to people on the ground, ordinary people, and how they see the political system as well. So, I imagine the Center as being a place where there can be a healthy conversation that is multidirectional."

The Center also commissions studies by researchers and experts related to its goals, according to Jones. One such project is a study by Hyacinth Miller, an assistant teaching professor in the Departments of Africana Studies and Political Science as well as a lecturer in the Department of Latino and Caribbean Studies, which aims to create a database of Black women elected officials across state offices, Jones said.

"There's a lot of activity happening in New Jersey — New Jersey is often overlooked. There is a dearth of research available about New Jersey, and if anyone were to do a random search, 'Black women elected officials in New Jersey,' you'd be hard-pressed to find information," Miller said.

She said a goal of the study is to raise awareness around Black women in politics by making data increasingly available.

The Center reached out to Miller after seeing her previous work focusing on Black women around the world, she said. Many academic institutions veer away from research on race and politics, according to Miller.

"The Center is leaning in and saying, 'You know what? We're going to talk about race and politics, we're going to find data, we're going to find facts, we're going to make it accessible to the community, we're going to translate what we find so that people understand what we're doing, and we're going to be community-engaged scholars,'" she said.

The Center also plans to have an impact on equipping students with career tools, Jones said. He said the Center will provide internships in partnership with Braven, a program that aims to get underrepresented students their first jobs after graduation.

"I was a congressional intern once, and that opportunity really changed my life," Jones said. "I got to see how political institutions work, I got to see these elected officials up close, I got to work with their staff. It gave me a really important education about how I can contribute to politics."

He said the internship, which introduced him to his career, would not have been possible for him without financial accommodations made by the program administrators.

"These conversations are so important because they let students know their dreams are attainable," Jones said.