Closing Plenary Address: Elaine Gross, ERASE Racism

Elaine Gross is founder and president of ERASE Racism, a regional civil rights organization based on Long Island, NY. ERASE Racism is exposing and addressing the devastating impact of historical and continuing institutional and structural racism, especially in public school education, housing, and community development. It utilizes research, legislative and policy advocacy, legal action, and educates and organizes the public.

Ms. Gross presented her perspectives on these topics in ten opinion articles in 2020 and six articles thus far in 2021 (including an opinion published in The Hill in September 2021), published in local, regional, and national publications. Additional media coverage of Ms. Gross’s opinion, accomplishments, and numerous speaking engagements reflect the broad respect for Ms. Gross’s expertise and successful implementation of critical campaigns.  For example, Ms. Gross’s activism has elevated the continuing problem of housing discrimination by organizing a statewide coalition that successfully advocated for amendments to the New York Human Rights Law. Ms. Gross was invited twice to offer expert testimony and recommendations, which contributed to the 2021 passage of seven laws by the NYS Senate and Assembly to increase fair housing enforcement. The laws are presently awaiting enactment by the Governor.

Under Ms. Gross’s leadership, ERASE Racism has become a premier civil rights organization that is educating the public about the systemic causes of racial discrimination and segregation and working with others to create greater racial equity.  Under the broad recognition of two pandemics, which are both especially impacting African Americans—COVID-19 and the killing of Blacks by the police—Ms. Gross’s leadership expanded ERASE Racism’s anti-racism education utilizing online workshops, reaching libraries, churches, businesses, universities and a variety or non-profit and for-profits organizations. There was a particular focus on reaching public schools with workshops for school superintendents and teachers and facilitating dialogues between educators about such critical issues as CRSE, DEI, and increasing educators of color in schools. Work with our Student Task force also expanded online, including student leadership of workshops and plenary panels at the premier Teachers College, Columbia University Reimagining Education Summer Institute.