Season 2 Episode 4: Working Together To Create Equity In Education: A Conversation With Kaliris Salas-Ramirez

In E4S2 I speak to Kaliris Salas- Ramirez, a neuroscientist, professor at CUNY School of Medicine and a parent whose efforts have been focused on racial justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. We speak about her tireless efforts to bring equality in education for her children and the difficult conversations that are necessary about how race plays into education, with the goal of elevating the voices of marginalized communities.

Kaliris Y. Salas-Ramirez is at the CUNY School of Medicine as Distinguished Medical Lecturer. There she conducts research on sex specific interventions for cognitive decline as a result of illicit or therapeutic drug exposure.  As the co-chair of the Inclusive Excellence Council at CSOM she has begin to integrate conversations of equity and bias for students, faculty and staff supporting the school’s anti-racist mission. She is a board member for the non-profit Future of Science and wants to champion, engage and empower early career researchers with evidence-based resources to improve the research endeavor. There she leads the “anti-racism in STEM” workgroup. Finally, when Dr. Salas became a Mom that empowered her to go beyond being a student advocate, but to become an organizer and activist fighting for equity in public education. Her sons fuel her work in the Department of Education as a parent leader and activist. She has received awards for her activism and service to her institution as a leader in equity and is the president of her local school board. Dr. Salas aspires to use her platform as a neuroscientist, Puerto Rican, woman and mother to support anti-oppressive work and changing systems. 

*** There is strong language in this episode not intended for children