Scot Nakagawa

Scot Nakagawa is a social justice veteran who took his first job as a community advocate in 1980. Since then, he's worked in dozens of organizations on a wide variety of issues of concern to politically marginalized communities. Scot now serves as Senior Partner in ChangeLab, a racial justice laboratory primarily concerned with addressing anti-Asian racism. His blog, Race Files, focuses on race and racism in U.S. politics and culture.

The anti-intellectualism of the social justice community is killing us

When faced by complicated ideas we should reach for them together, as though we believe ourselves to be worthy of intellectual leadership.

By Scot Nakagawa

/ 8 Dec 2016

#Blacklivesmatter and white progressive colorblindness

White supporters of Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign don't see that white progressive politics is identity politics - rooted in the white experience.

By Scot Nakagawa

/ 7 Sep 2015

Herman Wallace was held in a cage for 40 years. What does this say about us?

By the time Herman Wallace was released from prison earlier this month, he had been kept in solitary confinement for over 40 years. He died shortly after his release. Yet there was no physical evidence to link him to his alleged crime. Is this justice?

By Scot Nakagawa

/ 16 Oct 2013

For racial healing, we need to get real about racism

The United States was founded upon racist ideas: a land of opportunity, but only for European immigrants. To overcome the divisions that fragment us, we all need to invest in personal transformation.

By Scot Nakagawa

/ 2 Jul 2013