Wayne Law’s Detroit Equity Action Lab names new director
Asandi Conner has been appointed director of the Detroit Equity Action Lab (DEAL), an initiative of Wayne State University Law School’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Asandi to Wayne Law and the Detroit Equity Action Lab,” said Dean Richard A. Bierschbach. “Her years of experience, passion for Detroit and commitment to social justice are assets to our community. I’m excited for DEAL’s future and continued growth.”
Conner has worked for and in partnership with nonprofits for more than 20 years. Through her consultancy, “Say it Write,” she helped organizations, professionals, and entrepreneurs communicate their social mission and articulate their authentic voice. Conner joins the Law School from Wayne State University’s Office of Economic Development, where she was director of the Detroit Revitalization Fellows.
“It is a privilege to lead this work in the city I love during America’s racial reckoning,” said Conner. “My commitment to confronting racial injustice began as a student on Wayne State’s campus and is still very much a part of who I am and the work I do.”
The Detroit Equity Action Lab promotes racial equity and justice by bringing together a multi-racial, intergenerational group of leaders and innovators working in the many dimensions of racial equity to address issues of structural racism in the greater Detroit area. Since its establishment in 2014, DEAL has convened five cohorts, creating a network of more than 140 individuals representing 100+ organizations that deploy diverse methods to end structural racism. DEAL’s sixth cohort will convene in February.
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Contact: Kaylee Place
Email: kaylee.place@wayne.edu
Phone: 313-577-4629
The Detroit Equity Action Lab, an initiative of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne State University Law School, is supported by grants from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
