February 4, 2026
Reimagine Black Futures during the Age of Authoritarianism One Hundred Years of Celebrating Black History
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm • Hayes Hall - 403
Forum I Panelists, February 4, 2026: Dr. Lisa K. Bates (Portland State University), Dr. Prentiss Dantzler (University of Toronto), Dr. Henry-Louis Taylor, Jr. (UB School of Architecture and Planning), and Jamal B. Williams (UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences).
The 2026 Black History Month program marks 100 years of celebrating Black History by reflecting on the long struggle for freedom at a moment when that struggle is threatened by a new danger—racist authoritarianism. Grounded in the Black Radical Tradition, this program seeks to understand how racial capitalism operating within an authoritarian framework is underdeveloping Black neighborhoods and undermining the health and social well-being of people of African descent in the United States. Its purpose is to understand how these forces are constraining the Black freedom struggle, to discuss strategies for fighting back, and to reimagine a Black future where people of African descent live in a nation grounded in radical democracy, anti-racism, and socioeconomic justice.
There will be two panels, both of which will explore the following questions: What does Black freedom look like? How does racist authoritarianism threaten people of African descent in the United States? How should Black people fight back in the age of racist authoritarianism?
Scholars in urban planning, sociology, social welfare, and health will examine the dangers posed by racist authoritarianism, discuss strategies for fighting back, and reimagine a Black future in which people of African descent live in a nation grounded in radical democracy, anti-racism, and socioeconomic justice.
Panelists:
Henry Louis Taylor, Jr., Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo and the founding Director of the UB Center for Urban Studies. He is an urban historian and planner whose research focuses on urbanism and city-building under racial capitalism, emphasizing how this process produces underdeveloped neighborhoods of color and affects health inequities. Taylor works closely with Buffalo’s Black community on issues of neighborhood development, health equity, and community planning, and his work has been featured in national media. He teaches courses on central city revitalization and race, class, and the city, and coordinates internship and workshop programs that connect students with real-world urban projects. His numerous awards and honors reflect decades of scholarship and community engagement. Learn more about Henry Louis Taylor, Jr., Ph.D. at the University at Buffalo.
Lisa K. Bates, Ph.D. is a Professor of Black Studies at Portland State University. She earned her Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning in 2006 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Bates’s research and practice include deep engagement with community-based organizations working toward racial justice and housing rights, including Portland’s anti-displacement coalition. Her work has been recognized with the 2019 UAA–SAGE Marilyn J. Gittell Activist Scholar Award. Learn more about Lisa Bates, Ph.D., at Portland State University.
Prentiss Dantzler, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto and the Founding Director of the Housing Justice Lab within the School of Cities. His interdisciplinary, community‑engaged research focuses on housing policy, neighborhood change, urban poverty, race and ethnic relations, and community development, exploring how and why neighborhoods change and how policymakers and communities respond. He holds cross‑appointments in the School of Cities, the Infrastructure Institute, the Department of Geography and Planning, and the Department of Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto and has published widely on these topics. Dr. Dantzler earned his Ph.D. in Public Affairs with a concentration in Community Development from Rutgers University–Camden. Learn more about Prentiss Dantzler, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto.
Jamal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. With degrees in Mathematics and Biology and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, he is deeply committed to understanding the neurobiological and neurogenetic bases of neurodevelopmental disorders. A self-described child health activist, his work addresses the global development of children and the barriers they encounter during critical developmental stages. Jamal leverages his research expertise to highlight knowledge gaps in our understanding of the brains of children and adolescents, advocating for more equitable diagnostic tools. His research employs multi-ethnic ancestry analyses to examine genetic risk for neurodevelopmental disorders across diverse populations.
Jamal is also the founder and a working-group member of the Community Health Speaks Initiative at UB, which connects faculty, staff, and students with the broader Western New York community to help bridge disparities in health and biomedical research. The initiative has organized workshops on topics such as the human genome and precision medicine in marginalized communities, preventive health strategies for Afghan refugee women, and training high school students in essential medical skills. Additionally, he co-created the Health Equity Ambassador Program, which trains local leaders to serve as community health workers. Through his work, both inside and outside the institution, Jamal seeks not only to understand the mechanisms underlying complex brain disorders but also to leverage this knowledge to ensure that children everywhere have the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive. Learn more about Jamal B. Williams, Ph.D., at the University at Buffalo.
Moderator/Facilitator:
Keith A. Alford, Ph.D. is Dean and Professor at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. Alford’s research focuses on culturally specific service delivery, family mental health, rites of passage programming for adolescents, and child welfare interventions. Before joining UB in 2021, he held leadership roles at Syracuse University, including chief diversity and inclusion officer. He has also been recognized as an NASW Social Work Pioneer, one of the profession’s highest honors, and his work has been supported through grants and publications in social work research. Learn more about Keith A. Alford, Ph.D. at the official University at Buffalo.
The School of Architecture and Planning is an AIA CES Approved Provider. This course is AIA CES Registered and approved for 2 Learning Unit (LU) | Health Safety and Welfare Unit (HSW)
Former and current students will discuss the role of the School of Architecture and Planning in preparing them to resist racist authoritarianism and build a more democratic and just nation in which Black people are truly free.
Panelists:
Enjoli Hall is a graduate of the M.U.P. in Urban Planning, Class of 2017, from the University at Buffalo, and holds a B.A. from Princeton University. She recently earned her Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Class of 2025. She specializes in Community-Based Research and Strategy, City and Regional Planning, and Public Health. Learn more about Enjoli Hall.
DaMante’ Curry is a recent graduate of the M.S. in Real Estate Development, Class of 2026, at the University at Buffalo, and holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences, Class of 2019. He has professional experience in workforce development, community engagement, and regional transportation planning. Over more than a decade living in Buffalo, he has had the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with a variety of community members, shaping his commitment to being a changemaker and an asset to the city. As a current member of the City of Buffalo’s Preservation Board, he works to honor the innovative legacy of Western New York’s built environment while reimagining a region where all can truly live, work, and thrive together.
Jillian Daniels, B.S., B.A., is a current Master of Architecture student at the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning, Class of 2028. She is a designer and curator interested in connecting historical narratives and design theory to better understand social, political, built, and cultural environments through storytelling. Her goal is to develop frameworks for imagining how equitable futures can be created based on present circumstances and precedent.
Moderator/Facilitator:
Henry Louis Taylor, Jr., Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo and the founding Director of the UB Center for Urban Studies. He is an urban historian and planner whose research focuses on urbanism and city-building under racial capitalism, emphasizing how this process produces underdeveloped neighborhoods of color and affects health inequities. Taylor works closely with Buffalo’s Black community on issues of neighborhood development, health equity, and community planning, and his work has been featured in national media. He teaches courses on central city revitalization and race, class, and the city, and coordinates internship and workshop programs that connect students with real-world urban projects. His numerous awards and honors reflect decades of scholarship and community engagement. Learn more about Henry Louis Taylor, Jr., Ph.D. at the University at Buffalo.
Forum II Panelists, February 25, 2026: DaMante’ Curry (MSRED '26), Enjoli Hall (MUP '17), and Jillian Daniels (MArch '28)