Assistant Director @OandBInstitute @UCBerkeley. I tweet about my work, racial inequality, housing policy & law, and my dogs and hobbies. Contrarian.

California
Joined June 2009
After 15 years of research, drafting, revision, citation & formatting work, submitting to publishers and working with editors, I am overwhelmed and excited to announce that my new book on structural racism is coming out Monday! belonging.berkeley.edu/struc…
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Unfortunately, I predicted and wrote about this possible outcome in a law review article several years ago: southerncalifornialawreview.…
Today’s Supreme Court decision effectively guts a key pillar of the Voting Rights Act, freeing state legislatures to gerrymander legislative districts to systematically dilute and weaken the voting power of racial minorities - so long as they do it under the guise of “partisanship” rather than explicit “racial bias.” And it serves as just one more example of how a majority of the current Court seems intent on abandoning its vital role in ensuring equal participation in our democracy and protecting the rights of minority groups against majority overreach. The good news is that such setbacks can be overcome. But that will only happen if citizens across the country who cherish our democratic ideals continue to mobilize and vote in record numbers - not just in the upcoming midterms or in high profile races, but in every election and every level.
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I’m incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Kai Budde. Kai was, to my mind, the paragon of humble excellence. He was curious and engaging. I believe that he was the magic GOAT. I had the pleasure to get to know him over time, but one thing I will never forget…
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is how he took an interest in other formats even at the height of his professional success. He would correspond with Oscar Tan, treating Oscar like a peer or serious colleague rather than a strange curiosity in a marginal format. He treated everyone with respect and dignity. RIP
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A bit tardy, but here is my annual top five films of the year! I saw 27 films released in 2025 (so far), and my favorite was 1) One Battle After Another - A brilliant, biting satire with incredible performances. 2) Mountainhead, 3) Weapons, 4) Sinners, 5) Ballad of a Small Player
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Happy New Year’s Eve!
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It took about two years to make this video, from initial script to final animation by the amazing Rama Duwaji. The video shows the critical difference between expanding *access* to opportunity and *enlarging* opportunity itself, never illustrated before. youtu.be/qq40In0ooWA?si=-BVC…
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Thank you so much! I honestly couldn’t be happier with how the interview turned out. The author did a phenomenal job condensing a lot of information into a readable article. news.berkeley.edu/2025/07/28…
Replying to @SMenendian
That was a nice interview, you did a great job presenting the issue a way that was approachable and easy to understand.
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Three great books 😁
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Why is Andor so good? Good lord.
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There are still a few films I’d like to see from 2024, but my top 4 seems pretty set at this point: Conclave, Juror #2, Dune p2, and Hitman. The performances in Conclave had some of the best acting I’ve ever seen. Overall, it was a pretty good year. letterboxd.com/smenendian/li…
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Amid shifting legal landscapes, are you or an organization you know seeking clarity on race-conscious policies, DEI initiatives, and racial equity efforts? To help navigate these complex issues, #OBI has released a comprehensive Racial Equity Legal Guidance FAQ. Full details here: belonging.berkeley.edu/racia…
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For #VintageMTG players. I used to maintain and publish a list of playables / staples so players could manage their collections, and occasionally get requests to update it. Someone has done this using a scraping tool. Brilliant. Bookmark this link: moxfield.com/decks/FyO2oKB04…
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