A nationally known political strategist and author will speak Tuesday evening at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva as part of the school’s President’s Forum Series.
Maya Rupert will appear at 7 p.m. in Froelich Hall at the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts. The event is free and open to the public.
Rupert will discuss themes from her new book, The Real Ones: How to Disrupt the Hidden Ways Racism Makes Us Less Authentic, which explores how ideas of authenticity influence American politics and leadership, particularly for candidates and leaders of color.
A nationally recognized political strategist, Rupert served as campaign manager for Julián Castro during his 2020 presidential campaign, becoming the third Black woman in U.S. history to run a presidential campaign. She later managed Maya Wiley’s 2021 New York City mayoral campaign.
According to the colleges, Rupert’s talk will also examine challenges faced by candidates of color on the campaign trail, the role of representation in politics and media, and how professionals navigate expectations in predominantly white spaces.
Rupert currently serves as executive vice president at Blue State, a digital strategy and creative agency focused on advocacy and social impact organizations.
She is also the host of the podcast “When We Win,” which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Her political commentary has appeared on major outlets including MSNBC, CNN and NPR, and her writing has appeared in publications such as The New York Times and The Atlantic.
Rupert has also received a Salute to Excellence Award from the National Association of Black Journalists.
