Dear Reader,

My name is Max Bass. I am a senior at Lafayette College majoring in American Studies. Through research I am conducting, I have concluded that athletes have a disproportionately strong impact on the racial consciousness of Americans.  I want to work to provide additional role models of highly accomplished members of minority groups in artistic and professional fields other than athletics.

Athletic role models had a large impact on my life and it took me a while to realize the lack of minority icons outside of sports and popular culture. To create more balance, I want to create a series of Podcasts from interviews with alternative icons. This project, in addition to creating a new resource for role models, will also assist me as I continue my research on racial consciousness.

My goal with these interviews is to examine different perspectives from influential figures about racial role models and promoting a consciousness of accomplishments in areas that transcend stereotypes.   The intent of this project is wholly educational and not for profit in any way.

Sincerely,

Max Bass ‘10