Robin DiAngelo, the white author of a bestselling “antiracism” book, balked at a request to accept a reduced speaking fee from a public university amid the coronavirus pandemic, insisting that her $12,750 rate was already a bargain.
DiAngelo agreed in early 2020 to be the keynote speaker at the University of Wisconsin’s annual Diversity Forum, which takes place in October. When the university alerted her in July that the event was transitioning to a virtual format due to the coronavirus pandemic and asked whether she would accept $10,000 for the gig, DiAngelo declined.
“15k is already below her current rates for virtual events, and we’ve agreed to discount that price by 15 percent,” DiAngelo’s assistant told the university. DiAngelo was paid $12,750 and delivered a prerecorded keynote for the event, according to the emails, which were obtained through an open records request .
The university’s request came amid the widespread protests following the death of George Floyd and as students began to question why DiAngelo, a white woman, was being given the most prominent speaking slot at Wisconsin’s Diversity Forum. – READ MORE
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