a decade and is a staff writer at the dalia news event has written for the post the ap, bbc national public radio and the voice. her new book fire fight a battle to integrate new york's bravest is based on ten years of interviews with firefighters. it traces the history of race and the new york fire department for the first black firefighter to the massive dissemination lawsuit settled in 2014. at the center of the book are stories of courage that firefighters risking their lives in the line of duty while risking their livelihoods in the system. we share the stage this evening with these firefighters all members of the society and organization to combat racism which was instrumental in the struggle in the book. the members here all currently active firefighters who appear in the book are paul washington you can clap for them. [applause] the former president and michael marshall former society advocates. the discussion is moderated by todd robbins the teachers at the graduate school of journalism he's a former housing organizer and has been economist and a staff writer at the voice the dalia news

a staff writer at the ny daily news and has written for the new york post wnyc, the ap, bbc, national public radio and the village voice. her new book, "firefight: the century-long battle to integrate new york's bravest," is based on nearly ten years of reporting and interviews with firefighters. it traces the history of race in the new york fire department from the first black firefighter in 1919 to the massive discrimination lawsuit finally settled in 2014. at the center of this book are stories of courage about firefighters risking their lives in the line of duty but also risking their livelihood by battling an unjust system. otis shares the stage this evening with these firefighters all members of the vulcan society, an organization started in the 1940s to combat segregation and racism in the fdny which was instrumental in the struggle described in the book. the members here are all currently active firefighters who also appear in the book are paul washington -- you can clap for that. [applause] who's former president of the vulcan society and michael marshall -- clap for that -- [applause] ye