i'm kiahna cassell, project director in the aspen institute communications and society program. the aspen institute, neutral nonprofit aims to foster leadership based on enduring values and provide and nonpartisan venue for being with critical issues. we are delighted you joined us for our sixth annual symposium in partnership with our friends at comcast corporation. this symposium happens to be one of my personal favorites come an incredible group of speakers, a great dialogue. does it get any better than that? i don't think so. we started it with an opening presentation followed by to panel session. immediately following the panel will then go into our tow town l conversations come at a town hall will be a chance for all of the participants and attendees to dig deeper into the topics discussed throughout the day. for those who are joining the conversation at home we encourage you to join the discussion on social media. hashtag for the event is state of race. i like to turn the microphone over to our executive director of the communications and society program at the aspen inst