St. Petersburg Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center

The St. Petersburg Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center—formerly known as the St. Petersburg/Pinellas Higher Education for Racial Equity (SPHERE)—is an officially recognized Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation campus center of the American Association Colleges and Universities. This collaboration of two institutions in Pinellas County, Florida is unified in the cause to upend established racial hierarchies that oppress marginalized communities. Representatives from Eckerd College and Stetson University College of Law work together to create academic programming, research, information resources and public engagement around racial equity.

Mission

To create an accessible space for sustained scholarship, conversation, service, education, activism and legislative advocacy around the topics of race equity and racial healing in order to build a more equitable collective future.

Vision

As we come to understand the racial history of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County and the role our institutions have played therein, we seek to dismantle existing racial hierarchies and inspire a narrative change. We wish to highlight our shared humanity; embrace positive narratives on race while developing our students, employees, and the community; and move toward racial healing and transformation.