W. Kamau Bell, 2017-18 Frank Sinatra Artist-in-Residence
W. Kamau Bell completed his visits to campus on May 24, 2018, and left a legacy of reflection, learning, understanding of how to build empathy and reconciliation through dialogue and yes, humor. The Emmy-winning stand-up comedian, author, and CNN host offered incisive and scathingly funny commentary on modern society that helped change views on race, politics, identity and social issues in the United States. Joined by his spouse, Dr. Melissa Bell, SCU '01, Sinatra Faculty Fellow Danielle Morgan, Sinatra Student Fellow Julia Joyce and comics, academics, and thought-provoking guests, Mr. Bell visited classes, offer workshops for students, faculty, and staff, and entertained and informed the campus and Silicon Valley community.
During his Residency, Kamau immersed himself in our campus and did what he does best—enter a community with respect and come to understand it from the inside out. He educated our community with his thought-provoking insights on the impact of race on American culture, the political landscape we now live in, and how to diffuse conflict with humor.
