Adjoa A. Aiyetoro, founding director of the UALR Institute on Race and Ethnicity, has been named one of AY Magazine’s Powerful Women for 2012.

Aiyetoro, an associate professor at the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law, was named the director of the institute in June of last year by Chancellor Joel E. Anderson.

“At the Institute, I love creating projects and working with others in the university and the community for racial and ethnic justice,” said Aiyetoro.

UALR Chancellor Joel E. Anderson, who was named to the list of 2011 Powerful Men, said the greatest accomplishment of his career was establishing the institute.

“Professor Aiyetoro brings together the passion, educational background, and leadership experience necessary to launch the institute and, together with other community leaders, will guide Arkansas in our work for racial and ethnic justice,” Anderson said. “Our overarching goal is a better community for everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, and we are convinced we can achieve it sooner rather than later.”

Aiyetoro and Anderson will have an opportunity to further their agenda of racial and ethnic equality at the upcoming Racial Attitudes in Pulaski County Conference from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, March 15, at the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall.

The conference focus is on media and will include a panel discussion of media professionals. The conference will be followed by lunch and round-table discussions from noon to 2 p.m.

This is the ninth year of the conference and the first year it will be hosted by the UALR Institute on Race and Ethnicity. The results of surveys conducted by the UALR Institute of Government will be released to the public at the conference.

Featured panelists include Frank Fellone of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Malcolm Glover of KUAR public radio, Katherina Yancy of KATV Channel 7 news, Rafael Nunez of El Latino and the Arkansas Times, and John Brummett of the  Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

The conference is free and open to the public. Register online at 2012 Racial Attitudes Conference. Registration information is also available in Spanish.