“Randy Blazak’s work in the media and as an advocate on the issue of hate crime has engendered both thoughtful discussion, and at times spirited debate.  Randy is a force of nature and smart as a whip, with an  intellectual inertia that prizes intensive dialogue, no matter where that river flows. A true authentic public intellectual.”

- Brian Levin, PhD

Director, Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism

California State University - San Bernardino 

Speaking Engagements

Why is hatred such a persistent problem in our society? How do we utilize what works to create a less divisive world? Whether in front of the classroom or a TV camera, Dr. Randy Blazak is known for taking the complex issues around race, gender, extremism, and crime, and making them easily relatable. He has become an in-demand keynote speaker for human rights, social work, and violence conferences. He has logged over 150 presentations to communities, universities, and secondary schools, discussing his research on hate crimes and related topics. His workshops on bigotry and bias have helped train a new generation of federal workers, law enforcement, and educators. By using humor to balance out some dark subject matter, as well as a healthy dose of stories from the field, he manages to keep audiences engaged as well as inspired to find their own ways to make a difference.

Consulting

Dr. Randy Blazak has utilized his scholarship to serve as a respected expert witness in the courtroom in civil, criminal, and family court cases. Whether hired by the prosecution or the defense, he applies his academic work ethic to cases, doing research, preparing reports, and often testifying before juries on complex issues related to hate and violence. The cases have ranged from homicides to a case about a teenager who got a bit crazy in a mosh pit. His expertise has also been utilized in city planning projects, grant reviewing, and in countless media interviews.

Continuing Legal Education Classes

Dr. Blazak holds a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) class that has been approved for a 1-hour Access to Justice credit by the Oregon Bar Association. The class, The Roots of Bias, addresses root causes of bigotry and bias in the legal field and workplace. Topics include implicit bias, sociological roots of bias, and strategies to confront bias. Past clients include Stoel Rives LLP and Matchstick Legal.

Anti-Bias Trainings

Dr. Blazak runs dynamic trainings to help workforces implement equitable policies that appreciate the values of inclusion and diversity. Trainings include, “Intersectionality: It’s Complicated,” “Bias Amid a Pandemic,” and “The Roots of Bias.” Past clients include the Port of Portland, the Bonneville Power Administration and the Lake Oswego School District. Workshops available include the following:

Understanding Hate Mongers

This workshop is designed for mental health and social workers, and those in probation and parole who serve “hate-affected” clients.  This training focuses on the paths that bring individuals into right-wing extremism and the specific needs they require to disengage from hate-based groups and behavior. There is focus in the workshop on psychological-level issues, like traumatic experiences, and social forces, like societal reinforcement for racist activism.

Roots of Bias

This training explores the psychological and sociological drivers into extremist ideologies, from sociopathy to cultural responses to rapid social change.

Trauma and Bias

This training addresses issues like internalized racism, implicit bias, and micro aggressions, how those more subtle forms of bias lead to cumulative trauma.

Intersectionality: It’s Complicated

Our lives and identities are increasingly intersectional. The workshop takes on the evolution of thinking about intersectionality and how embracing intersectional perspectives creates space for people to be more productive.

Hate Crimes

Hate crimes have been on the rise. This training looks at community-level trauma caused by hate crimes as well as community responses. Legal aspects of what is and what is not a hate crime is also addressed.

Hate Groups

This training is an overview of the history and activism of various hate groups in the Pacific Northwest and how their activity level is shaped by external conditions.

Right-Wing Extremism and Domestic Terrorism

In the wake of the Oklahoma City Bombing, the threat of right wing extremism and domestic terrorism has received greater attention. This workshop explores the ideology of patriot militia and sovereign citizen groups and their recruitment into a counterculture that advocates for armed rebellion.

Bias Amid a Pandemic

The Coronavirus pandemic quickly revealed health inequities in America based on race, class, and immigration status. This workshop looks at lessons learned from the 1918 flu pandemic and the 1980s AIDS crisis to better understand the varied impact of COVID on different populations. Topics include implicit bias in the medical profession, cultural attitudes toward health care, and the intersections between economics and health outcomes.

Faces from the Front: What the Ukraine War Teaches Us About Trauma

After traveling to do refugee work in Portland and Ukraine, Dr. Blazak has been presenting this workshop on why understanding the Ukraine-Russia conflict is important to understanding trauma issues, including within refugee communities in the United States.

Hate Goes To Prison (and Comes Out)

Among the most active, and violent, hate groups are racist prison gangs. This workshop discusses the nature of white supremacist security threat groups that operate inside jails and prisons and how their behavior continues after members are released  back into communities. This training also focuses on the specific needs hate-affected individuals need post release.

Gen Z Hate: How Young People are Targets for Extremism

Young people experience a changing social landscape similar to pervious generations but the ways extremist groups reach them has changed. This workshop addresses the world of online hate and how young people are pulled into hateful ideologies without ever meeting anyone from a traditional hate group.