Cuesta College is hosting a free public event on March 16 presented by celebrated author William Cross Jr. on the impacts of ethnic-racial identity in American society.

“Transacting and ‘Doing’ Ethnic-Racial Identity in Everyday Life” is scheduled from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Associated Students Auditorium, Room 5401, in the Student Center. The presentation will also be broadcast to the North County Campus in Room N1015.

Cross is an expert in the field of African-American development and wrote the groundbreaking book, “Shades of Black: Diversity in African American Identity.” His ideas have stimulated the growth of identity-development models for application to a wide range of groups, including gays and lesbians, Hispanics and Latinos, Asian Americans, feminists and white European Americans.

Cross earned his doctorate from Princeton University and has taught at Cornell University, Penn State University, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, City University of New York and University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

Parking permits are required and can be purchased from dispensaries in most Cuesta College lots.