Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine will host a new online discussion series featuring many of the nation's most important voices on topics relating to racial justice. The free Just Us Dialogues will kick off Thursday, Aug. 20, with a discussion on police reform and will culminate in October with an online symposium on health and restorative justice.
"The healthy society we are morally obligated to create would treat all citizens with equal levels of care and compassion," said Alicia Wilson, vice president for economic development at the Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Health System. "Current inequities, however, levy a devastating toll on the lives of many people in America. These are difficult conversations, but we will embrace the tension in order to move toward a healthier society."
The first discussion of the series will feature civil rights attorney Ben Crump; public health and gun violence scholar Shani Buggs; and Billy Murphy, founder and partner of Baltimore law firm Murpy Falcon Murphy. The discussion, titled "The 4th Amendment: Use, Misuse and Case for Police Reform," will take place Aug. 20 at 5 p.m. EDT.
The series will be hosted over Zoom. Additional JustUs Dialogues are:
- Thursday, Aug. 27: "Protecting our Youth: Confronting Society's Role in the Harmonious Development of Adolescents," which will focus on youth rights in the criminal justice system
- Thursday, Sept. 10: "Immigration Matters: Building Humanity Within a Fractured Immigration Landscape," which will explore the impact of current immigration policies and potential reforms
- Thursday, Sept. 24: "Decriminalizing Mental Illness: Empathetic Approaches to Mental Health Supports," which will focus on mental health within the justice system
The discussions will serve as a prelude to the "Road to Equity Symposium: Addressing Health Equity and Achieving Restorative Justice" symposium on Thursday, Oct. 8. The symposium will be aimed at improving social justice and the health of American communities, especially the nation's most marginalized residents.
For more information, email JHConnects@jhu.edu.
Posted in Community
Tagged community, racial justice
