Join us for this three-part discussion series, led by Dr. Janese Free, Associate Professor of Sociology, and Jeff Smith, Jr, Associate Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion/Chief Diversity Officer and Deputy Title IX Coordinator Center for Diversity and Inclusion. We will watch clips representing the major themes presented in the documentary that reveal the “criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom”
(https://www.netflix.com/title/80091741).
We hope you can attend all three discussions but if not, please join for as many as possible.
- October 6th at 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Discussion Part 1: Examining the history of the 13th Amendment
After the Civil War, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery, EXCEPT for incarcerated individuals. Join us as we discuss the history of the 13th Amendment and the progression of mass incarceration in the U.S.
- October 13th at 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Discussion Part 2: From crack to “super predators”: the surge of mass incarceration in the 1980s
The prevailing mantra of the 1980s was to "get tough on crime" which led to the war on drugs, passing of mandatory sentencing laws, and zero-tolerance policies across the nation. These sweeping changes fueled mass incarceration – in particular, for Black Americans. We will discuss some of the critical issues of this era and examine how the U.S. responded to the crack crisis at the time and is currently responding to the opioid crisis.
- October 20th at 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Discussion Part 3: Facing the long-term impact of mass incarceration
We will examine the impact of policies that have contributed to mass incarceration and their effect on individuals, social systems, and society. We will highlight how mass incarceration has devastated communities of color and the opportunities for educational, economic, and civic engagement.
