The Honorable Mayor Ras J. Baraka, of Newark, New Jersey, gave the opening keynote address on August 2, 2021. He also shared a spoken word video of his with the audience and took part in the "Refund the People" panel discussion.
Social Justice Week 2021
For one week we hosted community and academic panels, speakers, art exhibits, workshops, and testimonies on the theme of Criminal Justice Reform.
Howard University hosted its first annual Social Justice Week on August 2 - 6th via Zoom. For one week we hosted community and academic panels, speakers, art exhibits, workshops, and testimonies on the theme of Criminal Justice Reform. Our goal for this week was to illuminate the issues, obstacles, stereotypes, police violence, and other acts of injustice that have tormented black families and plagued the community in recent years. We covered everything from the criminalization of black bodies, that can lead to unfair and inhumane community responses, to policing. Throughout the week, we highlighted the themes that connect the various instances of injustice in the judicial system. We provided a common platform for survivors, activists, family members, educators, and medical and legal professionals to share their experiences and insights with the wider community. Finally, we collectively explored solutions to mitigate this pressing problem in our community and ways to sustain our spirits in this journey.
Special guests included Jerry Blackwell, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Tamika Mallory and Until Freedom, Dr. Yusef Salaam (One of the Central Park 5), the Mothers of the Movement, and local activists Tony Lewis and Angel Gregorio.
Illuminating the injustices that torment the black community
Daily Themes & Agendas
Monday, August 2nd: Perceptions, Policing and Impact
Monday, August 2nd focused on the theme Perceptions, Policing and Impact and began early with an opening address by the Honorable Ras Baraka, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey at 10:00 a.m. He was followed by a panel entitled “Refund the People,” which focused on the ways state and local funds could be redirected from policing and into community programs. The day was culminated with a panel featuring Mothers of the Movement, including Sabrina Fulton (mother of Trayvon Martin) and Tamika Palmer (Mother of Breonna Taylor).
- 9:00 am - 9:30 am Welcome Address
Dr. Nikki Taylor, Chair, College of Arts & Sciences
Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad, Assoc. Professor, College of Arts & Sciences
Dr. Rubin Patterson, Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
- 9:30 am - 10:00 am Welcome to Howard University
President Wayne A.I. Frederick, MD, MBA
- 10:00 am - 10:45 am Opening Remarks
Honorable Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Newark, New Jersey
- 10:45 am - 11:00 am Video: Spoken Word
Honorable Mayor Ras J. Baraka , Newark, New Jersey
- 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Refund the People
Moderator: Ms. Lakeesha Eure, Director, Office of Violence Prevention Honorable Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Newark, New Jersey
Dr. Juan Rios, Clinical Director
Dr. Jamila T. Davis, Credible Messenger/Consultant/Facilitator
Mr. William Simpson, Strategist for Equal Justice USA
Mr. Brian O’Hara, Public Safety Director
Ms. Shoshana Page, Policy Advisor
- 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Criminalizing the Black Body
Moderator: Gigi Davis, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Anjanette Young, MSW, LCSW, Café Social Work
Keenan J. Saulter, Owner & Principal, Saulter Law P.C.
Dr. Nishaun Battle, Assoc. Professor, Virginia State University
Dr. Anjerrika Bean, Postdoctoral Fellow, SJC Scholars
Clifford Oratokhai, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Matthew Quainoo, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholars
- 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Artist Video Highlight (pre-recorded)
Lavett Ballard, Visual Artist, Lavett Ballard Arts
- 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm Activist Panel- Mothers of the Movement
Moderator: Ms. Sybrina Fulton, The Trayvon Martin Foundation
Ms. Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Shareeduh McGee, The George Floyd Foundation
Ms. Nicole Paultre- Bell, Activist
- 4:30 pm - 4:35 pm Tribute Video and Moment of Silence
Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad, Assoc. Professor, College of Arts & Sciences
- 4:35 pm - 5:00 pm Closing and Community Reflections
Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad, Assoc. Professor, College of Arts & Sciences
Tuesday, August 3rd: Mass Incarceration and Resilience
Tuesday, August 3rd focused on the theme “Mass Incarceration and Resilience” and featured the testimonies and insights from those who survived the system and are well-positioned to critique it.
- 10:00 am - 10:30 am Welcome Address
Venus Amadi , Undergraduate Student, SJC Scholar
Clifford Oratokhai , Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
- 10:30 am - 11:00 am Howard University Faculty TED Talks
Dr. Brandon Hogan, Assoc. Professor, College of Arts & Science Dr. Daryl Scott, Professor, College of Arts & Science
- 11:00 am - 12:00 pm This Affects Us All, Incarceration And Collateral Impact
Keyshad “Ife” Adeniyi, Doctoral Student
Artist-in-Residence
- 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Prison to PhD
Moderator: Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad, Assoc. Professor
Dr. Jamila T. Davis, Voices International Publication
Dr. Stanley Andrisse, College of Medicine
Dr. Zaria Davis, New Direction Coaching & Consulting, LLC.
Ms. Michelle Daniel-Jones, New York University
- 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Artist Video Highlight
Ann ‘Sole Sister’, Mixed Artist, Printmaking, Foot Painted
Prairie View A&M University
- 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Formerly Incarcerated
Moderator: Dr. Anjerrika Bean, Postdoctoral Fellow
Mr. Bill Underwood, Underwood Legacy Fund
Mr. Halim Flowers, Idellionaires. LL.C.
Mr. Momolu Stewart, Executive Director, N.E.E.D. Consulting Svcs.
Ms. Ameenah Ritson, Reach To Teach, ECE
Izuo-Ere Digifa, Founder/CEO, Flolango Cosmetics Line
Sheffield Woodrow, Fit 4 Life, LLC.
- 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Closing and Community Reflection
GiGi Davis, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Wednesday, August 4th: Law and Justice
Wednesday, August 4th focused on the theme “Law and Justice” and featured a panel of Howard University Law school professors who discussed policing and trauma and a feminist critique of policing stops. Another panel focused on disfranchisement of formerly incarcerated people in Texas. It featured Dr. Carla Brailey, the Vice Chair of the Texas Democratic Party and Harris County Commissioner, Rodney Ellis.
- 9:30 am - 10:00 am Welcome
Matthew Quainoo, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Phillip Warfield, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Sadonna Fleming , Undergraduate Student, SJC Scholar
- 10:00 am - 11:30 am Legal Hot Topics- Howard University School of Law
Professor E. Christi Cunningham (School of Law)
Professor Josephine Ross (School of Law)
- 11:30 am - 12:00 pm Faculty TED Talks
Dr. David Green ( College of Arts & Sciences)
Dr. Melanee Harvey (College of Arts & Sciences)
- 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Disenfranchisement, Democracy & Incarceration Matters in Texas
Moderator- Dr. Carla Brailey, Vice Chair of The Texas Democratic Party
Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Harris County, Precinct One
Dr. Ben Yisrael, Policy Fellow at the Center for Justice Research, Texas Southern University
- 2: 30 pm - 4:30 pm (In) Justice from Theory to Practice by The Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel
Dr. Nisa Muhammad, Asst. Dean, Religious Life
Ms. Andreya Davis, Asst. Dean of Faith Based and Community Initiatives
Howard University Alternative Spring Break (ASB) Students
Howard University Juvenile Justice Advocates
Howard University Social Justice Tutors
- 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Closing and Community Reflection
Dr. Nisa Muhammad, Asst. Dean, Religious Life
Andreya Davis, Asst. Dean of Faith Based and Community Initiatives
Thursday, August 5th: Local, National and Global Activism
Thursday, August 5th focused on the theme Local, National and Global Activism and featured local activists and advocates plus Tamika Mallory and Until Freedom, the Innocence Project, and two men of the Exonerated Five (Central Park 5).
- 11:00 am -11: 25 am Welcome
Amanda Benegas, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Clifford Oratokhai, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Kendra Wilson, Undergraduate Student, SJC Scholar
- 11:30 am - 12:00 pm Faculty TED Talks
Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad, Assoc. Professor, College of Arts & Sciences
- 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm DC Natives Day: Local Activism
Tony Lewis, Hanover Place Press
Angel Gregorio, The Spice Suite, LLC.
- 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Until Freedom
Ms. Tamika Mallory
Mr. Angelo Pinto, Esq.
Mr. Mysonne Linen
Ms. Linda Sarsour
- 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Faculty TED Talks
Dr. Stephen Hickson, Professor, College of Arts & Sciences
Dr. Anton House, Visiting Asst. Professor, Delaware State University
- 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Artist Video Highlight
Lisa Love Whittington, Mixed Media Artist
- 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Survivors of Judicial Injustice
Dr. Yusef Salaam, The Exonerated 5
Mr. Raymond Santana (The Exonerated 5
Mr. Huwe Burton, The Innocence Project
Ms. Belynda Goff, The Innocence Project
Mr. Clemente Aguirre, The Innocence Project
- 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Closing and Community Reflection
Amanda Benegas, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Clifford Oratokhai, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Kendra Wilson, Undergraduate Student, SJC Scholar
- 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Pass the Mic – Social Justice Reflections
Doctoral and Undergraduate Students, SJC Scholar
Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad, Assoc. Professor, College of Arts & Sciences
Friday, August 6th: Criminal Justice Advocacy in Action
Friday, August 6th, the final day of Social Justice Week, focused on the theme Criminal Justice Advocacy in Action and Jerry Blackwell held a keynote address at 6:30p.m.
- 3:00 – 3:30 pm Welcome
Amanda Benegas, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Matthew Quainoo, Doctoral Student, SJC Scholar
Kendra Wilson, Undergraduate Student, SJC Scholar
- 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Artist Video Highlight (pre-recorded)
Keonna Wynn, Visual Artist, Harvard University
- 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm The Intersections of Policing and Medicine
Moderator: Kaia Amoah, Third Year Medical Student ( HUCOM)
Cast Down but Not Destroyed: A History of Police Reform in the United States
Dr. Mallory Williams, Professor, College of Medicine
Deaths in Custody – The Development of a Comprehensive Research Agenda
Dr. Roger A. Mitchell, Chair, College of Medicine
- 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm "George Floyd and the Derek Chauvin Conviction: What Does It Mean for Racial Justice?”, Jerry W. Blackwell, Prosecutor in State of Minnesota v. Derek Chauvin
Jerry W. Blackwell (Blackwell Burke P.A., Minneapolis)
- 7:30 pm - 7:45 pm Closing Remarks
Dr. Nikki Taylor, Chair , College of Arts & Sciences
Speaker and Panel Highlights
The Honorable Mayor Ras J. Baraka
"This Affects Us All" Presentation
Keyshad “Ife” Adeniyi, SJC Artist-in-Residence and Howard University Doctoral Student, presented the Social Justice Week attendees with the "This Affects Us All" presentation.
"Prison to PhD" Panel Discussion
People from organizations such as the Voices International Publication, New York University and Howard University came together to talk about the journey from prison to PhD.
"Formerly Incarcerated" Panel Discussion
People from organizations such as the Underwood Legacy Fund, Reach To Teach, ECE, and N.E.E.D. Consulting Svcs. came together to talk about life after incarceration.
Faculty TED Talks Part 1
This Faculty TED Talks discussion was hosted by Howard University College of Arts and Sciences faculty members Dr. David Green and Dr. Melanee Harvey.
"DC Natives Day: Local Activism" Panel Discussion
Local activists Tony Lewis, from the Hanover Place Press and Angel Gregorio, from The Spice Suite, LLC, came together to discuss activism in the district.
Faculty TED Talks Part 2
This Faculty TED Talks discussion was hosted by Howard University College of Arts and Sciences faculty member Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad.
Until Freedom Activist Panel Discussion
This panel discussion dedicated to national activism featured the social justice group Until Freedom.
Faculty TED Talks Part 3
This Faculty TED Talks discussion was hosted by a Howard University College of Arts and Sciences faculty member and alumnus.
"Survivors of Judicial Injustice" Panel Discussion
The "Survivors of Judicial Injustice" panel discussion featured people that were incarcerated by the U.S. judicial system under false pretenses. They shared their experiences and discussed life after judicial injustice.
"The Intersections of Policing and Medicine" Panel Discussion
"The Intersections of Policing and Medicine" panel discussion featured Howard University stakeholders from the College of Medicine.
"George Floyd and the Derek Chauvin Conviction: What Does It Mean for Racial Justice?” Keynote Address
Jerry W. Blackwell, Prosecutor in State of Minnesota v. Derek Chauvin, presented a keynote address on George Floyd and the Derek Chauvin Conviction. This keynote address was the finale of the 2021 Social Justice Week.