Southern University New Orleans News January 16, 2020 Louis A. Berry Institute for Civil Rights and Justice Co-Hosts Criminal Justice Reform Seminars The Louis A. Berry Institute for Civil Rights and Justice at the Southern University Law Center (the Institute) and the Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS) at Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) have partnered to host an advocacy seminar entitled "Disrupting the Injustice Narrative: The Inaugural Underground Railroad to Justice Summit" on Friday, February 7, 2020 at the City of Baker Municipal Center (3325 Groom Road, Baker, Louisiana 70714) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. "Slavery was our first mass incarceration system. Currently, the American criminal justice system holds approximately 2.3 million people in prisons, jails & detention facilities," said Angela A. Allen-Bell, director of the Institute. "As long as mass numbers of people lack liberty and social and political equality, civil and human rights organizations must be committed to disrupting such a narrative." Panel discussions include: Becoming a Legislative or Policy Advocate; Becoming a Justice Watchdog; Getting the Ear of the Media; Using Art to Advocate; and, Responding to Prosecutorial Misconduct. Calvin Duncan, project director for the Light of Justice Project and a wrongfully incarcerated citizen, will present the keynote address. William Snowden, the Vera Institute for Justice New Orleans; Louis A. Berry Institute for Civil Rights and Justice 2 Katie Swartzmann, American Civil Liberties Union; Checo Yancy, Voters Organized to Educate (VOTE); Jee Parks, Innocence Project of New Orleans; Representative Edward "Ted" James, Louisiana House of Representatives and more will serve as speakers. This seminar is a component of a two-part criminal justice reform series hosted by both organizations. On Monday, February 3, 2020, Professor Allen-Bell will give a presentation entitled "When Law & Injustice Become Bedfellows: Justice Becomes the Business of the People" during SUNO's Charles Frye Memorial Lecture Series from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the Millie M. Charles School of Social Work. "CAAAS' 2019- 202o theme is AKOBEN, which means vigilance. These events symbolize our attempt to call the Southern University System and the surrounding community to educational, civic, cultural and social action," says Dr. Clyde C. Robertson, director of CAAAS. Legal professionals who attend the entire event will receive 5.5 hours of continuing legal education hours. Social workers who attend the entire event will receive 6.0 continuing education units. The seminar is free and open to the public until noon on January 24, 2020, but registration is required. Register online (http://www.sulc.edu/form/356) or via email (trainey@sulc.edu). For further information, contact: SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. Building Capacity for Humanities Special Collections at HBCUs - Become an ally and partner with us to protect, preserve and share a more authentic record of American history. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/humanities-2019.html for more information. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/ and click on the Donate Now button to invest in this project. Your support is appreciated. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/