Beyond The Bars: Transforming (In) Justice is the fifth annual student-driven interdisciplinary conference on mass incarceration held at Columbia University, this past weekend, March 6th-8th. Organized by the Criminal Justice Caucus at CSSW, the Center for Justice at Columbia University and the Beyond the Bars Fellows, the conference kicked off with Friday night with Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness and a several other powerful guest speakers and performances.
This year’s Beyond the Bars conference focused on the idea of transformation. The questions the conference posed this year are: How do we work towards lasting transformative change? How do we develop a framework for changing the way our country seeks justice that does not perpetuate the roots of the problems that have led us here? How do we create change that addresses the systemic marginalization while also addressing the need for individual accountability and the safety of our communities and our society? What is a transformative agenda for changing the way we seek justice?
On Saturday, March 7, BW covered the Police Accountability And Beyond: Developing Justice panel, Moderated by Julien Terrell, lead organizer of Brotherhood-SisterSol at Columbia University School of Social Work. The panel was assembled to identify some of the most pressing issues in the struggle to build real police accountability, safe communities and achieve justice for those impacted by police brutality and violence. The panel addressed what changes need to be made and possible strategies to achieve them.
The Panelists included: Monifa Bandele – Director of Brooklyn Movement Center, Damon K. Jones – New York Representative of Blacks In Law Enforcement (BLEA), Erica Garner – daughter of Eric Garner and New York City Council Member, Jumaane Williams.
The panel discussed a couple of different vantage points around police accountability. One of the main themes was, how do we transform our current justice system, so it doesn’t benefit those who benefit from oppression, but speaks directly to those who directly impacted by police violence.
Damon K. Jones – BLEA [Black Westchester]
Monifa Bandele – Director of Brooklyn Movement Center [Black Westchester]
Julien Terrell, lead organizer of Brotherhood-SisterSol at Columbia University School of Social Work [Black Westchester]
New York City Council Member, Jumaane Williams [Black Westchester]
Erica Snipes Garner – Daughter of Eric Garner [Black Westchester]
Erica Garner & Damon Jones [Black Westchester]
Police Accountability And Beyond: Developing Justice Panel At Columbia University School Of Social Work Beyond The Bars: Transforming (In) Justice is the fifth annual student-driven interdisciplinary conference on mass incarceration held at Columbia University, this past weekend, March 6th-8th.