VANCOUVER, Wash. – A free, public panel discussion, “Black, Brown and Blue: Diverse perspectives on race, policing and justice,” will be 1:30-3:30 p.m., Friday, April 3, at Washington State University Vancouver and live streamed at http://youtube.com/wsuvancouver.
Recent police killings of people of color have led to protests and demonstrations across America, raising larger questions related to racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system. Five panelists who view these issues from a variety of lenses will discuss the root causes of these disparities, their consequences and how we can move forward.
The panel will be moderated by Clay Mosher, professor of sociology at WSU Vancouver. Panelists include:
• Pat Escamilla, juvenile court administrator for Clark County
• JoAnn Hardesty, president of NAACP Portland Chapter and consultant
• Alexes Harris, associate professor of sociology at the University of Washington
• James McElvain, chief of police for the City of Vancouver
• Charles McGee, president and CEO of Black Parent Initiative
The event is co-sponsored by the WSU Vancouver Center for Social and Environmental Justice, the Student Diversity Center, the Diversity Council and Black People United.