crime

TEDxFSCJ Adventure: Community Justice: From Trauma to Connection

Equal justice is the work of all of us.

This past summer, protests over police misconduct and racial injustice touched communities across the nation. In Jacksonville, a Confederate monument was taken down and a city park renamed, and in Washington, DC, the words “Black Lives Matter” were painted in large yellow letters along a two-block section of 16th Street. But in the months since, what concrete steps have been taken to reform our criminal justice system? And what wider institutions and practices must we understand if we are to make lasting change?

Join TEDxFSCJ for Community Justice: From Trauma to Connection, a virtual event that will explore the criminal justice system with a focus on youth and communities of color. 

Hosted by Kimberly Hall, Professor of Criminal Justice at FSCJ, and Alyssa Beck, a Survivor Mentor at the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center in Jacksonville, our panel will discuss how the trauma of racism is intergenerational; the impact of public perceptions and individual bias on adolescents, especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; and the best ideas, existing resources, and underappreciated alternatives for achieving true and equal justice for all. 

Our speakers include: 

  • Tiana Davis, Policy Director for Equity and Justice, Center for Children’s Law and Policy in Washington, DC

  • Jacquelyn Green, Community Development Administrator, Florida Department of Children and Families

  • Kelly Roy Kemp, Deputy, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office

  • Selena Webster-Bass, CEO, Voices Institute in Jacksonville

This virtual event is free and open to the public, but all attendees must register. 


The event will be held February 11, 7-9 p.m. EST. Online check-in begins at 6:50 p.m. EST.


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Tiana Davis

Tiana Davis, M.S.W., is the Policy Director for Equity and Justice at the Center for Children’s Law and Policy (CCLP). In this capacity, Davis works with national, state and local leaders to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in the youth justice system. With more than 17 years of experience in the fields of juvenile justice and public policy, Tiana was Director of Community Programming for the Baltimore (MD) Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, after serving as the Coordinator for a local racial equity initiative in Baltimore County. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

 
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Jacquelyn Green

Jacquelyn Green is Community Development Administrator for the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF).  Her experience encompasses healing-centered community engagement public and private agency policy and crisis management, media relations, and healthcare. Prior to joining DCF in 2007 she was Media Relations Officer for the City of Jacksonville and editor of the local, state and national award-winning Neighborhoods Magazine.  Her career highlights include the development and direction of the statewide crisis management and public safety policy for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice in Richmond, VA and being an editorial clerk at The Wall Street Journal, Houston Bureau.

 
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Kelly Roy Kemp

Deputy Kelly Roy Kemp has served in law enforcement for the last 29 years. Deputy Kemp has worked with the youth of St. Johns County as a School Youth Resource Deputy and as the Juvenile Civil Citation Coordinator.  He is also an Ordained Minister and serves as a Sheriff’s Office Chaplain. In addition to public service, Kemp enjoys spending time with his family and serving the Lord and our community.

 
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Taina Angeli Vargas

Taina Angeli Vargas co-founded Initiate Justice, located in Los Angeles, California in September 2016 with the intention of activating the political power of people directly impacted by mass incarceration. Prior to creating Initiate Justice, she worked in the organizing and policy advocacy field as the Statewide Advocacy Coordinator with Essie Justice Group, State Campaigner with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, and as a Field Representative for the California State Assembly. She is directly impacted by mass incarceration, with a loved one having served seven years in CA state prison.


Hosts

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ALyssa Beck

Alyssa Beck is a survivor and victim advocate who uses her past experiences (“CBS 48 hours: Live to Tell: Trafficked”) as a means to raise awareness of human trafficking while challenging public misconceptions. Previously an Advocacy Specialist at the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center with the Open Doors Outreach Network, Allyssa now serves as a Survivor Mentor and consults with and advises civic leaders in anti-human trafficking, experts in girl-centered relations and legislators to develop laws and practices that support survivors of sex trafficking and youth involved in the justice system. In addition to her work with The Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, Alyssa is a member of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Juvenile Justice Youth Advisory Council and was recently appointed a position within Florida's Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention State Advisory Group. She has been awarded as one of the Department of Juvenile Justice Youth Ambassadors for the state of Florida and Superhero for Superkids Young Advocate award.


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Kimberly Hall

Kimberly is a professor of criminal justice at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) and advisor of Theta Sigma Chi, the FSCJ chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association - Lambda Alpha Epsilon.  Kimberly was a doctoral research fellow at the University of Maryland, where she studied criminology and was sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security to work on the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START).  Kimberly earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Alabama where she studied criminal justice and psychology.  Kimberly is passionate about helping students succeed and is dedicated to working with criminal justice professionals and individuals to enhance student learning and improve the Jacksonville community.

TEDxFSCJ Salon: Common Stories, Uncommon Futures – Youth, Crime, & Community

THE SALON WILL BE HELD WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH, AT THE FSCJ ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CENTER (DOWNTOWN CAMPUS), ROOM T-140/141, FROM 6:30-8:30 PM.

The headlines are painfully familiar: In January, two shootings rocked the Jacksonville Landing, leaving one teenager dead; Duval County remains among Florida’s most dangerous; and across the city, people worry Jacksonville might become the next national tragedy. But what happens in between the headlines? And what can ordinary citizens and civic leaders do to ensure the youngest among us enjoy greater safety and security across the First Coast?

Join TEDxFSCJ as we host a salon exploring local efforts to address how crime affects our city’s youth. The evening will feature two prominent young leaders, EVAC Movement senior Davin Brown and anti-human trafficking advocate Alyssa Beck, as well as State Attorney Melissa Nelson and New Town Success Zone Executive Director George Maxey. Drawing on their first-hand experience and expertise, our speakers will discuss the often unseen effects of violence and incarceration, the lived realities of racism and gender-based trauma, the economic roots of crime, and innovative policies within the criminal justice system.

Speakers

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ALYSSA BECK

Alyssa is the Advocacy Specialist for the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center. In this role, she interacts with leaders in the anti-human trafficking field, experts in girl-centered relations and members of the state legislature to help develop laws and practices that will support survivors of sex trafficking and youth involved in the justice system. Collaborating with several organizations and councils, she brings her lived experience and passion for improving the lives of young women. Her goal is to change the laws around human trafficking and promote justice for children sent to jail.

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DAVIN BROWN

Davin is a 17-year-old senior at Robert E. Lee High School and a founding member of the EVAC Movement, an award-winning leadership course primarily serving young African-American men. As a juvenile justice advocate, Davin believes Jacksonville can and will be a better place for youth like himself, and he has shared his vision with a number of elected leaders, from President Barack Obama to Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, Sheriff Mike Williams, and State Attorney Melissa Nelson. Raised by a single mother, Davin grew up in Riverside’s Section 8 housing, where he watched close friends enter the justice system and receive prison sentences ranging from 10 to 25 years—circumstances that fuel his commitment to becoming a juvenile defense attorney.

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GEORGE E. MAXEY

George is the executive director of the New Town Success Zone, a collaboration between public and private groups to increase the well-being of residents—especially kids—in the neighborhood between West Beaver Street and Kings Road. He holds a Master of Science in Education from the University of Akron and a B.S. in Education from Kent State University. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and inspired by his third-grade teacher to pursue a career in education, George spent 15 years working as a school administrator. At Cuyahoga Falls High School in Ohio, he became the school’s first African-American administrator, and in Jacksonville, he served as principal at William Raines High School and Ribault Middle School, where he guided the school from an “F” to a “B” status.

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MELISSA W. NELSON

Melissa is the State Attorney for Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, where she leads more than 100 attorneys and 200 staff who represent the people of Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties, primarily in criminal matters. After earning her BA and JD degrees from the University of Florida, she worked 12 years as an Assistant State Attorney from 1997 to 2009, prosecuting capital homicides, white collar matters, sex crimes, and crimes against children. In 2009, she joined McGuireWoods and worked in private practice for seven years. Since taking office, Melissa has pursued several important initiatives affecting public safety, strategic prosecutions, and public transparency. Recognized for her integrity, she was recently inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers and is a member of the Jacksonville Women's Lawyers Association.

Hosts

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KIMBERLY HALL

Kimberly is a professor of criminal justice at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) and advisor of Theta Sigma Chi, the FSCJ chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association - Lambda Alpha Epsilon. Kimberly was a doctoral research fellow at the University of Maryland, where she studied criminology and was sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security to work on the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). Kimberly earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Alabama, where she studied criminal justice and psychology. Kimberly is passionate about helping students succeed and is dedicated to working with criminal justice professionals and individuals to enhance student learning and improve the Jacksonville community.

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Christina Parrish Stone

Christina is the Executive Director of the Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council, Inc. A long-time advocate for Jacksonville’s urban neighborhoods, with significant experience in historic preservation and the use of arts and culture as tools for community development, she recently retired from a twenty-year career as an attorney specializing in real estate law. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and her JD from the University of Florida, Christina began her legal career working as an Assistant State Attorney and volunteered as an attorney ad litem representing children in dependency cases. Uniting her passion for civic and artistic renewal, she is also a founder of Jacksonville PorchFest, an annual music festival that brings thousands of people to Springfield to enjoy dozens of performances on porches and in parks throughout the historic district.