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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.