Columbia Talks: Police (Ab)use of Power & the Criminalization of Youth of Color in the United States

Columbia Child Rights, in co-sponsorship with 18 student of color and social justice-focused student organizations, will be hosting our annual fall conference on Friday, November 21 at 5:30PM in Lerner 569. Columbia Talks: The Criminalization of Youth of Color in the United States seeks to foster dialogue between Columbia students, relevant student organizations, and professors that will focus on the disproportionate criminalization of black and Latino/a youth in the United States. The conference features a panel discussion between Columbia professors Dr. Carl Hart and Dr. Carla Shedd that will explore the intersections between race, socioeconomic status, crime, and law in relation to critical issues such as police brutality and mass incarceration. Following this panel, representatives from four Columbia student organizations will join the professors to discuss these themes as they connect to their student groups’ goals. Taylonn Murphy, a community organizer in West Harlem
 and anti-violence advocate who is working to build community with Columbia students and faculty, will be giving closing remarks.

Particularly in response to the incident in Ferguson, the police raids in West Harlem, and student activism ranging from the Columbia Prison Divest movement to students’ efforts to build community with families affected by the police raids, this conference will unite students, student organizations, and professors at Columbia working towards the vision of social justice for young people that are systematically criminalized in this country.