Teaneck Lecture Series Covers Race, Culture And Public Policy

TEANECK, NJ — The Teaneck Public Library will host a two-part lecture series billed as "Walk the Talk." The first of the series is scheduled for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Diversity and justice scholars will discuss race, culture, religion and public policy during the first event in the series. In the second lecture, community leaders and scholars will host a "lab" discussion on how to "collectively plan and develop strategies for developing a more inclusive community."

"The broader goal of this series is to build on Teaneck’s historical position as a leader and champion of diversity and equity," according to a news release.

Click here to register for the event.

Here are the two scholars slated to speak Wednesday:

Jason Williams

"Jason Williams, Ph.D., Montclair State University, is a passionate activist criminologist deeply concerned about racial and gender disparity and mistreatment within the criminal legal system. He is a NJ native—raised by his grandmother in a housing project, which ultimately led him to pursue a doctorate in the administration of justice from Texas Southern University. Aside from publishing in the academic arena, his perspectives are also posted on several public outlets, including The Hampton Institution, Truthout, and NJ.com (among others). He’s been quoted by many local and national presses on issues concerning criminal and social justice. He has conducted ethnographic research in Baltimore MD and Ferguson, MO, following the police-involved tragedies of Freddie Gray and Michael Brown. He is also beginning police and community-based research in Newark, NJ, following the installment of a federal consent decree that proved pervasive unconstitutional policing practices. He has also published extensively on returning citizens and their navigation through reentry. Lastly, he recently published a co-edited book, Black Males and the Criminal Justice System."

Khyati Y. Joshi

"Khyati Y. Joshi, Ph.D., Fairleigh Dickinson University, is a public intellectual whose social science research and community connections inform policymakers, educators, and everyday people about race, religion, and immigration in 21st century America. Her most recent book is White Christian Privilege: The Illusion of Religious Equality in America (NYU Press, 2020). She is a Professor of Education at Fairleigh Dickinson University. For more information see www.khyatijoshi.com."

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