Although four juvenile justice reform bills are primed to move forward in the Pennsylvania Senate, it would appear that the heaviest of lifting on the effort is yet to be done.
Names represent a person’s identity, our cultural origins, history, and in some instances how the world sees us. Names, like all words, are used to label or describe things and affect our perceptions, which inevitably impacts how we experience the world around us. The history of language is also particularly important when identifying or speaking about individuals or communities, especially for communities who have been the most marginalized.
From reproductive health and bioethics to the child welfare system and youth justice, Professor Dorothy Roberts has been a transformative leader on the issues impacting the lives of Black and Brown youth and, notably, Black women.
“It’s unfortunate that the first response is to just lock people up and throw them away, when, you know, if you really just take the time to invest in people — people aren’t disposable. We’re all capable of redemption. We’re all capable of being helped and being our better selves. Everyone deserves a second chance.” For Cyntoia Brown Long, this wasn’t just a fight for her freedom, but a fight for everyone's.
The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy •
Cyntoia Long Brown and Governor Bill Haslam sat down with Vanderbilt University Law Professor Christopher Slobogan to talk criminal justice reform. Hear from the 2022 Leadership Prize Winner as she tells her story and discusses the ways in which the justice system can fail young people. Go to 10:09 to hear from Cyntoia Long Brown.
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