Wilson Okello, assistant professor of education, hesitated to call a series of events organized by select Penn State Black faculty to highlight the university s “deliberate indifference to issues of racial
Penn State student organizations and units at campuses across the commonwealth will be holding events in honor of Black History Month. Here’s a look at some of the events and opportunities taking place at the University’s campuses during the month of February.
Within Penn Stateâs University Park Undergraduate Associationâs General Assembly are many committees that keep busy working toward their respective policy goals. But as the 15th Assembly nears the halfway point of the spring semester, one of the busiest committees is also one of the newest â the Committee on Justice and Equity.
Formed out of the Committee on Outreach, the Committee on Justice and Equity was formed last year.
Najee Rodriguez, the chair of Justice and Equity for UPUA, has been involved in the committee since its inception. Elected as the first chair, he has sponsored and pushed for many of the committeeâs initiatives on the floor of the General Assembly.
IMAGE: Patrick Mansell
Next, Seymour provided context for the commission’s recommendation for a truth and reconciliation process, explaining “In order to identify a pathway toward healing, restoration and rehabilitation, we must acknowledge where we have been and where we are today and, to do this, it’s important for us to look at the past, as well as the present.”
Through dialogue in these areas, the commission hopes such a process might help establish increased engagement from the Penn State community, believing that restorative justice and restorative practices that are centered on mediation and healing communities rather than on punishment are important tools for working toward lasting change.