On Thursday, April 11, 2024, the Western Justice Center (WJC) hosted Assistant Attorney General Kristin Clarke, head of the Civil Rights Division for the United States Department of Justice, at Inglewood High School.
LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On Thursday, April 11, 2024, the Western Justice Center (WJC) hosted Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, head of the Civil Rights Division for the United States Department of Justice, at Inglewood High School.
WJC provides an antidote to the divisions gripping our nation by equipping young people with the tools to manage conflict, reduce violence, navigate complexity and embrace their differences in order to positively affect their future - and ours.
WJC is part of a groundbreaking collaborative at Inglewood and Morningside High Schools – the Los Angeles County Dream Resource Centers. The Dream Centers provide wraparound conflict resolution education, mental health counseling, and access to resources (food, housing, transportation) that are critical for students facing challenges of living in communities with high levels of violence and poverty.
The Dream Centers are a partnership between WJC, Helpline Youth Counseling and 211 LA in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's Office of Violence Prevention and the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission's LA vs. Hate initiative.
"Public school districts are under enormous pressure. Faced with decreasing enrollment, increasing gentrification and the continuing academic and mental health impacts of the pandemic on already vulnerable student populations, our schools need all the help they can get – help that we can provide," said WJC Executive Director, Elissa Barrett. "We're proud to be a part of the team empowering students to become civic leaders and peacemakers."
Over the last four years, WJC has trained and mobilized more than 2,000 student leaders, educators, and volunteers with the skills to transform learning environments for more than 25,000 youth at dozens of schools. WJC has the largest scaled conflict resolution education initiative in Los Angeles County.
"WJC is in 40 schools and growing. This gives us a powerful platform to create sustainable and replicable models for unlocking our collective potential to be free of violence – something that all young people deserve to have, regardless of the zip code where they live," said Shaune Gatlin, Director of Conflict Resolution Education Programs for WJC.
"The place where you can see the difference is in the students themselves. At the start of the school year, I met students who were totally closed off and shut down," said Rehana Jamal, WJC's Dream Resource Center facilitator. "And now look at them, proudly introducing and moderating a discussion with the Assistant Attorney General of the United States. There is nothing they cannot do."
Assistant Attorney General Clarke's visit marked a pivotal moment for our Dream Center students at Inglewood High School, who led a dialogue with Ms. Clarke about her personal and professional journey as the first Black woman to lead the Civil Rights Division since its founding in 1957. The event, which was attended by more than 200 female students, inspired students to think big and pursue their dreams.
In response to student questions, Clarke addressed pressing issues such as the school-to-prison pipeline, highlighting the disproportionate impact on students of color and advocating for systemic change. She also provided startling statistics on police brutality against Black and Brown people, emphasizing the urgent need for reform and accountability. Furthermore, Clarke shared her experiences as a professional Black woman navigating predominantly white, male-dominated spaces, offering insights on overcoming challenges and advocating for equity and inclusion.
Assistant Attorney General Clarke's dialogue with students underscored the shared commitment of WJC and the Department of Justice to empower the next generation through education and dialogue. This event serves as a beacon of hope for youth across the nation, reaffirming their ability to shape a more just and inclusive society.
About Western Justice Center (WJC):
WJC is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting peaceful resolution of conflicts in schools and communities. We empower people to strengthen their communities by growing the conflict resolution skills and capacity of youth, educators, schools, and community partners. We aim to build a healthy democracy by equipping the next generation with tools to confront, embrace the complexities of, and resolve conflicts. Our work inspires young people to become conflict-adept leaders who can shift the culture and climate in their schools and communities. WJC also manages a four-building nonprofit campus in Pasadena that is home to, and a gathering space, for a multitude of organizations each year.
Media Contact:
Elissa Barrett
Executive Director
[email protected]
Phone (626) 584-7494 ext. 108
Media Contact
Elissa Barrett, Western Justice Center, 1 (323) 854-8963, [email protected], https://www.westernjustice.org/
SOURCE Western Justice Center
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