Is Is a a a recording. recording recording recording of Carolyn's Corner, Corner, Thank Thank Thank you. you you guys guys for for for watching. watching watching watching this. we have a a wonderful wonderful panel panel panel of. of of of guests. guest guest guest host here today to to talk talk about about racial racial racial Justice Justice Justice Justice issues issues. issues issues and. and and and I think all of us us have have been been been just just just you you you know. know know know grief grief grief stricken stricken stricken over what we we saw saw happen happen in in in Savannah Savannah Savannah Savannah with. with with with the the the Amare shooting and and murder murder and. and and and but but but. but one one one of of of the things we know is is that that you you know. know know know we we we have have have these these these these kinds. kinds kinds kinds of issues that happen, you know hope. To a less dramatic and you know horrific degree, but this kind of you know racial concerns are happening all the time in our own community and so I wanted to use this opportunity to have a discussion with leaders in the community. Faith leaders to talk about the issues and talk about you know what they see or some of the challenges that we face here in the seventh Congressional District in Gwinnett in Forsyth so I'm gonna start off I'll just introduce each person and give them a few minutes to talk and then I will. Ask some questions and we can ask questions of each other and just have a little bit of a discussion about these issues. I am starting off with my wonderful friend, Jim Taylor who has been very involved in education here in Gwinnett and in particular works with a group of be much, which is a a group of men in the faith community who are out helping children in the schools and one of their issues has been sort of disproportionate disciplinary disciplinary proceedings proceedings against against black black children. children and I wanted to turn it over to him to talk about the issues in the schools, and of course we hear about the school to prison pipeline and sort of how that gets started and if we're thinking about policy ways to address these issues, you know this is kind of the starting point of where we need to start thinking about dealing with racial Justice so that we turn it over to Jim Taylor. you're on mute right now. so don't forget to un-mute yourself. Oh there there you you go. go. Okay. Okay. Okay. We're We're We're good. good. good. good. Alright. Alright Alright Alright. I've I've I've given a whole speech. It's completely muted. Okay. So it turn it over to you to it. It's about you see. I certainly appreciate it. You know when you when you think of sort of when I think of what happened to a Aubrey at the age of 25 and almost eight years ago to the day in February 2012, We had Trayvon Martin and a similar situation and unarmed black man gunned down wrong place at the wrong time. look. That's what George Zimmerman said about Trayvon Martin. He had a hoodie on he just looked suspicious. the two men that saw I'm Aubrey well. he look like he's one of the guys that was perhaps burglarizing homes so he was unarmed and killed. I like those two who are the ages of 17 and 25, respectively, to say that you know what happened to them was a result of implicit bias, but that implicit bias. Begin when they were adults it begins in school and let me give you a classic example. I don't wanna sound like too much of a professor here but last year, the professors at Yale University conducted a study and you see where I'm headed with this in a moment and they had a bunch of preschool teachers of students ages three and four, and they said that in your classrooms, they're gonna gonna be be some. some kids who are going. Be troublemakers, I want you to watch out for and what they discovered as early as grades ages three and 440 percent of the time the teachers were looking at black males, so even then the stereotypes and implicit bias. The expectations were that these are the ones who are gonna act out. let's fast forward to Gwinnett public schools and they're disciplined report from last year. Blackstone. Make up 31 percent of the student population in Gwinnett County public schools last year. 51 percent of all of the out-of-school suspensions were black students. you would think if if everything was equal, it would have been 31 percent but a 51 percent you look at the at the White population 22 percent of the students in Gwinnett County Public Schools are White. Only 12 percent received out-of-school suspension so this this implicit racial bias racial profiling racial stereotyping begins at an early age. Okay. We can say what the problem is, but what do we do about it Until and unless we start holding our educators and our school board members and our superintendent et cetera accountable, it's going to continue this disproportionate. Has existed for the past 20 years, but if if it's if it's been accepted if they aren't if their feet aren't held to the fire, it's going to continue. We're in election year. I think it's high time for us now to hold them accountable and we really need to look at the ballot box and see who's qualified who is going to teach our kids with the blind eye gonna teach them all equally the same. Strategies and stop racially profiling young black men so Jim just one quick follow-up question. Are there strategies that schools have tried to kind of raise awareness about this bias and teachers or to teach teachers, you know how to spot that in themselves and address those kind of issues A- four years ago as a matter of fact, Wendy was on that task force. we had a task task force force that convened. that convened that. The school system and that a bunch of principals and assistant principals and they were looking at what they call culturally responsive teaching strategies. I think they look at it for about three months. they look at other school systems to see what they're doing to come up with some recommendations for the board the night that they presented it to the board the board for all intents and purposes rejected the recommendations. they said. We don't really need that the dominant culture in Gwinnett County Public School. And that particular time this was the board speaking, it's the White culture if people are coming in and they wanna get acclimated to the County public schools. These are my words now they just have to roll with the flow so they have been some things, but here he he. Here's my take on everything until we declared a state of emergency. Nothing is gonna happen. give you an example When coro a virus where we are right now where. Schools will close teachers had to go home and still had to go home so they had to come up with digital learning. There was an emergency We my daughter is a teacher. We have to teach teachers how to provide instruction digitally. So there's a Mass scramble to get that done. This was an emergency so because of that emergency, the district has responded and they put in measures measures to to address. address student learning. Digital learning digital instruction In the same way, I'm chilling the last day created an emergency or declare an emergency as it relates to the disproportionate treatment of children of color. Nothing is gonna happen. Okay. Alright, Thank you for that. West person also is joining us. he is a friend somebody I'm supporting for the district Attorney race here in Gwinnett somebody who's an attorney been a defense attorney has been on various sides dealing with the legal issues respect with respect to criminal Justice in Gwinnett for a long long time time and and I I I wanted wanted wanted to to to I I I was was was hoping hoping hoping you you you you could could could. could talk talk talk some some some. some to to to you you you know, criminal, Justice issues, issues, criminal criminal Justice Justice reform reform and. and racial disparity. You know in racism as we see it within the criminal Justice system. Yeah. I think you know Doctor Taylor was right on with the bias in terms of how we kind of permeates our whole society in a way one of the things we say criminal Justice is African American and Hispanic population. They don't make up a majority of the population here in Gwinnett probably make up about 30 to 40 percent, but yet they make up 50 to 55 percent of those costs. Or those in the criminal Justice system, if we look at our jail populations throughout the state is about 40 between 55 and 60 percent people of color so it's a clear bias that is going on in terms of how they're treated how they're punished and how they view one of the things that I want to do as the district attorney is to have all my prosecutors and all my investigators go through implicit bias training because most people don't don't realize realize their their bias. bias bias. Most Most Most people people people people sort sort sort sort of of of of. think think think that that that they're. they're they're they're okay okay okay that that that they're race neutral. They don't realize that. Most people unless they see it like you know I walk into an elevator and I see a White woman watching her. She's probably one of the most Progressive people in the world, probably belongs to a number of Progressive organizations, but she's in an elevator with a black male, and she has that fear and me myself, and I'm not sure if Doctor Taylor and Doctor Baker do the same thing, but I sort of alter my. Behavior because I know that biases out there if I'm in the parking lot and there's women in the parking lot, I will stop and wait for them to get to their car before I make a move because I don't want them to think that I'm going to come by and I'm doing this when I walk into an elevator and there are people that I will smile just so they won't feel as as threat threat threat and and and and and and just just just certain certain certain. certain things things things the way I dress dress I I dress dress a a a certain certain certain way way. way. I've I've I've I've always always. always always dressed dressed dressed that that that way way way way. because because because my my my father. father. father we're not let. Dressed in some of the newer faces because he did not want me to be stereotype. He did not want me to be classified, so he made sure I dressed in a I would like to say a preppy way. even though we will fall for we were born, but you know he he wanted to make sure that people look at me and he didn't see a threat so in that and I'm old that you know I'm 55 years old and this is you know been a part of my life since I can remember so we we really really have have to to to to as as as as a a a. a doctor. doctor. doctor said. We really have to start Edy. Keating America on just the bias that they have that they don't even realize that they have. you know a lot of times when I'm picking a jury, I will try to define bias from them because you know when people think of anything, Oh, I'm not a racist and then I try to use you know a story with me. I'm a big University of Michigan fan and anything that's Ohio State. I can't get with just like I can't deal with it. so that doesn't mean I'm a bad person that just means I love the University of Michigan. so what you want to stay. Understand bias and they understand it doesn't mean if you have a malignant heart or you have hatred in your heart, but it's just you've been conditioned for a certain reason to look at something a certain way and you don't even realize it once they understand that and they're open to you know have those things challenged and change. No is there. Those are important observations and I would just say you know the number one thing I hear from you know people in the black community. you know I talk about schools. I talk about anything right. It's just that that the the racism racism racism racism colors colors colors colors every every. every every aspect aspect aspect of of of their their their lives lives lives. from. from employment to school. Everything and you know and I think this is this is actually a very important. you know discussion for everybody to watch in the district because I think this is is is important for people to hear this. you know it even dictates what type of car you may have and I'll let somebody else you know. I I I mean mean mean it's it's it's a a sad sad. sad. sad sad truth. truth. Yeah. Okay. Well, I'm I'm Thank you Wess. I'm also honored to have two faith leaders from the community pastor Marion Sailor from Christ The King and Pastor Gregory Baker from Freedom Church. I'm gonna start by handing off to a pastor sailor and just you know what what do you see in the community and you know as a faith leader? How do we deal with these issues? How do we heal? How do we come together and and I see it from two lens? I'm I'm a faith leader, but I'm also the mother of a 22 year. black male and I can tell you just last night with him leaving the House. I have a concern every time he leaves the House and it's dark. I have a concern and so I have that lens. I have that emotional feelings that come up knowing when he leaves the House what he is going out to deal with and I'm just not quite sure he understands the extent of the possibilities of. Could happen, but I'm very conscious of it. I'm conscious of the fact that this isn't new. This is systemic This has been around a hundreds of years and to piggy back on what Doctor Taylor and Wess we're saying West and in terms of educating people, I just think that they're just has to be some truth telling this has been a problem, The United States of America has a racist. On problem and this problem we have to admit from the highest level of all the way down that race is an issue and until. Don't wait, you've muted yourself. Can you go? I knew it yourself. Oops. Sorry you keep you keep you still hold on. wait. I got it okay but until we as a somer muted me now you're good. You're good. You're okay until someone you know, I'm I'm not touching anything. No you're good. You're good, you're coming to until we really Amit as a country, we have have a a a problem problem problem. problem. we. we We We have have have have. a a a racism racism. racism problem. problem. I think it has to start there has to be reconciliation. I mean we see it as faith leaders in the church at least in my church that you know Sunday is still one of the most segregated time of of of you know the week Sunday morning during church but I I just think until we seriously admit we we live in a racist country We'll we'll be talking about this for a couple more hundred years. That's a daunting prospect. We have got to yeah. I wanna I wanna put in a good plug because I love going Pastor Sailors Church and Pastor Bakers Church. so. People wanna come it's so warm. it's so wonderful. okay. well. Thank you for sharing that And pastor Baker. I just wanted to turn it over to you now. Thank you Carolyn I want to just first of all. Thank you for opening this forum for us to discuss these issues to Echo what has already been shared by by the the panel, panel, panel, disturbing on various levels of I really. Prior to the our scenario when my son go outside to as a football player as an athlete as he would go outside to to run drills or to jog up the road or do whatever he was doing. I had no concerns I had zero or concerns my wife with shared you know, maybe just stick your head out there and make sure he's doing. okay. I just kinda look down the road after this the height, the height of of that experience has has changed everything and it goes to. To the point that's was sharing as relates to the concern and the African-American community. There's a traumatic DNA strand within the African-American culture as it relates to slavery and we have to remember that there's an emotional tie to that pain that has been experienced generationally that we can't. We can't deny it. We have to address it has has to to say say I I I also also also share share share this this. this this others others others also also also shared shared shared on on on the the the panel. panel. panel this. This is something that. Truth-telling and without telling we can't have a story of Justice and we we can't have true records to reconciliation is gonna require truth telling that Pauls victim and victim to the table majority of the minority to the table so that we can talk this through and have an honest discussion with an honest desire to try to pull everyone forward and you cannot deny what is the reality? This is. We've got to just kinda admit exist and admit that the wound is there doesn't matter who put it there. It doesn't matter who started it. is it matters how we how we heal together and you cannot heal with a lie. You have to heal with the truth, and that's what the truth telling has to come in in order to do this and there's a lot of things that gonna happen to move forward. This is a major step. I believe that if you as Congresswoman to continue once in office, if you can continue and rally others that do not look. Us to come to the table and and just how the systemic oppressive things that are in place can shift and leadership. I think we can start the ball moving forward. There's a lot that needs to happen, but there's a lot that can happen. I agree and you know if I can be in a position to do that, I would just be honored. I think it would be really important to my my aunt worked on that she's in Greensboro, North Carolina and did the the remembrance project. where you bring the it's you know tied to the museum and Birmingham where where they they had had the the lynching lynching and and they they bring bring. back. You know the monument and place it in the community and I know there are people in Gwinnett who are working on that as well, and it's a it's a you know one of many forms for having a real dialogue about what's happened in the community what's happening in the past and trying to do some reconciliation a DJI Carolyn equal Justice Institute. Yes, Ison. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's definitely something I don't want to politicize it. You know I do, but it's something that you know I think it would be you know know it's it's very very important important for for this this community community and and of of. course the seventh. Has four sides which has you know just a horrifying history? of of you know the the basically a racial cleansing that happened in that County and you know, but Gwinnett is not alone. You know if when at first sight is not a lot Gwinnett, it's own you know horror stories as well. so on that, you know, yeah sure go ahead. I just got a question for the for the faith leaders can you guys talk about about cuz cuz cuz we we we talk talk talk about about about you you you know know. know. racism being America's. And both of y'all, you know, understand sin and repentance. Can you talk about how that process of when we finally do deal with this truly? What kind of know healing that can bring on both sides. You wanna start Doctor Baker you're muted so can you un-mute there? you go. I'm sorry You go first pass the sailor Okay so after we get to the point where we can be truthful about what the nation all of us are in this together and then we have repentance. I think that like you spoke up earlier, earlier, earlier, you you you know. know know know there there there has has has to to to to be respect that respect for for our our. our differences. differences the diversity. but I think it definitely has to come with the a sharing a fellowship, not just educating one another which is important, but they really has to be a sincere on both sides. Both sides not just one side on both sides and in sincere desire to come together. And not be so separated but come together and let's fellowship with one another. let's get to know one another. let's let's talk about walking in each other's shoes and have dialogue have I just connection and fellowship I think are so important and I would agree look for 18, says says says the the the spirit spirit spirit spirit of of of of the the the the Lord. Lord Lord Lord is upon is is upon upon. me me because because he. he's anointed me to. Good news to the poor has sent me to proclaim proclaim release to the captives recovery of the side of the blind to let the oppressed go free and and basically that just kinda stimulates everything that has to say was just sharing it. It's going to require a truth-telling that prophetic voice in relationship that includes that community that looks like a community because if you don't see me if you're not having coffee with me, me, I'm I'm not not real real real to to to you. you. you. So So So that that that that means. means means means that that that White. White White White pastors pastors pastors have have have to sit with black bastards bastards White White White mothers mothers mothers have have have to to to sit sit sit with with with black. black black mothers, mothers, White White father. fathers have to si. Fathers and not just for a moment for an eternity. we've got to we got to come to the table respective respectfully and hold one another accountable through this process of healing restorative Justice is not gonna happen and I'm learning. I'm learning. I'm not. I'm learning. It's not gonna happen in one conversation because if if if if if any of us would be honest, we gotta you gotta take that face off first and now be real with one another and be truthful and honest and build a relationship so that we can kinda. Cells to move forward, it's gonna take. it's the healing process, which we have really yet to be done holistically. it's it's gonna take some time generations the generation of right-I there was a riot my my ninth grade year of high school in the rural area of Florida. There was a riot that broke out a race riot on my school campus. I I had gone to elementary school in. School with White kids black kids but primarily there was some White kids that I considered my best friends. I'm not we're tight. We were we were really cool. We got to high school this riot happened and that's that was a division that was a strict division that really pulled on those relationships and the only way the only way we were able to make it through that riot as as and and to to to remain remain remain and and and. and some some some type type type of of of a a. a friendship friendship was. was because we were in. Be honest with one another to share the hurt that came through that tension of that right and so you can be able to say to your friend who's on the other side, hitting someone else that looks like you that that hurt me too, then then you we can't have a real conversation because we have to be able to see one another and that requires community not proximity right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Don't forget to to un-mute. un-mute. un-mute. Yup. Yup. Yup. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'll tell you. I I I I literally have goosebumps because I see the recurring theme and I'm excited by it because we're on the same page. I'm gonna take it from an educational perspective. you can go to any educator and Gwinnett public schools that their Central office who's been trained and they will tell you that there's a book that they use to train their leaders. It's called going from good to great by Jim Collins. I one of the first things Jim Collins says in this book that you cannot make that transition from good to great until you do one thing, first and foremost you have to deal with the brutal facts you have to identify what are those brutal facts. If you're in denial, you're not gonna move. It's the same thing with this country. It's the same thing with the community until and unless we get into this fierce conversations and discuss these brutal facts and move out of the. Aisle Then and only then will the healing process We begin go ahead. Wess. Yeah. Yeah. and I wanna kinda broaden our discussion a little bit and also you know what we've seen you know with with the AV case's that is your racism. We also see you know with our Asian American brothers and sisters with this whole defining you know this Cogan 19 is being the Chinese virus the Asian blue or things like that, which is causing up to. And racial incidences among the Asian community and they're being fearful, we need to be sensitive to that as African-Americans because we know how quickly people can be scapegoated for things and reach out and put our arms around them and you know, console them and and let them know that we stand with them cuz doctor King said. You know Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere everywhere and we know how it is. I mean we say say 1619. 1619 we've been in that. And it's no fun to have company, but they're there and we want to let them know. Hey, we understand that we're gonna help you you know as you help us and be very sensitive. so one of the things that I've done and spoke out very forcefully is these issues where I see you know, people say things that are ignorant as it relates to this virus and it's origin and anything of that nature. So we you know we need to be vigilant on the racism that we face. We also need to be vigilant. Racism that space by others that may not look like us but share that experience. That's true, Well, yeah and and being in Gwinnett know we have you know immigrant communities. We have a huge Hispanic community and I mean I have never seen you know persecution of you know immigrants and in the way you know the Muslim community but on the other hand, we're in a place to where we could really have, you know we are the future and. You know, I think we can have that dialogue here across so many different communities and we will be made so much stronger. by doing that and by you know trying to tackle these issues, head on and honestly, any other thoughts about and then we'll probably have to wrap up but you know any other thoughts about and I'm I'm a very operational person person right. right. I'm I'm I'm somebody. somebody. somebody somebody I'm I'm. I'm I'm like. like. like. like. okay. okay. okay. What What What do do do I do next? you know know you you you know know know know what what what what. would would would be. be be be you you you know, would it be having having a a forum? forum? Would Would Would it it it be be be having having having a a a a series series series series? of of of forums? forums forums forums around? around around when? you you know know what? what would be ways to? Rationalize this you know I like that you're having coffee with people. I drink a lot of coffee and you know you know what would what could we do? you know that would be a next step and it may I may have to get through the election here, but what would be the the next step you know that we can do as a community if I could just try and one thing that I would like to see happen that Person if you could share insight on which how how do we as a congregation as a faith community? How do we educate ourselves on the social Justice issues legally in the effort to try to dispel these disparities, one of the things that we're trying to do tomorrow, a part of be much more part of those initiatives that I believe very powerful and for that, but I'd also like to know as a faith community. What we're trying to do now is build a social. This component of Ministry that focuses on these types of things, how would we become equipped to understand the legal aspects of of those things to be effective? I think that we have to someone said we do have to educate ourselves and then we also have to build those multiple forums for us to continue the dialogue. Well. I think one of the things that I wanna do as elected is to bring you in to the problem-solving part. I mean we have prosecutors to tell you what the problems are all day. They They tell tell you you all all the the crime crime crime statistics statistics statistics are are are are. they they they they tell tell tell tell you you you you about about. about about this this this and and and they they they get get. get you you into to a. a point where you. Fearful What I wanna do is come in and say how can you help me rehabilitate these people? What can you know what you can do to help turn these lives around. We got this young man. We got these young men and women that have certain issues that need to be addressed. How can you? how can you your church at Christ? The King come in and partnership with the prosecutor's office to be able to provide programs for these young men and women mentorship to provide discipleship because we know that. It's not easy for people to turn their lives around. I know Y'all know I know Y'all been giving some of the same sermons every year and never been to get somebody that heard it 15 times and you go. you know what last. I heard you. I'm gonna change so we have to be about discipleship and that's one of the things I wanna do bring in faith leaders to help me solve the problem. How do we get these young men and women that are in the criminal Justice system number one out, but but then then how how do do do we we we keep keep keep young? young young young men men men and and and women women women women out out out out of of? of of the criminal Justice system? What kind kind of of of preventative preventative preventative programs programs? programs can can we we do? do one of the things I would like. I call the police athletically cuz we know we got young men and women that can't participate in athletics or in extra curricular because their families don't have the income or resources well if you have a district attorney and a you know aur come to business and say, look we need funding for this. We need funding to be able to create programs for these young men and women so they're not idle and they're staying busy and they're getting good guidance help us do that and we come to the churches. Help sponsor and help create these activities then we can have programs that have these kids engaged have them doing things have to building up. you know their self-esteem building up their the way they see themselves and then they won't get involved in these things. So that's what I wanna do come to you come to y'all and say let's problem solve. let me know what the problems are. We talk about the problems that nausea? how do we fix it? Yeah. I agree so on that on that. Note of Solution being partners in solving the problems right and so you know after elected, that's not the end of the campaign is not the end of this. That's just the beginning of the dialogue So on that note, I know some people have got to run. I've got other meetings. I thank you all so much for coming. This is probably been the Thank you the most important dialogue I've had in the entire campaign, so I've really appreciate you all being here and sharing