The Program for Learning and Community Engagement (PLACE) at Texas A&M University-Texarkana will host a panel discussion titled “Sharing Some Thoughts on African-American Men and the Legal System” featuring Texarkana community and law enforcement leaders on Thursday, Sept. 22, from 7-9 p.m. in Eagle Hall of the University Center on the A&M-Texarkana campus, 7101 University Ave., Texarkana, Texas. The event is free and open to the public.
Panelists will include the following:
· Jasmine Crockett, CEO of The Crockett Law Firm, PLLC, Texarkana, Arkansas;
· Robert A. Jones, Dean of Students, Texarkana College, Texarkana, Texas;
· Bishop T.L. Taylor, Director, Washington Academy Charter School, Texarkana, Arkansas, and Pastor, Church of the Living God, Texarkana, Arkansas;
· Lt. Thedford White, Texarkana Texas Police Department; and
· Officer Latriesha Grandy, Texarkana Texas Police Department.
Dr. Tom Wagy, professor of history, will serve as panel moderator.
Attorney Crockett is licensed to practice law in Arkansas and Texas and is the Region V Director of the National Bar Association, which covers the states of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. She is a former member of Leadership SBOT (State Bar of Texas) and has volunteered for numerous Texas Young Lawyer Association projects. She is a former candidate for District Attorney in Bowie County, the current elected chair of the Democratic Party and an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, an international public service volunteer organization.
Dean Jones has more than 30 years of experience in higher education leadership and teaching in Texarkana, Texas, Paris, Texas, and Blytheville, Arkansas, and 10 years of public education teaching experience in Marion, Arkansas. He serves as chairman of the Education Committee for the Greater Texarkana Branch of the NAACP, is a member of the Texarkana International Rotary Club, a life member of and Southwest Arkansas area director for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., past president of the Texarkana College Faculty Association and past chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Salvation Army. He is a precinct chair for the Bowie County Democratic Party and a member of the Drug Free Coalition for Miller County, Arkansas. He has received numerous awards and honors, including Paul Harris Fellow for Rotary District 5830 and State of Texas Outstanding Adult Volunteer for Partners in Education.
Bishop Taylor has 30 years of experience in K-12 education leadership, teaching and coaching in Texarkana, Arkansas, Texarkana, Texas, and Paris, Tennessee. He serves on the Board of Trustees of Texarkana College, the Board of Directors for Teen Court of Texarkana, Inc., and Texarkana Arkansas Adult Education, and is a Leadership Texarkana graduate. He has won numerous awards and honors, including Church of the Living God National Overseer P. A. Pitman Sunday School and National Pastor of the Year Award, Greater Texarkana NAACP Trailblazer Award and Miller County NAACP Kool Schools Leader Award.
Lt. White has more than 30 years of service with the Texarkana Texas Police Department and has served in the Patrol Division, Narcotics Division, Gang Unit, Property Division, as Community Liaison, and now as supervisor in the Operations Division. He holds a Master Peace Officer Certification and has represented the police department at the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Conference.
Officer Grandy has more than 10 years of experience with the Texarkana Texas Police department. She has served in the Patrol Division, in the Criminal Investigation Division focusing on family crime issues, and most recently as the school resource officer for the Pleasant Grove Independent School District. She holds an Associate of Applied Science with a concentration in Child Development and an Advanced Police Officer Certification.
Future PLACE events include the following:
October
· Monday, Oct. 3, 6-10 p.m. – Dr. Drew Morton – Screening and Discussion, “Color Adjustment” – University Center210
· Thursday, Oct. 6, 2-3:30 p.m. – Dr. James Presley – “Superfund Drama in Texarkana: The Battle of Carver Terrace” – University Center 210
· Tuesday, Oct. 18, 12-2:30 p.m. – Dr. Kim Murray – “Cultural Appreciation or Cultural Appropriation? A Conversation about Halloween Costumes” – Eagle Lounge, University Center
· Wednesday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. – Dr. Corrine Hinton – SuperLecture, “‘God decreed it so’: The Rhetoric of Destiny in 1963” – University Center 210
· Thursday, Oct. 27, 7-8:30 p.m. – Dr. Daniel Fairbanks – Everyone Is African: How Science Explodes the Myth of Race – Eagle Hall, University Center
November
· Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2:30-3:45 p.m. – Dr. Doug Julien SuperLecture, “Digitally Mapping Race in Texarkana” – University Center 210
· Tuesday, Nov. 1, 6-10 p.m. – Screening and Discussion with Dr. Drew Morton – “Do the Right Thing” – University Center 210
· Tuesday, Nov. 8, 1:30-3 p.m. – Dr. Kevin Ells – SuperLecture, “Verifying Sources in Science Reporting or How NOT to Broadcast about Race” – University Center 210
· Thursday, Nov. 17, 7-9 p.m. – Dr. Leo Chavez – “The Latino Threat: Constructing Immigrants, Citizens, and the Nation” – Eagle Hall, University Center
For more information, contact Dr. Michael Perri at mperri@tamut.edu, Dr. Luz Mary Rincon at lrincon@tamut.edu or Corinne Billings at cbillings@tamut.edu.
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Photos of panelists can be found here:
http://www.filemail.com/d/bblupvqolwdtvzc
