The Ferguson Voices: Disrupting the Frame exhibit in Hillman Library brought individual testimony and portraits from Ferguson in 2016 to deepen conversations and understandings of criminal justice and activism. A guiding principle of the exhibit is to highlight stories of extraordinary actions by ordinary citizens in moments of crisis.

The Global Studies Center hopes to continue this community-based emphasis with an event for participants to discuss their individual perspectives, thoughts, emotions and reactions to criminal justice and policing in America.

This event will be based around three discussion circles led by moderators with different perspectives on criminal justice – Dr. Leah Jacobs of the School of Social Work, Commander Jason Lando of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Terrell Thomas of the ACLU. While the moderators are some of Pittsburgh’s leading experts on criminal justice, this event is about you – the participant – and the community-based discussions we hope to foster through this event.

Each group of participants will rotate through all three discussion circles so attendees can talk about each perspective before a final short discussion to unpack what everyone has learned and experienced together.

This event is open to all Pitt students and faculty but please come prepared to have civil and respectful dialogue about lived experiences and real consequences of the criminal justice system. While some discussions may be contentious, we must be respectful of one another to learn and discuss together.