We have all heard of the “Furman Bubble.” In many ways, the Furman bubble is a great thing in that Furman provides students with a space to explore and learn about themselves before embarking on a career journey. However, it is important that students at Furman, while utilizing their college years for self-exploration, remain engaged with important issues affecting society.
It is for this reason that Spencer Richardson and I have created the Furman Justice Forum. The goal of the Furman Justice Forum is to provide students with an opportunity to learn about and engage with social justice issues. Each semester, the Forum will bring at least one speaker to discuss an issue that aligns with their expertise. This year we will be bringing two speakers to discuss criminal justice and educational system issues.
Furman alumni Alyssa Richardson, who received a J.D. from Harvard University, will be coming to campus this fall to discuss her experience working in the criminal justice system and observing inequity as a prosecutor. In the spring, Pulitzer Prize winning author James Forman Jr., a Yale Law Professor, will be coming to discuss his book Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America and his work in creating a school for children at risk of falling into the confines of the US criminal justice system.
In addition to bringing speakers to campus, the Furman Justice Forum will also facilitate roundtable discussions where students can talk with professors about social justice issues such as income inequality, healthcare reform, immigration, education policy, etc. There will also be opportunities for students to connect to opportunities in social justice work if they wish to pursue internships in this area.
Furman is taking strides to increase diversity and inclusion on our campus. However, there is still work to be done, and it is our hope that the Furman Justice Forum will play at least a small role in inspiring Furman students to make lasting change in their communities.
If you are interested, please email [email protected].
