By Julie C.S. McDonald, Indiana Office of Court Services
Understanding Race: Beyond Black & White
More than 200 judicial officers attended the day-long 2017 Winter Workshop called Understanding Race: Beyond Black & White. Speakers included nationally-known TED Talks presenter and former prosecutor Adam Foss, Indiana University professor of American Studies Rasul Mowatt, Indiana judges, and representatives of the Race and Gender Fairness Commission.
Attendees at the recent meeting of the National Association of State Judicial Educators (NASJE) applauded Indiana’s bold steps to confront race issues so directly and openly. The support of Chief Justice Loretta Rush, Chief Administrative Officer Mary Willis, IOCS Executive Director Jane Seigel, and the Judicial Education Committee enabled the program to confront the difficult subject in an honest way.
Anthony Simones, President of the NASJE said: “The issue of race is one of the most sensitive and important issues the courts must confront. Some delude themselves into believing that if these matters are ignored for long enough, they will go away. I applaud the judiciary of Indiana for its courage in addressing this issue in a comprehensive and meaningful manner.”
Foss used his own childhood to discuss the power of the judicial system – both as a sword and a shield – to combat racism. Indiana judicial officers Geoffrey Gaither, Andre Gammage, Sheryl Lynch, Sheila Moss, Lakshmi Reddy, and Jose Salinas likewise shared their personal experiences as judges – and citizens – of color in Indiana.
For many attendees, their colleagues’ brave presentations were the most powerful of the day. One attendee stated, “My peers showed great courage to tell me and every other white judge how they feel when they come to our communities. I appreciated the opportunity to listen.”
Another said, “The presenters were courageous. Let’s make this the beginning of a long conversation.” That is precisely what the Judicial Education Committee hopes is to come.