Racial Justice

(This open letter was co-written by Jeff Martin, AFSC PA's Human Rights and Youth Coalition Liaison as part of AFSC PA's work with the Human Rights City Alliance.  The open letter appeared in several local publications including in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as a letter to the editor.)

Marcel Purnell

Marcel Purnell has worked with AFSC in Seattle for three years. 

Structural violence is rarely covered by school curriculums, but many students know they’re not learning the whole picture. In Seattle, Marcel Purnell and Dustin Washington provide an alternative education, equipping young people with organizing skills that they’re using to undo institutional racism.

King County Juvenile Detention Center

King County Juvenile Detention Center

Fewer kids are being referred to King County courts each year ­– and most of these disappearing defendants are white.

Last year 2,298 white juveniles were referred to the courts compared to 5,107 in 2002. That’s a 55 percent decrease. Black youth saw a 21 percent drop in referrals over the same period.

An analysis of the juvenile prosecutions shows that black kids are more likely to be referred to the courts, more likely to be formally charged, less likely to have their cases diverted, and more likely to be sentenced to secure detention or tried as adults.

King County Juvenile Detention Center

King County Juvenile Detention Center

Valentina Gonzales-Marth wrote this piece as a guest writer for Real Change News.

Arnie Alpert's op-ed on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington appeared in the Concord Monitor, NH Union Leader, Nashua Telegraph, and Fosters Daily Democrat in the days around the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.