A big thank you to everyone who participated in the CrimSL Student Town Hall on February 9th! Attendees included faculty, researchers, and staff, as well as undergraduate and graduate students and we all benefitted from their active participation.
The event was led by CrimSL Director Professor Kamari Clarke, who welcomed everyone and introduced the event. The two hour conversation was propelled by two questions: (1) Where are we now? and (2) Where do we want to go?
Students expressed candid and honest reflections and opinions about the Centre and their vision for it. They shared their personal journeys in what was sometimes an emotional gathering. And some chose to provide anonymous feedback through an online platform — an option that was available to everyone throughout the event.
The event was split into three parts, beginning with an Open Forum, moderated by Professor Clarke, where participants discussed the best aspects of CrimSL and the challenges CrimSL faces.
In the second part of the event, Centre Manager Rebecca Melville led students through small, facilitated group discussions, while Research Analyst Ricardo Medina-Rico facilitated small group discussions on Zoom.
In the third part, everyone came together, and the small groups reported back to the larger group.
Professor Clarke gave concluding remarks and thanked all attendees. The event ended with a surprise random prize draw. Two lucky participants each won a book authored and signed by CrimSL faculty member: Waiting to Inhale: Cannabis Legalization and the Fight for Racial Justice by Akwasi Owusu-Bempah and Tahira Rehmatullah; and Provisional Authority: Police, Order, and Security in India by Beatrice Jauregui. CrimSL thanks Professors Owusu-Bempah and Jauregui for their generosity.
Feedback from this Student Town Hall will inform decisions when planning the next steps for building the future of CrimSL.