The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at the University of Memphis will release its 2018 Policy Papers at its annual open house on Thursday (Nov. 15).
Set for 6 p.m. in the University Center River Room (300), the focus will be on identifying and proposing solutions to contemporary pressing disparities in Memphis and the nation.
The event will provide the setting for the release of the fourth edition of the Hooks Institute Policy Papers, titled Climbing Out From Under the Rock: Restoring Civil Rights, Economics and Social Justice in Memphis and the Nation.
Authors of the papers tackle existing and possible future disparities, in the criminal justice system, education, healthcare, technology and automation.
The lineup
“The Dangers of a Fragmented Educational Landscape in Shelby County” – Daniel Kiel, professor in the UofM’s Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, examines historical entrenchment of segregation in Memphis public schools and the negative implications for minority communities.
“Implicit Bias and Disproportionate Minority Contact in the Shelby County Juvenile Court System” – Demetria R. Frank, assistant professor in the School of Law, addresses implicit bias in the juvenile criminal justice system and the impact on minority youth in the age of mass incarceration.
“The Robots Are Ready! Are We? Automation, Race, and the Workforce” – Daphene R. McFerren, Hooks Institute executive director, and Dr. Elena Delavega, Hooks Institute associate director and associate professor of Social Work, identify the impact of automation on jobs in Memphis and beyond and the implications for the most vulnerable in society.
“Race and Poverty: Disparities in Healthcare at the End of Life” – Dr. Ana L. Leech, assistant professor of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center McGovern Medical School, critiques how inadequate health care impacts quality of life including end of life decisions.
A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by the authors’ presentations at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Parking available in the Zach Curlin Street garage.
(To learn more, contact Nathaniel C. Ball: 901-678-3655; [email protected]. Visit the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social change at memphis.edu/benhooks.)
