OSUMC/Community Racial Justice Task Force was established in early 2016 to promote equity and fairness in the criminal justice system. As part of these efforts, the Task Force seeks to forge alliances with local community organizers, non-profit organizations, and government entities to address racial justice in a cooperative manner. Contact Robert Foster: rlfoster01@att.net
Some of these initiatives and partnerships include:
Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement. The Racial Justice Task Force supports and partners with this community non-profit organization in advocating for equity in policing and supporting those caught up in the criminal justice system. Contact Robert Foster at rlfoster01@att.net
Athens Area Courtwatch Project. Trained volunteers observe proceedings in magistrate, municipal, state and superior courts. We track arrests, jail bookings and the county’s jail population and informally collected data regarding mental health, bail, racial dynamics, etc. Additionally, we interact with officers of the courts, and have entered into relationships with some defendants and their families. Contact John Cole Vodicka at johnvodicka@comcast.net or 612-718-9307.
Athens-Clarke County Community Bail Project will offer pretrial justice to individuals locked up in our jail who, were they to be able to post bond, would be released from custody pending the disposition of their criminal charges. Working in partnership with the Freedom Fund of the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement. Contact Lew Allen at lewallen@uga.edu or John Cole Vodicka at johnvodicka@comcast.net or 612-718-9307.
Arrest Research Consortium. This work involves concerned citizens exploring the disproportionate effect of race on incarceration by researching local arrest patterns toward the goal of advocating for policy proposals that promote just practices within our criminal justice system. Contact Georgia McPeak georgia.mcpeak@gmail.com
Love Your Damn Neighbor: Seeking Liberation from White Supremacy is a collection of small groups put together to do the inner work of prayer, listening and meditation to understand our complacency and complicacy in the system of white supremacy in the United States.
Broderick Flanigan and Enlightened Media Productions. Community leader and board member of the Economic Justice Coalition Broderick) Flanigan has partnered with the RJTF supporting Athens youth, and seeks opportunities to create more equitable paths to full economic and social participation for those historically affected by discrimination. Contact Lew Allen lewisrayallen@gmail.com
RJTF latest news: