Imagining Safety: Race, Policing, and Incarceration
What does safety look like when viewed through the lens of faith? Join us for a discussion challenging us to redefine safety through the lens of our theologies and faith. We will analyze our current, violence-driven system of policing and incarceration to pose the question: is this system delivering on its promise of safety, or is it perpetuating violence and harm? What might a system rooted in liberation and dignity look like? As people of faith, we believe that all people have inherent worth and dignity. For this reason, we care deeply about harm and violence, and we seek responses to harm that do not create more violence. Our faith values prioritize restoration and repair rather than punishment. We recognize that as humans we are complex; no one is innocent or guilty, rather all of us have done harm and been harmed by others. We also recognize that -- as creations of the Most High -- none of us are “monsters,” disposable, illegal, unreachable, or irredeemable. During Imagining Safety: Race, Policing, and Incarceration, we will unpack the history of these systems and their origins in slavery and white supremacy, and begin to imagine a public safety system rooted in the dignity of all people, the needs of survivors and community members, and the reality that most harm results from oppressive political, economic, and social conditions. We will also discuss practical steps we will take to move towards the dream of full liberation for all people. Call-in information will be shared upon registration.
