September 27-28, 2024
Public Registration is Closed
All youth are still welcome. Please contact RJN! to reserve your space before September 23rd – hj@racialjusticenow.org
Stay tuned for live stream information!
Due to the overwhelming desire to hear Dr. Tommy Curry and attend Beyond the Pale: The Systemic Vilification of Black Boys and Men registration for in-person attendees is closed. However, Racial Justice NOW! is asking for organizations all over the country to gather their members and others to host an event to watch the live stream from a central location and afterwards have an organized dialogue about what was heard.
Information and links to the September 27, 28 event will be shared soon at …. Racialjusticenow.org/beyondthepale”
HOTEL
Best Western Premier Rockville Hotel
1251 W Montgomery Ave, Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 424-4940
Price: $139/night (including breakfast) for Check-in 9/26 and check-out 9/28
Complete the form below to receive notices about the upcoming event!
Urgent Call To Action: Our Boys Are In Crisis
Racial Justice NOW! Needs your Support for this Emergency Convening
Sponsors
ACLU of Maryland
Black Men’s Xchange
Columbia Community Care
Greater Washington Community Foundation;
Kolibri Foundation
Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle
Meyer Foundation
Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth, and Families;
Pride Center of Maryland
RAS Entertainment
Safe Space Strategies
Silver Spring Justice Coalition
YoShow Place
What’s Happening?
In Maryland, we’ve seen a trifecta of issues plague Black boys: increased substance abuse, increased youth incarceration, and–most tragically–increased rates of suicide. The systemic hate and vilification has been normalized against our sons and our brothers in this country is unacceptable. We need to act now to literally save the very lives of our Black male children.
Join us on Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28 for an immediate intervention into this madness. The first day of the convening will be a deep dive to unpack the historical and political implications undergirding this crisis. The second day will platform existing models that have demonstrated a record of positive impact on the material conditions of Black boys and men. Dr. Tommy J. Curry–the theorician of the growing academic discipline of Black males studies–will deliver the keynote address.
Why Now?
Young people have faced deep struggles coming out of the global pandemic, which burdened them with too much isolation, grief, and loss too soon. However, we’ve witnessed the most pronounced distress among Black youth, and Black boys in particular. Meanwhile, when our children need support, they are met with violence by those in power. Maryland just passed HB814, which allows fourth graders to be handcuffed and jailed even before they’ve had due process. And we all know, based on current data and history, the children who will be jailed at 10 years old will be Black boys. It happened here–in a state with the only Black Governor in the country, a Black woman speaker of the house of delegates, and the largest legislative Black caucus–FLAT OUT UNACCEPTABLE and we know it’s happening everywhere else too.
What Can You Do To Help?
We need our community to step up and stand together to support our Black fathers, sons, uncles, husbands/significant others and brothers.
- Endorsement on the necessity of this intervention
- Contribution of $5,000 or more in unrestricted funds
- Commitment to attend the convening
- Sharing our event widely in your networks
- Introductions to potential partners who may be interested in financially supporting this effort
We hope that you will join us today and at the convening to demand justice and end this crisis.
Dr. Curry will address both problems and solutions at this most historic gathering.
