Criminal Justice Reform Awareness Week starts March 7

By Stella Katsipoutis-Varkanis

Starting March 7, Lafayette’s MOSAIC program for student civic leadership will be hosting Criminal Justice Reform Awareness Week (CJRAW), a series of events designed to shed light on issues surrounding incarceration, policing, and more—and to inspire and empower the Lafayette community to take a stand against injustice. 

“Incarceration is a complex systemic issue that involves racism, criminalization of poverty, a sorely underfunded social welfare system, and beyond,” says Sharon Engel ’22, who helped organize the week’s programming alongside fellow MOSAIC team members Kaela Marcus-Kuhn ’22, Alina Sosa ’22, and Kate Rogers ’22. “It’s important for all of us as members of the Easton community to learn about injustice happening around us and to recognize the work of local organizations in our area.” 

Awareness, Engel explains, is only one vital piece of the puzzle of moving toward justice and reform—the other being action. CJRAW programming seeks not only to spread educational resources, but also inspire Lafayette community members to take an active part in the solution by exposing students to meaningful careers in the field, and helping raise and redistribute funds and resources for local organizations working year-round toward reform, such as NAACP, Lehigh Valley Justice Institute, and The Journey Home art program.

All CJRAW events are open to the public, and students are encouraged to bring their questions, ideas, and open minds. The programming schedule is as follows:

Pards Against Sexual Assault (PASA) talk on media presentation of gender in prison
Date: Monday, March 7, 2022
Time: 12-1 p.m.
Location: Hugel Science Center, Room 103

Dear Lafayette discussion on abolition
Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Time: 12-1 p.m.
Location: Hugel Science Center, Room 103

Careers in Restorative Justice panel
Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Location: Kirby Hall of Civil Rights, Room 104 (in person); option to attend via Zoom available’

MOSAIC also will be co-hosting a fundraiser with MSU multicultural sorority and Mojo 516 Café on Monday, March 7.  For any purchases made at Mojo between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., 10% of the proceeds will be donated to the Lehigh Valley NAACP.

The MOSAIC team thanks PASA; Dear Lafayette; MSU; College Democrats; and the psychology, WGSS, anthropology and sociology, and government and law departments for their partnership and for helping to make CJRAW possible.