Welcome to the inaugural newsletter of The Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. Center for Education, Justice & Ethics. Click below to read a letter from our Founder and Executive Director.
The Judge AW Center’s Community Invested Violence Intervention Collaborative (C.I.V.I.C.) Baltimore Initiative will add value to The Justice Thurgood Marshall Center at P.S. 103 by bringing a blend of applied academic research, legal advocacy, intervention programming, and ethics training to the beloved community of West Baltimore, MD, in 2023. Read this latest publication where Reverend Hathaway Sr. discusses the impact of the initiative.
Work with Prince George's County Re-Entry Advisory Board
Judge Williams was appointed to serve as the facilitator on the Prince George’s Re-entry Advisory Board, which is charged with evaluating and addressing problems that formerly incarcerated individuals face after their release and re-entry back into the community.
Judge Appointed to Co-Chair Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission
On January 12th of this year, Judge Williams was announced as one of the co-chairs for the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission. The Commission is charged with preparing, drawing and proposing maps and plans for both congressional and legislative districts throughout Maryland.
Meet Karen Bond, Ally Merwitz, and Shelton Daal- the newest members of the Judge AW Center team! Karen is serving as the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Outreach ,and Ally and Shelton are students at the University of Maryland participating in the Judge AW's Leadership Development Program.
Season 1 of the Perspectives on Justice (POJ) podcast series is officially complete. Episode highlights include "Defund the Police" with the Center's Dr. Kameron Van Patterson speaking about the importance of police reform, as well as more recent podcasts discussing returning citizens. Stay tuned for Season 2!
The Commission to Restore Trust in Policing in Baltimore- Final Report
Judge Williams chaired the Commission to Restore Trust in Policing, which investigated the Baltimore City Police Department over the course of 2 years. On December 2, 2020 the Commission released the final report stating their findings and proposed recommendations for reform.
On Wednesday, February 24, 2021, the Judge AW Center partnered with several co-sponsors across the University of Maryland, College Park to host renowned author of The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America (2018) Shawn D.Rochester. Rochester delivered a compelling lecture documenting the racial wealth gap, and the enormous costs of past and present anti-Black structural racism.
On October 22, 2020, the Judge AW Center hosted a webinar to highlight the urgent need for the legislature to address parole reform in Maryland. Speakers included MD State Senator Will Smith, MD State Delegate Luke Clippinger, and former juvenile lifer Calvin McNeil.
SAVE THE DATE: On Thursday, November 11, 2021, the Center will host our annual lecture with a focus on justice. Stay tuned for updates on who will deliver the keynote speech!
