By: Avery Smith, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, acs5678@psu.edu

Police brutality against African Americans has been in the forefront of the news and a controversial topic in the United States for the past few decades since the civil rights movement. Events like Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; Eric Gardner in Staten Island, New York and Tamir Rice and John Crawford in Cleveland, Ohio are just a few examples of police shooting unarmed African American citizens. Since many people appear outraged, as evidenced by increased protests all across the country, Penn State Brandywine’s Student Affairs personnel offered a discussion session for students to express their views on these events and the perceived injustice and police brutality in today’s society.
Stephanie Jones, associate director of student affairs and Ronika Money-Adams, director of student affairs and engagement, hosted an open discussion called “Speakout: Beyond Ferguson” to talk about these incidents of police brutality. However, student affairs didn’t want to talk just about police brutality and racial injustice.
“Our goal is to have a forum where we can share information about current events, or current social issues and share that information with the students, and to learn what the students know and talk about it,” said Stephanie Jones.
Planning for three speak out events each semester to get students engaged and talking about social issues and events in America and around the world is in the works.
At the event, students were served jambalaya and formed a circle at the start of the discussion. Students were asked to be polite and respectful of everyone and everyone’s opinion.
They were also asked to make up rules for the discussion. Some of the rules that they came up with were no foul or derogatory language; no laughing when someone is talking and respectfulness when other people are talking.
Some questions included the protest in Ferguson, Missouri and the positive and negative effects of it and what can be done so something like this never happens again? This forum wasn’t a raise-your-hand-and-wait-to-be-called-on event. It was a mature and respectful conversation about injustice in America.
“I think listening to the stories and the experiences and the background of others definitely fosters this environment for understanding and having these discussions are really important,” Jones said.
Every student is encouraged to join these open forums. Be on the lookout for the next “Speakout” discussion.