Facing Race: A National Conference in St. Louis, MO — November 20-22, 2024

Dr. William Dulaney


Presentations from Facing Race 2016

Police Brutality and the Social Contract: How official violence at the margins of society became a crisis at the heart of American democracy

Police officers in America killed more than 1,000 people in 2015. One in five of the victims were unarmed; one in four had a documented history of mental illness. In virtually all of these homicides, no charges were brought against the officers involved. This session begins with the personal stories of fatal police violence against the families who later formed Mothers Against Police Brutality. From this lived experience, the panel will explore often hidden ways that police brutality affects the broader society, including:Police brutality is the burning center of racial profiling, the school-to-prison pipeline, and mass incarceration.
Police brutality magnifies social inequality and deepens political disenfranchisement, particularly for African Americans and Latinos.
Police brutality marginalizes Black youth and isolates them from the rest of society.
Police brutality undermines good, community-based policing, and actually hinders efforts to prevent and solve crimes.Resistance to police brutality can generate progress in other areas of struggle, including economic justice, youth empowerment, and immigrant rights. Speakers will explore effective community organizing and legal strategies, and will invite participants to share their own ideas for change.



Speakers: Collette Flanagan, Dr. William Dulaney, Nicole Lee, John Fullinwider