Seminar Planned to Address Deaths of Black Men in Police Custody

By CRA News Service

In the wake of a string of deaths of young black men in police custody around the country, a local organization is hosting a seminar to address solutions to the problem.

The 2nd Annual Black on Black Crime Solutions Panel will be Saturday, May 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 650 Sistrunk Blvd, Fort Lauderdale.
The free event will feature a panel discussion.

“With the number of deaths over the last 12 months, it is timely and relevant for us to discuss this topic,” said Kevin Dorival, mentor, author and CEO of “The Courage To Believe International, the host nonprofit.

A number of black men have died under questionable circumstances during police encounters in recent months. Last year, weeks of protests followed the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown by a white officer in Ferguson, Missouri, and the chokehold death of Eric Garner in New York City.

Last month, about 2,000 people marched through downtown Baltimore after a 25-year-old Baltimore man died while being taken into police custody and sustaining a mysterious spinal injury.

The panelists also will tackle the issue of crime prevention, in particular youth crime.

“We hope to show our teens and young adults how to make successful life decisions in order to avoid joining the school to prison pipeline club, which is a growing epidemic in this country,” said Dorival, who spoke on the topic at the annual Preventing Crime in the Black Community Conference in Jacksonville last year.

Among the panelists are the Rev. Dr. O’Neal Dozier, of Worldwide Christian Center Church, Pompano Beach; attorney Frantz McLawrence; Connie Moss, president of Black Motivated Women Network; international educator and author A.K. Tosu, Ph.D; and James DePelisi, CEO/President, Broward County Crime Commission.

For more information, visit www.TheCourageToBelieve.com or call 954-263-8223.