Activist, scholar Angela Davis discusses the U.S. prison system with Penn State’s Restorative Justice Initiative – The Daily Collegian Online

The Restorative Justice Initiative at Penn State hosted political activist and scholar Angela Davis as the keynote speaker to kick off its Justice Education Week program. Davis is a civil rights advocate, author and professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The event was moderated by Kathryn Belle, Efrain Marimon and Divine Lipscomb. The moderators guided Davis' talk by asking questions from the Zoom chat and previously submitted questions.

Davis discussed issues within the United States' prison institution regarding race, class, feminism and systemic oppression. She spoke about abolitionists in today's society and the effects from the Penn State community.

"Last summer, we witnessed millions and millions of people go out into the streets and speak out against police violence some calling for defunding the police," Davis said. "When we talk about abolition, we're not primarily referring to a negative process of elimination that needs to happen, but what is even more important is the productive side of abolition."

Davis raised questions about the prison industrial complex today and other alternatives to these institutions.

"How do we imagine a society that no longer needs to rely on these violent racist institutions? What do we need to change? Davis said.

Then, Belle asked Davis how the Restorative Justice Initiative can learn from the connection of her experiences of conferences, and scholarship with activism and prison abolition, and about the pitfalls of this in higher education.

Davis referenced the advocacy work she has been involved in since the 1960s and what she's learned.

"It occurs to me that it was a process understanding the interconnections and intersectionality of the issues," Davis said. "The ways in which the criminal legal system is linked to education starts in kindergarten to high school to the university."

Davis then spoke about her career path shes experienced backlash from her political views and her goals of prison abolition.

"I first came under attack at UCLA because of my political affiliation," Davis said. "I was fired from my first job at UCLA in the philosophy department because of my membership in the communist party."

Moreover, Davis connected the work Penn State's Restorative Justice Initiative is doing to work she has seen in the past.

"I know the Restorative Justice Initiative is emphasizing education and education within the prison systems," Davis said. "I think it's really important to remember what previously existed, and if one looks at the history of the prison system, one sees a pendulum swing that moves from before."

Members of the Penn State community were able to ask Davis questions. Residence hall coordinator Stephen Taylor, Penn State Law career services programmer Sharon Barney and student Damaris Fraser asked Davis questions personally.

According to Davis, educating children about the problems of racism and systemic oppression will lead to institutional changes.

Davis also spoke about the mental health support she received throughout her advocacy work because of the "collective action" from others in her organizations.

"If one has a collective awareness of the fact that there is work done not by just individuals, but also communities, then one doesn't think that the whole process will collapse," she said. "If I take off a little time to recover, I know that the work will continue, which is also a question of capitalism."

At the end of the event, Davis left the Penn State community with suggestions on what they can do to help, such as the conscious use of language and continuation of conversations.

"We have to engage in the kind of self reflexive consciousness that will allow us not only to participate in larger processes of change, but will allow us to change as well, our ways of being in the world to change."

MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE

On Feb. 9, the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity announced it would be renamed after al

If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.

Go here to read the rest:

Activist, scholar Angela Davis discusses the U.S. prison system with Penn State's Restorative Justice Initiative - The Daily Collegian Online