Channel 253 continues its partnership with Tacoma’s Downtown on the Go Friday Forums in 2021. This year the forums focus on racism, urban design and transportation. After each forum, we will have a Crossing Division episode that expands on the discussion.
The February 26 DOTG Friday Forum discussed the questions: “Can Street Safety be Anti-Racist? And How?” Our follow up discussion is about government policies, laws and rules, and whether making criminal laws is an appropriate response to non-violent activities. Who is harmed, and how can harm be reduced?
Government decision making is complicated and important, so we’re going to cover this topic in two episodes. Episode 1 is about Rules, Risks and Choices. We could have no better person on this topic than Shannon McMinimee. Shannon is a partner at Cedar Law PLLC, a law firm specializing in education and civil rights issues. Shannon also teaches Constitutional Law and has been a regular guest on several Channel 253 podcasts.
Listen to our discussion of “de jure” and “de facto” discrimination and how laws that may appear neutral on their face can easily become racist and discriminatory through unequal and biased enforcement. Then start pondering how our law makers should be critically thinking about their laws and policies, and we’ll talk more about that in our next episode.
We would love to have your feedback!
Evelyn Lopez: truetacoma@gmail.com @True_Tacoma
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