UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — State College Borough and Centre County Community Conferencing will hold a community conversation focused on the topic “The Intersection of Policing and Race” from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, at the State Theatre in downtown State College.
The conversation, moderated by Jason Browne and Sue Marshall, will feature local panelists — including members of the Penn State community — who will answer questions proposed by the community through the event’s online registration form and survey. The panelists include:
- Iris Richardson, director of diversity, equity and inclusion for Penn State University Police and Public Safety
- Terry Watson, founder of Strategies for Justice and assistant director of Student Disability Services for Penn State World Campus
- Dean Woodring, community engagement officer for the State College Police Department
- Lt. Kelly Aston, State College Police Department
- Nick Pressley, criminal justice reform activist
- Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion; Samuel Weiss Faculty Scholar; and clinical professor of law at Penn State Law in University Park
- Anton Aluquin, Structural Reform Committee chair of the 3/20 Coalition
- Patricia Best, retired superintendent of State College Area School District and former chair of the joint Centre County/State College Borough Task Force on Mental Health Crisis Services
In addition, SeriaShia Chatters, assistant vice provost for educational equity at Penn State and co-chair of the Advisory Committee for Policing and Communities of Color, will be in attendance to represent the advisory committee and Penn State’s Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity.
Following the panel event, a breakout session will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in the Community Room (second floor) of the State College Municipal Building for anyone who would like to engage in further discussion about the event and/or propose future conversation topics.
The Oct. 25 talk is the first in a series of community conversations being held by the borough and Community Conferencing that are designed to bring people together to listen and learn from one another on topics relevant to the State College community.
Visit the State College Borough engagement website for additional event details, to register, and to complete the survey.