Announcing our in-person opening keynote by Civil Rights Activist Desmond Meade
Registration is now open! Register HERE
The TL/DR:
What: 2022 Re-Imagining Justice conference: Building Bridges - Seeking Solutions
When and where:
Wednesday, November 16, 6 - 8:30 PM: in-person keynote and opening reception at the Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis
Thursday, November 17, 9 AM - 3 PM: virtual keynotes, plenaries, and breakout sessions
With our conference one month away, we at the MNJRC are gearing up for what is shaping up to be an inspirational and informative two days. The theme for this year’s conference is “Building Bridges – Seeking Solutions” and that is exactly what we are aiming to do with our conference programming. We’ve been through a lot in the past two years, and continue to face challenges. We need everyone to come together without group think or fear mongering to talk candidly about data-informed solutions that will make all communities safe and bring true justice to all corners of our criminal legal system.
The conference will kick off in person with an evening keynote on Wednesday, November 16th from civil rights activist Desmond Meade in which he will discuss the importance of democracy in creating a just world. Opening night will include a networking reception, during which we will celebrate being in person for the first time in three years in the mid-century-era Riverview Theater in Minneapolis’s Longfellow neighborhood.
On Thursday, November 17th, we will convene virtually. Our plenary speakers will discuss timely local efforts to shift our criminal legal system here in Minneapolis and across Minnesota. This year’s breakout sessions will center on three themes, all focused on topics that will help build bridges between people who share the goal of making the criminal legal system be more just and build safe communities: Community Safety, Procedural Justice, and Beyond Bars. Specific topics will examine issues like cash bail, community-first public safety, decriminalizing mental illness, Minnesota’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Task Force and more.
In addition to hearing about revolutionary and transformative efforts and ideas, we’ll be hearing from different voices. We’re excited for our conference to serve as a space to begin to build bridges between community members and law enforcement, folks across the political aisle, and activists and system actors. We will showcase art throughout both days and are excited to announce our artistic offerings in the coming weeks.
Thursday’s virtual activities will begin at 9 am with an artistic offering to inspire everyone for the conversations to come. Following the opening, which will include a second keynote by Cynthia Wilcox Roseberry, Acting Director of the ACLU’s Justice Division, participants will attend virtual breakout sessions and plenaries through the day. In addition to the breakout sessions, Thursday’s program also includes timely plenaries and panel discussions, including a discussion with MDHR Commissioner Rebecca Lucero on her work negotiating a consent decree with the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Police Department.
The agenda includes:
Day Two Artistic Offering
Day Two Keynote
First Breakout - Attendees will choose between three options
Second Breakout - Attendees will choose between three options
Lunchtime Plenary
Third Breakout - Attendees will choose between three options
Closing Plenary
We are applying for Continuing Legal Education credits, including Elimination of Bias credits.
The Re-Imagining Justice conference program gets more refined each day. Go here for the most updated details.
We can’t wait for you to join us!