Community Initiatives

FEBRUARY 2022

CRITICAL RACE THEORY

In early 2022, the Volusia County African American Leadership Council (VCAALC), the Daytona Beach Branch of the NAACP, and Bethune-Cookman University’s Center for Law and Social Justice (CLSJ) co-hosted a community forum at Bethune-Cookman University. Moderated by Dr. Randy Nelson, Director of CLSJ, the event featured a distinguished panel that discussed the origins and purpose of Critical Race Theory (CRT), clarified its current use, and urged attendees to strengthen community ties around the notion that all people deserve a safe and productive environment to raise a family.

Panelists explained that CRT is a 40-year-old academic framework used in law schools to examine how policies and laws continue to uphold inequality and racism in our society. They emphasized that CRT is not used in K–12 schools but serves as a tool for critical analysis of various societal issues at higher education levels. The forum also included two brief videos demonstrating the long-term impact of historic racist policies that prevent groups of individuals from accessing opportunities that develop wealth and prosperity.

This forum exemplified the collaborative efforts of local organizations to educate and engage the community on pressing social justice issues. The VCAALC aims to unite the strengths of multiple African American organizations throughout Volusia County, while the CLSJ at Bethune-Cookman University focuses on developing programs that address historic and contemporary issues of social justice.