OUTLaws, the Drake University Law School LGBTQ student organization, is hosting a panel focused on social justice issues specifically related to the LGBTQ community and people of color.
The social justice panel is scheduled for Nov. 3, 5 p.m., in Cartwright Hall, Room 206. The event is free and open to the public. Food will be provided.
Topics to be discussed include transgender inequality, police misconduct, and racial disparities in the Iowa criminal justice system. The event will serve as a forum for the Drake and larger Des Moines community to hear from local professionals and proactively discuss these issues.
The panelists are:
- Frank Cownie, mayor of Des Moines
- Lillie Sams, City of Des Moines Police Department
- Donna Red Wing, executive director of One Iowa
- Joshua Barr, director of the Des Moines Civil and Human Rights Commission
- Louis Fountain, community activist and founder of FountainOne Consulting LLC
“As a young, gay black man, I embody the struggles that the LBGTQ and black community face. These issues are real and relevant to my life, my classmates, and the rest of the nation,” said Jonathan Steele, second-year Drake Law student and organizer of the panel.
“I hope people walk away from this panel motivated to learn more about these issues and engage in actions to bring about meaningful change.”
The event is hosted by OUTLaws with support from Drake Law School, the Drake Law Diversity Committee, Drake Intellectual Property Law Center, American Constitution Society, Drake Black Law Students Association, Drake Hispanic and Latino Student Association, Drake Law Democrats, Drake Student Bar Association, Public Interest Law Association, and Drake One Voice.
If you would like to submit questions prior to the panel, email jonathan.steele@drake.edu.
For questions, contact Jonathan Steele at jonathan.steele@drake.edu.