Differences in police response to MAGA and BLM protests topic of next Conversations on Race and Policing program

The university’s Conversations on Race and Policing series resumes on Wednesday, Jan. 27, when it will focus on the differing responses police have had to Black Lives Matter and to Make America Great Again protests.

“Contrasting Police Responses: BLM and MAGA” will be livestreamed on Zoom beginning at 3 p.m., and can be accessed from a PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android at https://csusb.zoom.us/j/97960458784.

A panel of journalists and a researcher will discuss current events and police use-of-force disparities in encounters with BLM and MAGA protestors.

Panelists are:

• Shaila Dewan, The New York Times. She is the newspaper’s national criminal justice editor, covering criminal justice issues including prosecution, policing and incarceration.
• Michael German, the Brennan Center for Justice. A former FBI agent, he is a Fellow for the center’s Liberty and National Security program, which seeks to ensure that the U.S. government respects human rights and fundamental freedoms in the fight against terrorism.
• Kurtis Lee, the Los Angeles Times. He is a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times who writes news features, narratives and profiles on an array of topics — race, criminal justice, immigration, income inequality, the 2nd Amendment.
• Tina Nguyen, Politico. She is the publication’s White House reporter, writing on the conservative movement, nationalism and online culture.

Conversations on Race and Policing began in the aftermath of the May 25 death of George Floyd while in the custody of four Minneapolis, Minn., police officers. A video of the incident posted on social media has led to widespread protests, the firing of four police officers, the arrest of one officer on a second-degree murder charge, the other three on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder – and a spotlight worldwide on race and policing.

Previous forums also are posted online (more recordings will soon be available for viewing) on the CSUSB History Club Lecture Series YouTube channel.

The ongoing Conversations on Race and Policing series is hosted by CSUSB students Marlo Brooks and Yvette Relles-Powell.

The series is organized by Brooks and Relles-Powell, CSUSB faculty members Mary Texeira (sociology) and Jeremy Murray (history), Robie Madrigal, public affairs/communication specialist for the CSUSB John M. Pfau Library, and community member Stan Futch, president of the Westside Action Group.  

Also, save the dates for upcoming Conversations on Race and Policing, including:

• Feb. 3, with speaker Michael Sierra-Arévalo, a sociologist from the University of Texas, Austin;
• Feb. 10, featuring Annika Anderson, CSUSB assistant professor and director of Project Rebound; and
• Feb. 17, with Mike Davis, UC Riverside professor emeritus, creative writing and Jon Wiener, UC Irvine professor emeritus, history, authors of the book, “Set the Night on Fire: LA in the Sixties.”

For more information, contact Robie Madrigal at rmadriga@csusb.edu or Jeremy Murray at jmurray@csusb.edu.