Please note that all times are in Eastern Standard Time.
Racism is a public health issue wreaking havoc on minorities. How can we work with our elected officials, non-profit organization leaders, theologians, activists, and community members to eradicate racism and its reciprocal forms? What steps can we take to provide marginalized communities with health equity and access? How do we reconcile communities and actively break down the barriers of race, culture, gender, social class, and ethnicity? What are our elected officials doing to create solidarity in divided communities? How can you get involved?
Join the Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative in collaboration with 100 Black Men of Gainesville and Faith Missionary Baptist Church for a Mobile Institute on how we can combat racism and inequality in the Gainesville, Fl community. This event will be broadcast on Vanderbilt Divinity Public Theology and Racial Justice Facebook and hosted in-person at Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Gainesville, FL.
Issues to be explored will include: school achievement gaps, sustaining a local food community, women’s health equity, governmental race equity initiatives, and immigrant and migrant rights.
Thursday, August 23: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Welcome - Rev. Dr. Teresa Smallwood, Associate Director of the Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative Vanderbilt University
Interdenominational Prayer - Dr. Shawn Woods
Keynote Introduction - Dr. Carjie Scott, Faculty Operative and Curator, Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative Member Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Keynote - Dr. Rik Stevenson, Jr. "SOS Racism is a Public Health Issue Wreaking Havoc on Minorities"
Pastor Introduction - Dr. Carjie Scott, Faculty Operative and Curator, Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative Member Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Closing Message - Pastor Kevin Thorpe, Faith Missionary Baptist Church
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rik Stevenson, Jr.
Dr. Rik Stevenson, Jr. is a historian. He holds a Ph.D. from Michigan State University in African American and African Studies. His expertise and research interests are in the Middle Passage, Slave Ship suicide as a form of resistance, and Traditional West and West Central African Cosmology. He has a Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies and Theology (M.A.), a Masters of Theology in African American Church History (Th.M.) from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Divinity in African American Church History. He is a former pastor, and he has extensive experience in the areas of cultural competency, diversity training, and inclusion practices. He also teaches courses on race, religion, and rebellion, and African American Religious studies. He is presently a professor of African American Studies at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He is a certified scuba diver and has done several underwater expeditions, in conjunction with Diving With A Purpose (DWP) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on sunken slave vessels.
Closing Message: Kevin W. Thorpe
Kevin W. Thorpe is the Senior Pastor of Faith Missionary Baptist Church, where he has served since 1998. Pastor Thorpe is a son of the historic Mt. Ararat Baptist Church of Jacksonville. Today he is the Executive producer of the Faith Church television Broadcast and an adjunct professor at Conservative Theological University in Gainesville, FL. Pastor Thorpe holds a BA in Pastoral Ministries from Conservative Theological Seminary and a MA in Pastoral Ministries from Conservative Theological University. Pastor Thorpe is an effective voice beyond the walls of his church and works with civic, educational, and faith-based councils and groups throughout greater Gainesville. Some of those organizations are The Rotary Club of Gainesville, Alachua Habitat for Humanity, Eastside High School Student Advisory Committee, The Corner Drug Store, Alachua County Christian Pastors Association, Santa Fe College East Gainesville Instruction, Gainesville Thrives, Gainesville HIPPY Advisory Committee, Harn Museum, Cade Museum, City of Gainesville Citizen Advisory Committee and has served as a frequent guest chaplain for the University of Florida football team. He is the owner of a custom clothing company and provides customized items for some of the country’s most noteworthy figures. A refreshing voice on the scene of contemporary Christianity, he ministers a clear word to the Body of Christ.
Friday, September 24: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Welcome - Rev. Dr. Teresa Smallwood, Associate Director of thePublic Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Panel Moderator Introduction - Dr. Carjie Scott, Faculty Operative and Curator, Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative Member Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Gainesville Government Accountability Serve Organize Stand Conversation -
Chanae Jackson, The Accidental Activist
featuring
Anna Prizzia, Alachua County Commissioner
Anna Prizzia is Commissioner for District 3 in Alachua County. She founded and currently oversees the UF/IFAS Field & Fork Program and works as the campus food systems coordinator for the University of Florida. She has two decades of experience in sustainability efforts, including working as statewide coordinator for the Florida Farm to School Program, founding and managing sustainability efforts at UF, and working with several non-profits and community organizations to address education, food access, and economic opportunity. Prizzia was a co-founder and served as the board’s president for Working Food from 2012-2020. Working Food is a non-profit focused on supporting and sustaining local food efforts in North Central Florida. Anna currently serves on the Community Revitalization Board for Habitat for Humanity. She received her B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, and her M.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation with a certificate in Tropical Conservation and Development from the University of Florida. She served in the Peace Corps at Vanuatu from 2004 to 2005. Anna lives in Gainesville, FL, with her husband and daughter and loves live music, water recreation, and cooking with friends and family.
Leah Galione, Gainesville Bridge Literacy Director
After graduating from UF with a degree in Psychology, Leah began serving as the College Outreach Director for the Gainesville Vineyard Church. The Vineyard has a 30-year history in Gainesville and has often been a refuge for those in need of spiritual care. She has served her church as a Sunday School teacher, a small group leader, and a member of the Leadership Team.
In 2018, under the leadership of new lead pastors, Michael and Amy Raburn, the Vineyard sold its building on NW 8th Ave and purchased the old Boys and Girls Club building in Lincoln Estates, an important and historic African American neighborhood in east Gainesville. The church spent a year renovating the building, getting to know the neighborhood and listening closely to discern ways the church could be a good neighbor. The Vineyard established the GNV Bridge as a multi-purpose community center, currently providing a local food pantry and a literacy program.
Leah has been the director and coordinator of the GNV Bridge Literacy Program since its inception. Their mission is to create equity in the public education system by providing consistent one-on-one virtual reading instruction with competent, nurturing volunteer coaches. In just 18 months, the Literacy Program has grown to serve over 50 local children and has recruited and trained over 35 volunteers who meet with students daily over Zoom. The Literacy Program plans to quadruple the number of children served over the next year.
Gail Johnson, Gainesville City Commissioner
Commissioner Gail Johnson is a commissioner in Gainesville, Florida, where she was elected at-large in 2018. She believes her primary role as a policymaker is centering the voices of those most marginalized, and being a catalyst for inclusive decision making. She attended Eastside High School and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Florida with a degree in English literature.
Her previous career included founding and publishing an arts and culture magazine in Brooklyn, NY, and working at the feminist publication, BUST magazine. When she moved back to Gainesville, she pursued her love for entertaining and food and started a catering company and a global grab-and-go café at the University of Florida. She is on the board of Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida, a member of Local Progress, a founding member of the Local Progress Florida Organizing team, a governor at the Library Governing Board, and a member of the Metropolitan Transportation and Planning Organization. She is the chair of the Race and Equity Subcommittee at the City of Gainesville, and serves on several committees for the National League of Cities, including the Race, Equity and Leadership Council, Women in Municipal Government, and the Black Caucus. She formerly served on the Tourism Development Council and the Alachua County League of Cities.
She is passionate about social justice, food justice, carceral injustice, and reproductive justice. She supports efforts in the city for achieving racial and gender equity, both in city government and the community at large. From insight to implementation and every step in between, Commissioner Johnson thrives in unfamiliar territory with the intention of improving the collective experience.
Chanae Jackson is a passionate community activist, servant leader, change agent, and entrepreneur. Her ethical standards, collaborative community engagements efforts, and proven track record make her a trusted resource.
Chanae earned the title of The Accidental Activist in 2018 when police officers stopped her 18-year-old son in Alachua County for driving while Black. He was detained without cause. She sounded the injustice alarm, and all charges were dropped. A year following the racial injustice, Chanae mobilized the community and worked to have the previous sheriff (who attempted to bully her) voted out of office. The position is now held by Alachua County’s first Black sheriff, Clovis Watson, a former U.S. Representative. Chanae encourages Black voters to run – not walk– to the polls because voting is the equalizer that grants us all the same level of power.
Since 2018, Chanae has strategically built an activism brand based on accountability, compassion, credibility, empathy, and dependability. She serves her community as a co-founder of the Black Parent Support Network and Gainesville Raise Up. Her mission is to bring awareness to current social issues, address gaps in services, and offer new solutions for the existing social problems.
Racism is a Public Health Issue Wreaking Havoc on Minorities Panel - Chanae Jackson, The Accidental Activist
featuring
Rev. Ron Rawls, Pastor Greater AME Baptist Church
Rev. Ron Rawls is a Pastor, Prophet and Priest sent by God to stand in the gap. He is married to The Honorable Meshon T. Rawls, Alachua County Court Judge. They have three children Ron III(Alana), Kiara(Cody) & Jamahl, and five grandchildren Bella, Naila, Ayani, Seth, and Jai. He is the current Pastor at GGreater Bethel AME Church, Gainesville, FL and has a BA in Religion from the University of Florida. He is a member of the following organizations: East Conference- Statistician, Board of Trustees, Finance Committee and General Conference Delegate, South District- Executive Committee, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and Lake Forest Elementary School Advisory Council.
Robin Lewy, Director of Programming, Rural Women's Health Project
Robin Lewy is Co-Founder and Director of Programming at the Rural Women's Health Project, the only health justice organization in North Florida. Robin has worked for 35 years in social justice, health education and community mobilization in the United States and Central America. In her role she oversees advocacy and direct service programming that serves Latinx communities, immigrants, women living with HIV and rural communities. Robin is a regional trainer on health inequity in rural communities, immigrant rights & integration, and the use of testimonial print media. She coordinates Voces de Inmigrantes en Acción, an initiative designed to promote dynamic communication between providers, service organizations and Latinx communities She serves on the Community Advisory Board of the UF Health Cancer Center and the Cancer Alliance of Marion County. She holds a MA in Social Development and Popular Theatre, University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Veronica Robleto, Immigrant Rights Paralegal
Veronica has been a lifelong advocate for social justice with a strong background in community organizing around issues of social, racial, and economic justice. She grew up in Palm Beach County and earned a B.F.A. from the State University of New York at Purchase. Prior to joining the FLS team, she worked at the University of Florida, Levin College of Law at the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Clinic (IPVAC), and helped create the Immigration Clinic that grew out of IPVAC. While at the clinic, Veronica became a Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representative which authorized her to give legal advice as it pertains to immigration law and to represent clients in affirmative immigration matters. At FLS she coordinates the Immigrant Family Safety Project which focuses on preventing family separation and providing direct immigration representation to victims of crime.
Pastor Michael Raburn, PhD, Lead Pastor Gainesville Vineyard
Dr. Michael Raburn joined the Gainesville Vineyard as Lead Pastor for the church in June 2017. Alongside his wife, Amy Raburn, Lead Pastor, they have been leaders in the Vineyard movement since 2003: teaching (adults, youth, and children), preaching, leading small groups, counseling, directing a food pantry, leading an elder board, pastoring, leading worship, weekly podcasting, running a day shelter for those experiencing homelessness, and creating content used by a number of churches. Michael is originally from Plant City, FL and is a Vineyard theologian with a PhD in theological ethics from Duke. He enjoys reading, writing, movies and visiting art museums. His calling in life is to deeply connect others to God. Dr. Raburn is the Executive Director of the GNV Community Center and Board Chair of GRACE Marketplace.
Plenary and Call to Action - Pastor Kevin Thorpe
Carjie Scott, Ed.D., is the speaker and bestselling author for “You are Accepted: How to Get Accepted into College and Life.” She is known as The Education Equalizer.™ Dr. Scott is committed to equalizing and maximizing educational opportunities for students, particularly Black students. She specializes in streamlining the admissions process, and improving student retention while increasing college graduation rates.
Additionally, Dr. Scott consults with academic institutions to enhance areas of access and inclusion, diversity, equity, and overall student academic experience. She currently serves as the Director of Admissions and Recruitment at Tennessee State University. . Prior to her current role, she served at Vanderbilt University, Cambridge College, Christian Brothers University as well as serval trade schools.
Dr. Scott was a recipient of the Karen Dolan Spirit Award and Communications Committee of the Year Award by the Vanderbilt University Staff Advisory Council. She was named a Nashville Emerging Leader finalist by YP Nashville and the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.
She has a Bachelors’s in English for Corporate Communications and Management from Christian Brothers University, a Master’s in Management in Leadership from Webster University, and a Doctor of Education degree from Lipscomb University.
Dr. Scott is married to Dr. Kerwin Scott who is a former US Marine and current Periodontist Resident. They are the parents of two future doctors.
Purchase “You Are Accepted,” here.
Dr. Carjie Scott curated this event; to continue the discussion or hire her to curate your event email: hello@educationequalizers.com.
Special thank you to Mr. Art Alston of 100 Black Men of Gainesville for your service, The Henry Luce Foundation for your funding contribution, The Vanderbilt University Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative leaders Rev. Dr. Teresa Smallwood, and Dean Emilie Townes, and Education Equalizers, founded by Dr. Carjie Scott.