Context Setting: Access to the ballot & Criminal justice

Access to the Ballot

The first segment of Leadership Tennessee’s series on Racial Inequality in Tennessee, features LT members, Laura Berlind (Class IV), Executive Director of The Sycamore Institute, and Shanna Hughey (Class VI), President of ThinkTN as they set the context for the series through a data-centric and historical presentation of racial inequality in Tennessee. This first context setting sessions concentrates specifically on the historical context and data surrounding access to the ballot and the criminal justice system.

July 9, 2020, Leadership Tennessee members gathered virtually to discuss the history and continuing disparities for communities of color to access the ballot. Conversation was moderated by Calvin Anderson (Class II) President of Clear Strategies Group with panelists: Adam Dickson (Class VIII) Director of City of Johnson City, Tori Griffin, Community Organizer of The Equity Alliance, and Dakasha Winton (Class VI), Chief Government Affairs Officer & SVP of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

Listen, learn and discuss historical and continuing systemic racism in the criminal justice system. You will learn from: Alfred Degrafinreid II, LT Class VII - Vanderbilt University Senator Raumesh Akbari, LT Class V - Tennessee General Assembly Pastor Daryl Arnold, LT Class VI - Overcoming Believers Church Professor Demetria Frank - University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphries School of Law Director David Rausch, LT Class V - Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

This segment of the series features Laura Berlind (Class IV), Executive Director of The Sycamore Institute and Kenyatta Lovett (Class V), Assistant Commissioner of Workforce Services at the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development as they set the context for the final two segments of the series through a data-centric and historical presentation of racial inequality in Tennessee.

Members: Kevin Woods (Class V), Memphis Market President of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Mandy Pellegrin (Class VIII) Policy Director, The Sycamore Institute, Dr. Andrea Willis (Class VIII) SVP/CMO, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, and Tish Towns, Chief Administrative Officer, Region One Health, offer insights and data around the racial inequalities that exist in healthcare.