Race and human rights forum

A two-day forum entitled “Incarceration and Detention: Race and Human Rights,” will be presented by the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture; the Human Rights Program; and the Office of the Provost at the University of Chicago in collaborating with the International House Global Voices Program at the University; the faith Community of St. Sabina; the Crossroads Fund; and the Illinois Humanities Council. The program will focus on the liberation of those oppressed by the increased use of detention as a form of punishment over the past decade in the United States.

On the first day, Angela Y. Davis, an activist committed to the cause of liberating the detained, will give a keynote address. Other activists and scholars are expected to attend and share ideas regarding international human rights and strategies in facing the problems at the root of unfair detention practices, like racism.

On the second day there will be a morning panel on the implications of detention and incarceration of immigrants, criminal defendants, and juveniles and an afternoon panel on the specific stories, experiences, and observations of activists, political organizers, and practitioners. R. Eugene Pincham, former circuit court judge of Cook County, will give the keynote address during the lunch.

The forum begins Friday, April 2, at 7 p.m. and runs until Saturday, April 3, at 2:30 p.m. at the International House (1414 East 57th Street). Those interested should contact the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture at 773-702-8063 or at csrpc@uchicago.edu. The Human Rights Program may also be contacted for information at 773-834-0597 or at human-rights@uchicago.edu.

Social justice seder

The first annual Social Justice Passover Seder, sponsored by Jewish Action (JA), will be held Tuesday, April 6, the second night of Passover, at Bartlett Lounge, at 7 p.m. JA will suggest a three to seven dollar donation to those who attend, but no one will be turned away.

A seder is an ordered meal that occurs on the first two nights of Passover to commemorate the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. An e-mail sent out by JA added, “Think: Charleton Heston’s ‘Ten Commandments.'” This seder, however, will be unique, as it will spotlight social justice texts from various political angles and is only held on Tuesday, the second night of Passover.

Those who plan on attending should RSVP to sideman@uchicago.edu. Those with questions should e-mail Jonah Rubin at jrubin@uchicago.edu.