Last Thursday the Juvenile Justice Project continued our yearly tradition of visiting Austin Crowder’s US Government class at Soulsville Charter School. Mr. Crowder takes a unique approach at teaching government through modern case studies and relating their lessons to the lives of students. As part of that learning process, Mr. Crowder brings us in every year to facilitate our Know Your Rights Theatre workshops with his students, helping them understand the importance of the constitution and how it applies to their day to day lives. We value this partnership and love meeting his students every year. If you are interested in us coming to your school contact Faith Pollan at faith@midsouthpeace.org.
Most of us, even us “woke” folks, have been well schooled on what we think our rights are when it comes to encounters with police officers. Cop dramas and movies have informed many of our beliefs about the way police interact with the public, and often this has shaped the way we engage with law enforcement in real life either consciously or unconsciously. Memphis United and the Juvenile Justice Project (JJP) want to clear up these misconceptions so that we can all be successful when we encounter law enforcement.These unique workshops use interactive theatre to educate young people about their rights and how to better communicate with law enforcement. Participants become the actors playing out real-life scenarios without the real-life consequences of an encounter law enforcement.
The work of the Juvenile Justice Project unfortunately does not fund itself and we need your help! You can donate online at https://midsouthpeace.org/