Racism in America:

Police Brutality and

the Movement for Change

Dani McClain, Brian Copeland, Aya de Leon

a panel discussion moderated by Paula Farmer

Wednesday June 10th, 2020

7pm est / 4pm pst

Share this event

Please join us live for this panel conversation featuring:

Brian Copeland is an award-winning actor, comedian, author, playwright, television and radio talk show host based in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2004, he debuted his first one-man play, Not a Genuine Black Man at the Marsh in San Francisco.Copeland published a best-selling book based on Genuine that is now required reading in several high schools and colleges across the country.

Aya de Leon is an author and activist based in Berkeley. She directs the Poetry for the People program, teaching creative writing at UC Berkeley. In addition to being the author award-winning feminist heist/romance book series, Aya’s writings have appeared in EbonyEssence, Writers Digest, Huffington Post, and The Root, to name a few. Since 2013, she has been blogging on race, class, gender, culture, and social justice politics.

Dani McClain reports on race and reproductive health. She is a contributing writer at The Nation and a fellow with Type Media Center. McClain’s writing has appeared in outlets including The New York Times, TIME, The Atlantic, Slate, Colorlines and The Rumpus. In 2018, she received a James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism. McClain has worked as a strategist with organizations including Color of Change and Drug Policy Alliance. Dani’s book, We Live for the We: The Political Power of Black Motherhood, was published April 2019 by Bold Type Books.

And Moderated by Paula Farmer – In addition to being an event host/moderator for Book Passage, Paula also curates special panel events focusing on discussions about topical social issues, like “Race in America” and “Immigration in America.” She is Chairwoman of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee for California Independent Booksellers Association (CALIBA). Her background is in journalism.

And please learn more about National Bail Out, the Black-led and Black-centered collective of abolitionist organizers, lawyers and activists building a community-based movement to end systems of pretrial detention and mass incarceration.

Donate to National Bail Out here.

Please join us for this conversation, Wednesday, June 10th.

In the meantime, we hope that you will  to take a moment now to help shape the upcoming discussion.

Please come back Wednesday to check out the list of questions submitted by other registered attendees, and then vote to support any that match your interests.

Feel free on Wednesday to add your own question. Then spread the word to make sure others have the chance to help move your question to the top of the shared list.

  • 48

    votes

    I can’t seem to get in. It says video removed

  • 18

    votes

    What’s going on with the YouTube message “This video has been removed for violating YouTube’s Terms of Service.” ???!!!

  • 17

    votes

    I cant get in to/says video removed

  • 11

    votes

    I can’t get in. Message says the You Tube video has been removed

  • 10

    votes

    The video has been removed. How can I see it?

  • 8

    votes

    Can’t get in – video removed???

  • 7

    votes

    Video will not play
    Message states violates you tube

  • 6

    votes

    Video session violates Youtube!

  • 6

    votes

    “Many of us are white folks and we really appreciate this panel. Thank you!
    Many of us would like to be better allies and are interested in what we can do to educate ourselves and others. Any suggestions for us when we deal with other white folks who do not understand or care about the struggle that people of color face? “

  • 6

    votes

    Please send an after the fact link to everyone if you managed to record the session – the link didn’t work!

  • 5

    votes

    Joining the chorus of people not being able to access the video. How odd. But I hope you’ll send information how we can access viewing this panel discussion at another time.

  • 5

    votes

    I am attempting to watch the panel discussion
    Message: removed video on youtube

  • 4

    votes

    not able to see or hear this panel

  • 4

    votes

    Is this a technical problem or subject of video problem with you tube?

  • 3

    votes

    Many people (especially white people) are suddenly interested in police brutality, and fighting against racism. How do we insure that they understand it is not a trend but a lifelong endeavor?

  • 3

    votes

    What can a group of 70-something white women do to contribute to raising consciousness to the issues of BLM in our mostly white neighborhoods? We’re NOT SILENT.

  • 3

    votes

    This message is on their Facebook page:**UPDATE** For reasons we don’t understand, YouTube has interrupted the broadcast and removed the livestream. We are currently recording the video and will be posting it as soon as it’s available. Thank to you to everyone who tuned in and we’ll let you know when the video is up!

  • 3

    votes

    What more can be done in the k-12 curriculum to introduce the subject we are grappling with today? Above and beyond including books and articles written by POC?

  • 3

    votes

    the link isn’t working. is it on youtube? the youtube link is blank.

  • 2

    votes

    Will each of your offer your favorite books, films or other resources that speak to the black American experience?

  • 2

    votes

    THEY ARE TRYING TO GET IT BACK UP. IT’s A YOUTUBE issue

  • 2

    votes

    I can’t get in

  • 2

    votes

    Called into the store … left a message on the machine. Will be moving on to something else and things seem a little unresponsive. Have a nice event : )

  • 2

    votes

    What can we do to fight against voter suppression in black and brown counties and states?

  • 2

    votes

    i too cannot get in as you are viloting u-tuben man n sent me to other store which just has ans mach on

  • 2

    votes

    Youtube still not letting us in.

  • 2

    votes

    The link isn’t working! Bummer!

  • 1

    votes

    What is your advice for us to become better allies?

  • 1

    votes

    Are you aware that until about five years ago, French students were not introduced to the existence of the holocaust in their high schools? My Point: IT IS BEYOND THE POINT WHERE BLM ISSUES AND THE REASONS FOR THEM ARE DISCUSSED IN ALL U.S. CLASSROOMS AS PART OF ANY U.S. HISTORY COURSE. Do you agree?

  • 0

    votes

    I can’t get in-message says video removed for violating YouTube’s terms of service.

  • 0

    votes

    I can’t get in. Can you help?

  • 0

    votes

    Can you send another like so we can warch

  • 0

    votes

    Will you email a new link to this conversation? The youtube link we received says “video removed” when you click it.

  • 0

    votes

    You’ve rubbed our noses in it today, YouTube. If we say racism in America and get shut down before we can have a conversation about it, how in the world can we work on it?

  • 0

    votes

    Same as everyone else: I can’t get the video because when I click the play button it says it can’t show this video because it violates youtube’s terms of service.

  • 0

    votes

    What happened? We can’t get in.

  • 0

    votes

    I raised my son in the era of the Black Power Movement. He gets it. He is white, as is his wife, but their teenage daughters have been brought up in comparative luxury. They go to schools that are mixed, but the kids of color are also from relatively high-income families. I want to assure myself they have a clear picture of what’s going on, that they have the awareness to know what side of the issue they’re on. Emphasis on history, why work ethic doesn’t carry much weight? Start with the parents? (touchy business) Any suggestions?

  • 0

    votes

    Book: The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander

  • 0

    votes

    I can’t imagine that this conversation is a “violation” but you never know how the algorithms work. Sure hope we can see it later, but for the sake of the three participants, it would be nice to have a live big live audience.

  • 0

    votes

    As an educator of color in a predominantly white affluent community, where there are very few educators of color, how can I best communicate the necessity of my white colleagues of the importance of obtaining PD that will help support them in integrating issues of race and class into their subject content so they are best able to FACILITATE a conversation instead of them just standing in front of the classroom pontificating on how they are not racist.

  • 0

    votes

    What’s the PEACE-building focus NOW ?

  • 0

    votes

    4:23 pm Still unable to view session due I’m assuming to something gone wrong with YouTube. Moving on.

  • 0

    votes

    I think they are working on it. YOUTUBE is the roadblock

  • 0

    votes

    get message that program violated YouTube terms of service. Is this technical or content?

  • 0

    votes

    Documentary: “I am not your negro” – James Baldwin

  • 0

    votes

    Says video removed … how can I get in?

  • 0

    votes

    Some people believe that less police is not the answer or will make matters worse.
    Could you explain how defunding law enforcement could help the issue of police brutality, excessive force, and the fight against racism in our communities?

  • 0

    votes

    Is anyone able to view the streaming discussion?

  • 0

    votes

    Hi – I could not access the live stream.

  • 0

    votes

    please send a new link

  • 0

    votes

    We click on “watch now” and nothing happens. How do we get in to watch the panel discussion?

  • 0

    votes

    I can’t get in…video removed?

  • 0

    votes

    one more with same issue – can’t get in – clearly not what you had anticipated but interesting to find that it’s not just me.

  • 0

    votes

    Comment
    Thank you for ALL you do for ALL of us. I’ve become a more balanced person because of all your offerings. Book Passages will be our ONLY book store from now on.
    Fondly,
    Darcy Anderson

  • 0

    votes

    Wow! You tube is blocking a thoughtful discussion about race and racism!? Sure hope that’s not true!!

  • 0

    votes

    Can you help me get in please

  • 0

    votes

    Same as above; can’t view

  • 0

    votes

    Can’t get in. Been trying for 10 mins. Registered, signed in, hit buttons, get msg: This video has been removed for violating youtube terms of service. Nothing on your facebook OR on your site, and no notifications through facebook. Second time I’ve tried to attend one of your events.