Rev. L. Charles Stovall, Senior Pastor at Munger Place and co-sponsor of the Children Defense Fund’s Community Roundtable, inviting concerned citizens to participate in this local forum stated, “We face an urgent national crisis at the intersection of poverty and race that puts Black boys at a one in three lifetime risk of going to jail, and Latino boys at a one in six lifetime risk of the same fate.”
What: Community leaders, youth advocates and concerned persons contemplate measures for dismantling the “cradle to prison pipeline”.
Who: Presented by the Children’s Defense Fund and hosted by Munger Place United Methodist Church, the Community Forum shall provide an update by Barbara Best, Texas Executive Director, Children Defense Fund, and Laura Guerra-Cardus CDF, Texas Policy Director. The Roundtable is an opportunity for conversation among local concerned citizens and experts on solutions to dismantle the pipeline, including improving our juvenile justice system, enhancing early childhood education, health and mental health coverage for children and strategies to prevent violence and strengthen communities.
The need is urgent:
An African-American boy has a one in three chance of going to prison in his lifetime; a Latino boy a one in six chance and a White boy a one in seventeen chance. · 85% of African-American children in Texas read below grade level by fourth grade, compared to 81% of Latino children and 56% of White children. · It costs $7,136 per pupil for a year of public education, while the cost of incarcerating a child in the Texas Youth Commission is $56,000 Join us as we develop concrete action steps to dismantle the pipeline that is disrupting communities and eroding our future workforce.
For more information, contact Rev. L. Charles Stovall or Ernest McMillan at 214. 823.9929
