hi everyone thank you so much for coming
out my name is Andy I’m a senior at
Homestead High School and today I’m just
going to tell you guys a story so over
the summer I worked at the Community
Justice Center in San Francisco it’s a
court division under the San Francisco
district attorney’s office and so yes
that was that I needed to commute there
every single day which and so I took
support and there was this one time when
I was running really late it was a
miracle that my boroughs still has a
platform by the time I raced there the
doors shut right behind me as I looked
around but two of them now listen
carefully I look to my left a seat next
to a pregnant mother wearing a blazer
much like the one that I had on she was
like I looked to migrate a seat next to
a man bring a plaid shirt with anything
else he was black I’ll say it again
pregnant white with a or black man with
granite fingernails the decision was
made so fast that I didn’t even realize
I was made here I sat down next to the
pregnant wife mother and I felt relieved
you know make your thinking why does it
matter
maybe you’re thinking that you would
have done the same in fact I’m willing
to bet that any of you put into my
position what has that down which is the
pregnant right mother without even out
yourself why now I know this because I
have come to realize that there have
been countless moments in my life just
like this one this wasn’t the first time
that I have made a decision based on
race and so what we need stop and
question myself this time you see this
time that art was taking me to the
Community Justice Center or cjp for
short the CJC the mission is to provide
disadvantaged defendants with a chance
at restorative treatment rather than
first-world punishment but what does
that mean we’ve all heard the term mass
incarceration right maybe you’ve heard
that even though the US only makes up 5%
of the world’s population it houses 25%
of the world’s prison population maybe
you’ve heard that a black mother of
three boys will statistically see one of
them behind bars or maybe you haven’t I
wouldn’t be surprised I mean this issue
is given in little to no attention on
Capitol Hill look I know that there are
important issues out there but shouldn’t
this one be given some sort of voice
thankfully the Community Justice Center
does just that it recognizes that
disadvantaged circumstances that
defendants are born into and offers them
a chance to overcome them
you see most defendants who enters
courtrooms are victims too young
exposure to drug use domestic violence
mental health illnesses chronic
homelessness the list goes on
[Music]
that doesn’t make their crimes okay but
it doesn’t mean that I’m going to find a
way to help them rather than crush them
when a defendant enters our prisons they
leave with a seventy six point six
percent recidivism rate in other words
three out of four defendants leave the
criminal justice system only to recommit
another client
and then come right back however
defended that the cgc have a
statistically lower chance of being
realistic because of the plethora of
treatment options that the CJC provides
that way so instead of being sent to the
vicious cycle that is our criminal
justice some defendants are given an
opportunity at education
I didn’t gauge though for the community
and forgiveness I have witnessed
defendants enter the courtroom with
felony charges and leave with jobs
shelter and sobriety now it didn’t take
me long before I realized that the
majority of defendants at the CJC looked
more like a black man on the bar than
the white woman and so what does that
make me that we need a hypocrite you see
I’ve been passionate about criminal
justice reform ever since I wrote a
research paper on mass incarceration in
America that’s why I took a job and
that’s why I’m standing there talking to
you today so why I asked myself why did
I make a conscious decision to sit next
to a white woman over a black man and
why did I feel relief afterwards you see
I’ve come to realize that passion
doesn’t hide prejudice I am the last
person that I ever thought would be
labeled as racist or bigoted but I was I
still am and I know I’m not alone in
this we’re all in the bay area right
this is this is the community filled
with well-intentioned folks who posts on
their instagrams about hashtag black
lives matter but grab their kids and a
little tighter than they walked past one
of the few black people in our
neighborhoods our parents our financial
systems or cultures foster an inherent
prejudice that is incredibly difficult
to escape and I’m not saying that I’ve
escaped it because I have it but here
are the steps that I’ve taken to
beginning overcoming my bias ease into
to read apostrophe recognition is the
first step to any problem it is my hope
that today has helped you with that I
want you to take notice from here on out
every single time you let that any words
out of your mouth
or when you cross the street to avoid
someone that you deem in your head as
I’m insane just because of their
appearance take notice you know for a
lot of us it’s our parents are
definitely guilty of prejudiced remarks
and actions due to the generation that
was simply where they came from
unfortunately those are characteristics
that we as students tend to emulate for
me I know that I was taught at a young
age to be cautious around certain races
you know our parents teach us so much
now is the time to return the favor help
them recognize that a need for a change
in their mindset for me my recognition
started on the part and has continued
every system now next you must be
educated so many of us are talented at
all things academic but sometimes we
forget to educate ourselves on the very
things that we are passionate about it’s
easy to say that you or a certain cause
because well it seems like everyone else
does but do you really know what you are
supreme this goes for all issues
you may have not just about race just
because you’re from the Bay Area doesn’t
mean that you need a lean liberal for
every single issue do not blindly call
for gun control how educating yourself
on the conservative point of view I saw
this issue really prevalent on March
24th just as you’d expect if you took
part in the National School walked out
on that day I want you to ask yourself
why did you walk did you walk because
you wanted to post it on your snapchat
story did you walk because everyone else
did or did you walk because you knew
exactly what sort of lives you wanted to
change if you did it nobody make it a
priority to know now you know despite my
passion for criminal justice reform I
actually want you to take what I’ve told
you to hear today with a grain of salt
go home and educate yourself on why some
believe that punishment is the correct
answer because there is a valid argument
for that and there’s a valid argument
for every single issue on both sides so
learning because only then will you be
able to truly only then will you be able
to truly form in a community that is
solely yours I’m going to end on the
most important step in my journey in
order to overcome any sort of prejudice
I wholeheartedly believe that you must
listen I’ve heard countless defendants
stories some were victims pretty exposed
to drugs at a young age others high
dental health issues some where people
were from abusive families all for
victims of some sort of circumstance in
it not for the cgv data shows that the
criminal justice systems would not have
taken any of that into account and
neither would I their skin color doesn’t
make them dangerous
system that targets those born into
disadvantaged circumstances that makes
us think that punishment is not the
answer
but health is it is my hope that you
made here today with questions not only
about what are my prejudices you may
carry but about the criminal justice
system and about whatever other issue
you are passionate about thank you [Applause]
out my name is Andy I’m a senior at
Homestead High School and today I’m just
going to tell you guys a story so over
the summer I worked at the Community
Justice Center in San Francisco it’s a
court division under the San Francisco
district attorney’s office and so yes
that was that I needed to commute there
every single day which and so I took
support and there was this one time when
I was running really late it was a
miracle that my boroughs still has a
platform by the time I raced there the
doors shut right behind me as I looked
around but two of them now listen
carefully I look to my left a seat next
to a pregnant mother wearing a blazer
much like the one that I had on she was
like I looked to migrate a seat next to
a man bring a plaid shirt with anything
else he was black I’ll say it again
pregnant white with a or black man with
granite fingernails the decision was
made so fast that I didn’t even realize
I was made here I sat down next to the
pregnant wife mother and I felt relieved
you know make your thinking why does it
matter
maybe you’re thinking that you would
have done the same in fact I’m willing
to bet that any of you put into my
position what has that down which is the
pregnant right mother without even out
yourself why now I know this because I
have come to realize that there have
been countless moments in my life just
like this one this wasn’t the first time
that I have made a decision based on
race and so what we need stop and
question myself this time you see this
time that art was taking me to the
Community Justice Center or cjp for
short the CJC the mission is to provide
disadvantaged defendants with a chance
at restorative treatment rather than
first-world punishment but what does
that mean we’ve all heard the term mass
incarceration right maybe you’ve heard
that even though the US only makes up 5%
of the world’s population it houses 25%
of the world’s prison population maybe
you’ve heard that a black mother of
three boys will statistically see one of
them behind bars or maybe you haven’t I
wouldn’t be surprised I mean this issue
is given in little to no attention on
Capitol Hill look I know that there are
important issues out there but shouldn’t
this one be given some sort of voice
thankfully the Community Justice Center
does just that it recognizes that
disadvantaged circumstances that
defendants are born into and offers them
a chance to overcome them
you see most defendants who enters
courtrooms are victims too young
exposure to drug use domestic violence
mental health illnesses chronic
homelessness the list goes on
[Music]
that doesn’t make their crimes okay but
it doesn’t mean that I’m going to find a
way to help them rather than crush them
when a defendant enters our prisons they
leave with a seventy six point six
percent recidivism rate in other words
three out of four defendants leave the
criminal justice system only to recommit
another client
and then come right back however
defended that the cgc have a
statistically lower chance of being
realistic because of the plethora of
treatment options that the CJC provides
that way so instead of being sent to the
vicious cycle that is our criminal
justice some defendants are given an
opportunity at education
I didn’t gauge though for the community
and forgiveness I have witnessed
defendants enter the courtroom with
felony charges and leave with jobs
shelter and sobriety now it didn’t take
me long before I realized that the
majority of defendants at the CJC looked
more like a black man on the bar than
the white woman and so what does that
make me that we need a hypocrite you see
I’ve been passionate about criminal
justice reform ever since I wrote a
research paper on mass incarceration in
America that’s why I took a job and
that’s why I’m standing there talking to
you today so why I asked myself why did
I make a conscious decision to sit next
to a white woman over a black man and
why did I feel relief afterwards you see
I’ve come to realize that passion
doesn’t hide prejudice I am the last
person that I ever thought would be
labeled as racist or bigoted but I was I
still am and I know I’m not alone in
this we’re all in the bay area right
this is this is the community filled
with well-intentioned folks who posts on
their instagrams about hashtag black
lives matter but grab their kids and a
little tighter than they walked past one
of the few black people in our
neighborhoods our parents our financial
systems or cultures foster an inherent
prejudice that is incredibly difficult
to escape and I’m not saying that I’ve
escaped it because I have it but here
are the steps that I’ve taken to
beginning overcoming my bias ease into
to read apostrophe recognition is the
first step to any problem it is my hope
that today has helped you with that I
want you to take notice from here on out
every single time you let that any words
out of your mouth
or when you cross the street to avoid
someone that you deem in your head as
I’m insane just because of their
appearance take notice you know for a
lot of us it’s our parents are
definitely guilty of prejudiced remarks
and actions due to the generation that
was simply where they came from
unfortunately those are characteristics
that we as students tend to emulate for
me I know that I was taught at a young
age to be cautious around certain races
you know our parents teach us so much
now is the time to return the favor help
them recognize that a need for a change
in their mindset for me my recognition
started on the part and has continued
every system now next you must be
educated so many of us are talented at
all things academic but sometimes we
forget to educate ourselves on the very
things that we are passionate about it’s
easy to say that you or a certain cause
because well it seems like everyone else
does but do you really know what you are
supreme this goes for all issues
you may have not just about race just
because you’re from the Bay Area doesn’t
mean that you need a lean liberal for
every single issue do not blindly call
for gun control how educating yourself
on the conservative point of view I saw
this issue really prevalent on March
24th just as you’d expect if you took
part in the National School walked out
on that day I want you to ask yourself
why did you walk did you walk because
you wanted to post it on your snapchat
story did you walk because everyone else
did or did you walk because you knew
exactly what sort of lives you wanted to
change if you did it nobody make it a
priority to know now you know despite my
passion for criminal justice reform I
actually want you to take what I’ve told
you to hear today with a grain of salt
go home and educate yourself on why some
believe that punishment is the correct
answer because there is a valid argument
for that and there’s a valid argument
for every single issue on both sides so
learning because only then will you be
able to truly only then will you be able
to truly form in a community that is
solely yours I’m going to end on the
most important step in my journey in
order to overcome any sort of prejudice
I wholeheartedly believe that you must
listen I’ve heard countless defendants
stories some were victims pretty exposed
to drugs at a young age others high
dental health issues some where people
were from abusive families all for
victims of some sort of circumstance in
it not for the cgv data shows that the
criminal justice systems would not have
taken any of that into account and
neither would I their skin color doesn’t
make them dangerous
system that targets those born into
disadvantaged circumstances that makes
us think that punishment is not the
answer
but health is it is my hope that you
made here today with questions not only
about what are my prejudices you may
carry but about the criminal justice
system and about whatever other issue
you are passionate about thank you [Applause]
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