FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 8, 2009
CONTACT:
ACLU of Florida Communications Office (786) 363-2737 or media@aclufl.org
MIAMI – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida will host Racial Profiling: Face the Truth Town Hall on Thursday, December 10th at 7:00 p.m. The event will coincide with the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which proclaims a standard of human rights for all nations that the ACLU of Florida’s Racial Justice Project has used as a framework to address issues of racial discrimination. Town hall panelists will include national and local human rights activists and advocates who will engage in dialogue with members of the South Florida community to explore opportunities for participants to take action to combat racial profiling.
This practice of racial profiling is increasing rather than diminishing, which is why the ACLU has joined the national Face the Truth Campaign in order to bring the practice of racial profiling to a grinding halt.
"It is unacceptable that members of law enforcement continue to violate fundamental human rights by racially or ethnically profiling individuals while they work, drive, shop, pray, travel or stand on the street," said Chandra Bhatnagar, staff attorney with the ACLU Human Rights Program in the organization's national office. "Our elected officials must support policies that will prohibit racial profiling by law enforcement agencies and ensure that no one is scrutinized simply because of their last name, faith, or racial or ethnic origin."
This is a call to all members of our community to get involved and take action in the campaign to end racial profiling."We need communities impacted by racial profiling to speak up and speak out and use their voices to shed light on the practice of racial and ethnic profiling," said La Rhonda Odom with the ACLU of Florida’s Racial Justice Project.
WHAT: Racial Profiling: Face the Truth Town Hall
WHO: Chandra Bhatnagar, Staff Attorney, Human Rights Program, ACLU
Marleine Bastien, Executive Director, Haitian Women of Miami
Subhash Kateel, Community Organizer, Florida Immigrant Coalition
Muhammed Malik, Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations
Jumana Musa, Policy Director, Rights Working Group
WHEN: Thursday, December 10th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
WHERE: Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church
245 NW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33136
About the ACLU of Florida
The ACLU of Florida is freedom's watchdog, working daily in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend individual rights and personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For additional information, visit our web site at: www.aclufl.org.
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