A city in crisis
We can heal our community
The city of Little Rock has risen from deep segregation and racial conflict to become a progressive state capital with a rich culture and diversity across the various layers of society. In my 2.5 years here, I have come to know those at the helm of city leadership as men and women who are willing to work toward harmony through serious evaluation and courageous conversations regarding the city’s shortcomings.
No doubt, Little Rock has made progress; but, as it happens, progress can come with its share of setbacks. We are experiencing a serious period of regression today as we watch with dismay what appears to be a cycle of violent activities, ranging from chilling homicides and gang violence to drug abuse and other felonious acts.
Most recently, alleged gang-related violence erupted at the Power Ultra Lounge in downtown Little Rock, with reports that as many as 28 people were injured, and the cause and/or target is still unknown. The incident hit close to home. A young female Philander Smith College student was celebrating her birthday at the lounge, joined by several sorority sisters and friends. Fortunately, they all escaped without injury, but we recognize that the outcome could have been drastically different.
While we promote a zero-tolerance policy with respect to violence in the Philander Smith community, it is unrealistic to think that when our students step outside our campus that they will not encounter some level of risk. These circumstances and other prevailing social challenges have caused Philander Smith to rethink how we execute our justice-based mission. Just as Philander Smith College was a refuge for those strategizing to overthrow desegregation in Little Rock in the 1950s, the college must continue to be fertile ground for bravery in the face of modern-day crises.
Simply put, Philander Smith wants to do something about not only the proliferation of violence in our city, but also the prevalence of injustice in our society.
The time is fitting. This year is the 60th anniversary of the desegregation of Central High School, and Philander Smith is celebrating its 140th anniversary of providing access and opportunity through education. Furthermore, this fall we will unveil our re-imagined social-justice initiative: “Think Justice 2.0: A Global Perspective.”
At the heart of our efforts will be the fight for educational justice. Research from numerous sources confirms that the most powerful deterrent to criminal activity, violence, poor health, and poverty is education. As such, we need the unflappable resolve to experiment with new approaches to student success, school governance, finance and staffing, as well as closing the achievement gap. Every possible solution should be examined, and public/private partnerships should be given more serious consideration as we endeavor to address the various levels of injustice.
Most importantly, we need a citizenry with the fortitude, passion, urgency and moral conviction to do more than just complain, but to act. Philander Smith’s new Social Justice Institute will propel citizens to do just that.
In the last six months, a finalist for a key position at Philander Smith withdrew from the search pool after looking up the crime rate in Little Rock. The high crime rate caused her to conclude that she was not willing to subject her family to life in our city. Last month, the mother of a Philander Smith scholarship recipient wrote me to say that she had decided to send her child to another institution because of Little Rock’s crime rate. Additionally, three of my student mentees have had to watch five of their friends be buried in Little Rock in the past year.
At our spring commencement, after receiving the Ozell Sutton Medal of Justice, Philander Smith College alumna Dr. Joycelyn Elders reminded the Class of 2017 of its responsibility to achieve justice for all. Think Justice 2.0: A Global Perspective will help us to do as Dr. Elders encouraged by equipping students and community citizens to be advocates for justice in education, health care, economics, environment, religion, gender, race, age, identity, and politics.
I want to assure Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola, Little Rock City Manager Bruce Moore, Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Buckner, and others that the Philander Smith community accepts your call to action. We call on each of you—our brothers and sisters of Little Rock, men and women of all colors—to join us for impactful and conscientious efforts directed toward civic and racial renewal in our city and across our great state.
We believe that together we can heal our community and achieve justice for everyone.