By Adrienne Cole Johnson, L.T. Moon, Ram Bhagat and Trey Hartt
Justice is a common theme throughout American history, with varying perceptions of goals and definitions along the way. While some may feel as though justice is alive and well, many, many citizens with a close pulse on the diverse communities of our country are identifying with a growing perception of the divide regarding just and fair treatment for individuals within the intersection of race, class, and culture.
Attempting to manage perpetual ongoing social problems that plague our communities, we struggle and have relegated to external institutions — which may be completely unfamiliar with the idiosyncratic characteristics of each community — the power to impose sanctions. This has ultimately led to community decline and to destabilization.
Blame it on social media, blame it on increased access to information, or simply blame it on reality — the microscope is narrowly focused on our society and we are forced to accept that there is still so much work to do. Richmond is no exception to these issues and it is important that we as citizens rise to the challenge of changing our approach.
Our belief is that justice is harder to achieve if the communities most affected are not involved in defining what justice is and actively working with policymakers to ensure it is achieved.
[For more of this story, written by Adrienne Cole Johnson, L.T. Moon, Ram Bhagat, and Trey Hartt, go to http://www.richmond.com/opinio...bc-0375c32eb624.html]
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