Jena 6 Panel Discussion

YWCA Greater Pittsburgh Office of Racial Diversity and Inclusion

Hosts Jena 6 Panel Discussion

Pittsburgh, PA (October 17, 2007) - The Louisiana racial discrimination case known as Jena 6 has created a lot of attention and racial tension within the past months. In the year 2007 how can such racism still exist? Or does it? Can a Jena 6 situation happen in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area?

These questions and others will be addressed during the November 13, 2007 Jena 6 Brown Bag Lunch and Panel Discussion sponsored by the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh Office of Racial Diversity and Inclusion. Bev Smith, host of “Our Voices,” a syndicated nightly radio show broadcasted locally on AM 860 and nationally on the American Urban Radio Network, will serve as moderator for the event. Panelists will include Esther L. Bush, President and CEO of the Urban League of Pittsburgh; M. Gayle Moss, President of the Pittsburgh NAACP; and Thomas Farrell, Attorney for the ACLU Pittsburgh.

“This case has cast a national spotlight on the racial inequalities that continue within the criminal justice system and the existence of everyday discrimination faced by African Americans and other people of color,” says Debra Mason, Director of the Office of Racial Diversity and Inclusion (ORDI). “We hope this panel discussion will shine some light on solutions, to begin building bridges cross culturally and to help us to change racial thinking and actions.”

Mason points out, “It is necessary for our office to sponsor such an event and demonstrate that we are serious about the mission to empower individuals, organizations and communities to engage in educational and communication opportunities that address racism, oppression, diversity, and inclusion.”

In operation since 1996, the ORDI works to prepare individuals within the greater Pittsburgh region as culturally competent members of an increasingly diverse community and workforce. ORDI helps foster sensitivity towards and an appreciation of diversity, develops behaviors that contribute to a non-discriminatory, respectful workplace, and identifies ways in which promoting diversity can benefit individuals, organizations, and businesses.Programs include “Cultural Diversity-Building Bridges,” “Community Dialogues on Racism,” “White Privilege and Anti-Racism,” “Internalized Racism,” and “Youth/Teen Diversity.”

The Jena 6 case focuses on six African American high school teens ages 15 to 17 who were arrested last December after a school fight in which a white student was beaten and suffered a concussion and multiple bruises. The six African American males were charged with attempted murder and conspiracy. The African American students face up to 100 years in prison without parole. The fight took place amid mounting racial tension after a black student sat under a tree in the schoolyard where only white students sat. The next day nooses were hanging from the tree.


For questions about the Jena 6 Panel Discussion or to inquire about The Greater Pittsburgh YWCA Office of Racial Diversity and Inclusion please contact Debra L. Mason, Director, at 412-255-1451 or email dmason@ywcapgh.org