Mayor & City Council

Monday, January 25, 2021 Continuing the Conversation Forum #4: Lakeland: History, Community & Restorative Justice 7:00 p.m. Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, this was a virtual meeting. Present: Mayor Wojahn; Councilmembers Dennis (Moderator), Mitchell, Mackie, Day, and Rigg. Panelists: Dr. Willow Lung Amam; Dr. Curt Rhodes; Dr. Johonna Turner; Maxine Gross Staff: Kiaisha Barber, Bill Gardiner, Janeen Miller There were 45 attendees in the Zoom webinar. The meeting began with the presentation of a short video by the Lakeland Community Heritage Project. Mayor Wojahn read portions of Resolution 20-R-16 adopted by the Mayor and Council in June 2020, relating to the Lakeland community, to provide context for tonight’s discussion. Councilmember Dennis said that members of the public may submit questions to tonight’s panel to families@collegeparkmd.gov. The following questions provided the framework for the discussion: 1. Maxine Gross: What is the history of Lakeland and its relationship to College Park? 2. Dr. Willow Lung-Amam: Describe Urban Renewal Initiative? 3. Dr. Curt Rhodes, Maxine Gross with testimonial from oral history: What was the impact of urban renewal on the individual and family? 4. Maxine Gross: What was the impact of urban renewal on the community? 5. Dr. Willow Lung-Amam: What was the impact of urban renewal on the wider community/municipality? 6. Dr. Johonna Turner: What is the philosophy of restorative justice? What does a restorative justice process involve? What kinds of outcomes might a successful restorative justice process produce?  7. Dr. Curt Rhodes, Maxine Gross: How would restorative justice apply to Lakeland? 8. Dr. Curt Rhodes, Maxine Gross: What might be concrete restorative measures? 9. Dr. Curt Rhodes, Maxine Gross: How do you restore tangible and intangible loss created by forced displacement? Discussion:  Create a Restorative Justice Commission.  Ask the people who were impacted to tell their story.  Create a space and a budget to support this work.  Provide opportunities for internships for Lakeland youth for professional development.  The process begins by naming the impact and the need that has arisen from the harm that occurred.  We need to ask the questions and be prepared to listen. Questions from the audience:  What is the right of restitution for the Lakeland community?  What right did the City have to include Lakeland in its incorporation against its will?  When houses were taken, were the Lakelanders compensated?  Have the 104 families that were displaced been identified?  Engineering improvements to address the flooding in Lakeland. Mayor Pro Tem Dennis and Mayor Wojahn closed the meeting by thanking the panelists. Mayor Wojahn said the Council will discuss establishment of a Restorative Justice Commission at their February 2 Worksession. Record prepared by Janeen S. Miller, City Clerk. ----------------------- Panelist Bios: Johonna Turner is Assistant Professor of Restorative Justice and Peacebuilding at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. For over 15 years, she has worked as part of arts collectives, community organizing coalitions, and other social movement organizations to develop youth leadership, empower disenfranchised people, and cultivate transformational approaches to safety and justice. Dr. Turner is an innovative educator with experience teaching a wide range of learners in a variety of settings. As an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, she taught undergraduate courses in the departments of American Studies and African-American Studies, as well as the Burns Academy of Leadership. Curt Rhodes is the Founder/International Director of Questscope, a non-profit, non- governmental organization established in 1988 for youth mentorship, alternative education, juvenile justice, community-based health and humanitarian aid programs that foster social development among disadvantaged youth and women, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). Curt holds an MPH degree (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) and MS and PhD degrees (University of Wisconsin, Madison). Curt was recognized in 2011 as Social Entrepreneur of the Year in the Middle East by the Schwab Foundation/World Economic Forum for visionary, pragmatic and courageous contributions that significantly improve the state of the world. In 2014, he was awarded the Tufts University/Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award for his dedication to solving the most pressing problems facing the world. He has lived continuously in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan or Egypt since 1981 and is a fluent Arabic speaker. Willow Lung-Amam, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning and Director of Community Development at the National Center for Smart Growth at University of Maryland, College Park. Her research focuses on issues of urban and suburban inequality, particularly redevelopment, gentrification, racial segregation, immigration, and neighborhood opportunity. She is the author of Trespassers? Asian American and the Battle for Suburbia, and a forthcoming book on redevelopment politics and equitable development organizing in the Washington, DC suburbs. Maxine Gross is a fifth generation Lakelander and founding member of the Lakeland Community Heritage Project. Her history of community service includes time as Lakeland Civic Association president and as a City Council member. Ms. Gross is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and holds a Master of Arts degree from Bowie State University.