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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowDespite being forced into a virtual format due to coronavirus concerns, the Indiana Southern District Court’s annual Black History Month event was as strong as ever with a powerful presentation from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law dean Karen Bravo.
Bravo, the first person of color to serve as dean of the Indianapolis law school, was the keynote speaker at the Feb. 24 virtual event.
Titled “Looking Back, Leaning Forward,” Bravo delivered a speech recognizing the role of history and discussing how communities can map a fresh way forward with the opportunities presented in 2021.
The dean’s remarks focused on three key moments in African American history that are marking milestones in 2021: the 160th anniversary of the beginning of the U.S. Civil War, the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre and the 60th anniversary of the Freedom rides. She sought to put the events of 2020 into a broader historical context while also placing her personal journey in the context of Jamaica’s history.
Bravo reflected on the tailspin of events that took place in 2020, starting with the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that swept across the globe. She also pointed to the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, the last of which sparked social unrest and a popular reawakening about “the legacy of enslavement.”
Lastly, Bravo reflected on the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol – the first storming of the Capitol since 1814.
“We are standing at the exact juxtaposition of our past and future,” Bravo said. “2020 seemed like a war that would never end.”
Bravo has taught on international business transactions, international law and international trade and is regarded as an expert in human trafficking. She is also the founder and leader of the Slavery Past, Present and Future Project, an interdisciplinary initiative that brings together scholars, civic leaders and other interested parties to study human trafficking and slavery.
The event featured opening remarks from Indiana Southern District Chief Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson and closing remarks from James H. Robinson Jr. of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Northern District of Alabama.
The 2021 Black History Month event was co-sponsored by the U.S. District Court, Bankruptcy Court, Probation Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal Community Defenders and U.S. Marshals Service for the Southern District of Indiana.
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