The South Carolina Commission For Minority Affairs

SC Commission for Minority Affairs 2009 Statewide Minority Conference Series:

3rd Bi-Annual Statewide African American Conference:
"The Cradle to Prison Pipeline® Summit"
Dismantling the Pipeline

October 9th-10th, 2009
Russell House Union
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC

The Cradle to Prison Pipeline campaign is a national and community crusade to engage families, youth, community leaders and institutions and those in power in every sector in the development of healthy, educated children. The Campaign advances policies that put children on track to productive adulthood and opposes those that criminalize children at younger and younger ages.

"A Black boy born in 2001 has a 1 in 3 chance of going to prison in his lifetime and
a Latino boy has a 1 in 6 chance of the same fate."

The Children's Defense Fund's Cradle to Prison Pipeline® is a national call to action to stop the funneling of tens of thousands of youth, predominantly minorities, down life paths that often lead to arrest, conviction, incarceration and, in some cases, death. Race and poverty are the major factors underpinning the "pipeline". the problems, policies and systems that feed the pipeline are a result of human choices:

lack of access to health and mental health care
child abuse and neglect
lack of quality childhood education
failing schools
zero tolerance school discipline policies
unsupported community institutions
neighborhoods saturated with drugs and violence
a culture that glorifies excessive consumption, violence and triviality
rampant racial and economic disparities in child and youth serving systems
tougher sentencing guidelines
too few positive alternative to the streets after school and in the summer months
too few positive role models and mentors in the home, community, social and cultural life

We created the "pipeline" and we have the power, knowledge and will to dismantle it.
The need is urgent!

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"The Cradle to Prison Pipeline® Summit"
Dismantling the Pipeline

Conference At A Glance:

Friday, October 9, 2009

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.          Registration Desk Open
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.        Continental Breakfast
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.        Opening Plenary Session:
                                          Dr. Adolpus G. Belk Jr.
                                            African American Studies Professor
                                           Winthrop Univeristy
                                      Panel Discussion:
                                            State Leaders
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.      Lunch (on your own)
1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.        Panel Discussion:
                                            "The School Crisis"
3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.          Concurrent Sessions:
                                            Topics:
                                            Health, Education, Community Economic Development,
                                           Employment,Business and Non-Profit Information, etc.
4:30 p.m - 6:00 p.m.          Networking Reception

Saturday, October 10, 2009

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.           Registration Desk Open
9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.            Continental Breakfast
10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.          Opening Plenary Session
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.          Breakout Sessions:
                                                Youth:
                                                Leadership Seminar
                                                Adults and Parents:
                                                Frank talk the problem-One family's story
                                                from devastation to action
12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.            Wrap Up
                                                The Next Step:
                                                SC Commission for Minority Affairs,
                                                USC Children's Law Center and
                                                Justice Academy, USA

Both Days will feature exhibits and vendors.
Serveral health screenings will be available on Saturday.

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South Carolina's Summit Highlights

A short play by Ossie Davis-never before published titled "The People of Clarendon County". This play will be performed by students from Manning High School.
National Speakers:

U.S. Attorney General Office
Children's Defense Fund President-Marian Wright Edelman (invited)

Information seminars for students, parents and community leaders
CEU's available for various professional groups

Summit Goals

Heighten the awareness of SC citizens about the Cradle to Prison Pipeline® issue
Identify the strategies needed to dismantle the "pipeline" via health, education, and community development

At the end of the Summit, participants will:

Be informed of the national agenda to address this problem
Hear from SC leaders about the State and Local efforts to dismantle the "pipeline" in the following areas:

Child Care and Health
Family/Community Initiatives
Education
Law Enforcement

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Registration is required.
Exhibitors and vendors must fill out the Exhibitor/Vendor Form to participate.

Event Flyer

Registration Form

Exhibitor/Vendor Form

Hotel Information

Directions and Map

Sponsors:

For additional information on the conference or sponsorship, please contact Ms. Shelia Albergottie, African American Coordinator at the SC Commission for Minority Affairs at 6904 N. Main Street Suite 107 Columbia, SC 29203 or (803) 333-9621 Ext. 16 or (803) 333-9627 Fax or Email at salbergottie@cfma.state.sc.us.

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