Oregon State University - Cascades will host a viewing and discussion on May 11 of the documentary film “The First Step,” which focuses on criminal justice reform at a time of a national heightened addiction crisis and intense partisan divide.
The event will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Tykeson Hall, Room 111 on the OSU-Cascades campus. The event is free, although registration is required.
The viewing will be followed by a discussion moderated by Natalie Dollar, associate professor of speech communication, and include remote participation by film producer Lance Kramer. Dollar’s research focuses on cultural communication, community dialogue and pedagogy. She is the founder of the OSU-Cascades Community Dialogue Project which provides educational opportunities for area residents.
“The First Step” documents the work of Anthony Kapel “Van” Jones and a team of organizers. Jones is a lawyer, author, a political and news commentator on CNN, and host of “The Redemption Project,” a television series that explores restorative justice.
According to the film’s producers, more than two million people are incarcerated in prisons and jails in the U.S., at rates of incarceration significantly higher than in other developed countries. Jones and his team worked across the country to build coalitions for criminal justice reform.
Their efforts helped build bipartisan support that led to Congress passing the First Step Act in December 2018. The legislation aims to improve criminal justice outcomes, reduce the size of the federal prison population, and maintain public safety.
The event is made possible with support from SAGE and the Classroom Law Project.
To register for the event visit osucascades.edu/community-connect. For accommodations for disabilities contact 541-322-3100 or events@osucascades.edu.
About OSU-Cascades: Oregon State University’s campus in Bend brings higher education to Central Oregon, the fastest growing region in the state. Surrounded by mountains, forest and high desert, OSU-Cascades is a highly innovative campus of a top-tier land grant research university, offering small classes that accelerate faculty-student mentoring and experiential learning. Degree programs meet industry and economic needs in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurship, natural ecosystems, health and wellness, and arts and sciences, and prepare students for tomorrow’s challenges. OSU-Cascades is expanding to serve 3,000 to 5,000 students, building a 128-acre campus with net-zero goals.