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Santa Cruz Warriors

Warriors Announce Community Event to Support Juvenile Justice

February 4, 2015 - NBA G League (G League)
Santa Cruz Warriors News Release


SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - The Santa Cruz Warriors today announced plans to host a two-day community engagement event to support juvenile justice on February 13 and 14, in partnership with Inner Light Ministries, the Resource Center for Nonviolence, and Barrios Unidos. The event will include dialogue, creative art, introspection with youth, and resource sharing, to identify opportunities and unprecedented possibilities to empower youth toward brighter futures.

Nell Bernstein, an award-winning journalist and White House Champion of Change award honoree will headline the event with a discussion of her book, Burning Down The House. The book chronicles the hidden experiences of incarcerated children over a twenty-year span and delves into their lives in and out of prisons and court hearings, developing friendships and staying in touch as they grow up. The stories she reveals are heartbreaking evidence that an institution designed to protect and rehabilitate children has turned on them instead.

"When a community such as Santa Cruz comes together to say, "˜Yes, these are our children,' it sends a powerful message of inclusion and hope to Juvenile prisoners that are isolated from their family, home, and community," said Nell Bernstein. "I am honored to be a part of this unprecedented event sponsored by the Warriors and hosted by a community that has made immense strides to further the empowerment of our youth."

Santa Cruz Warriors forward Anthony Vereen has pledged to work with youth from inside the walls of the Santa Cruz County Juvenile Hall after his first visit with the children earlier this week. Vereen and the Warriors donated basketballs and jerseys and also hosted a two-part leadership workshop that included a basketball clinic that all youth currently there had the opportunity to partake in.

"After working with at-risk youth in Houston prior to joining the Warriors, I experienced first-hand how much these children have to contribute," said Anthony Vereen. "Some would say that I helped them, but in fact, these kids saved my life and got me motivated to get back in shape and back to basketball. In interacting with the youth in the Juvenile Hall, I feel that same potential and need for our community to embrace these children and guide them towards a bright future."

The Resource Center for Non-Violence, Barrios Unidos, and Inner Light Ministries are co-hosting the two-day weekend event at the Inner Light Center, which also include co-sponsors such as CASA, Santa Cruz County Probation, United Way of Santa Cruz County, and Alternatives to Violence Project. The weekend's moderator is Reverend Deborah L. Johnson of Inner Light Ministries.

To encourage participation from the youth of the Santa Cruz community, the Warriors will be giving away a pair of tickets to a Santa Cruz Warriors game to the first 20 (under 25 years old) participants that arrive on each day of the two-day event.

WHAT'S JUST? AN EXPLORATION OF JUVENILE JUSTICE ALTERNATIVES

WHO:

Sponsored by the Santa Cruz Warriors and hosted by Inner Light Ministries, The Resource Center for Non-Violence, and Barrios Unidos

WHERE:

Inner Light Center, 5630 Soquel Drive in Soquel near Park Avenue

WHEN:

Friday, February 13, 6:30-9:00 p.m.: Nell Bernstein presentation, Q&A session, book signing, and resource faire.

Saturday, February 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.: includes panels, group discussions, creative art, explorations of opportunities and possibilities, and resource sharing.

Please RSVP online to attend Saturday's event. Lunch is available free of cost for attendees under the age of 25. Please visit InnerLightMinistries.com/WhatsJust to register.

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