Press-Release-Juvenile-In-Justice-Exhibit

HOLD FOR RELEASE UNTIL OCT 22, 2015 October 20, 2015 Contact: Renée Slajda 203-231-7285, rslajda@laccr.org Photography Exhibit Bolsters Call for Juvenile Justice Reform Community-Sponsored Exhibit Reveals Treatment of Children Behind Bars New Orleans, LA – Oct 20, 2015 - The Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights and its community partners are offering New Orleanians a glimpse into the hidden world of juvenile incarceration via a nationally acclaimed photography exhibit Created by photographer Richard Ross, the Juvenile In Justice exhibit exposes the treatment of children in Orleans Parish Prison and jails across the country through powerful photographs and personal narratives “Juvenile In Justice is a call to action, and it’s coming to New Orleans at a critical time,” says LCCR Executive Director Josh Perry “Some of Ross’ most heartbreaking photographs of imprisoned children were taken right here in New Orleans We can take common-sense steps right now to help these children – including, most urgently, removing all children under 18 from the Orleans Parish Prison.” © Richard Ross During the exhibit opening on October 22, LCCR will release Keep Children Out of Orleans Parish Prison, a report calling for an end to the detention of children in one of the worst jails in the nation A petition will also be circulated asking the New Orleans City Council to remove all children from the adult jail The petition has already garnered almost 1,000 signatures on Change.org Juvenile In Justice is sponsored by a diverse group of community organizations and local universities that are working toward a better future for New Orleans’ youth Over the next month, partners will hold events in the exhibition space – from speaking engagements to student events – in order to broaden awareness around issues of juvenile justice and youth development in New Orleans One partner, the Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies at UNO, worked with area high school students to create art that reimagines a world without prisons, a selection of which will be included in the exhibition “The LCCR project and Richard Ross exhibit,” explains Professor Ben Weber, “provides the perfect opportunity for young people to respond creatively to an issue that directly affects them, while helping us older folks to imagine possibilities for a different future.” Curated by Gia M Hamilton of the Joan Mitchell Center, Juvenile In Justice is on view from October 23rd to November 20th in the Myrtle Banks Building at 1307 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd More information and a list of partner events can be found on the event page [MORE] © Richard Ross The Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights is a nonprofit law center that defends the right of every child in Louisiana’s juvenile justice system to fairness, dignity, and opportunity We couple direct services with systems reform advocacy to create a smaller, safer, fairer juvenile justice system The Joan Mitchell Center’s mission is to support local, national, and international contemporary visual artists The Center provides a place for creation, innovation and transformation for artists, while supporting values of community, diversity, and social equity in New Orleans Contact Renée Slajda at rslajda@laccr.org or (203) 231-7285 Exhibit sponsors are: The Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights The Joan Mitchell Center African & African Diaspora Studies, Tulane University Alembic Community Development Amistad Research Center Baptist Community Ministries The Center for Restorative Approaches Creative Alliance of New Orleans Division of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Xavier University Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children Innocence Project New Orleans Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies, University of New Orleans Orleans Parish Place Matters Reconcile New Orleans The Southern Poverty Law Center Urban League of Greater New Orleans Women With A Vision ###