ORLANDO, Fla. – Students from the FAMU College of Law are hosting a virtual town hall Wednesday evening to discuss a number of topics they say have affected African-American and minority communities, including race and how to progress as a society.
News 6 spoke with the FAMU College of Law Student Bar Association president and vice president ahead of the town hall. They said they’re doing their part to be rattlers for justice and as future lawyers and policymakers, their voices are significant.
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“We are rattlers for justice, and that’s the end goal - justice,” FAMU SBA President Julien Maynard said. “There’s definitely no more time to be quiet. We are in a critical time period, and we have to speak up for what we believe in.”
He said the news of what happened to George Floyd was devastating and it’s in part why he’s working to become a lawyer to fight racial barriers and be a voice for the voiceless.
“We will have the voice, we will have the legal means to create laws, to become the judge or the prosecutor or the public defender. We will literally be able to fight within the justice systems for justice,” he said.
Maynard went on to say, “We are definitely committed to the issues and making sure our voices, as a community, are heard and lifted.”
SBA Vice President Bria Calvin said she agrees.
“It’s really, really important for us as rattlers for justice to advocate for these racial issues that a lot of us experience on the daily,” Calvin said.
She said she and many other FAMU law students took part in recent protests in Orlando after Floyd was killed, fighting for justice and racial equality.
“Even if I look like this and I have my suit on, I can still experience injustices and it’s really important for us to advocate for those issues,” Calvin said.
Calvin hopes the virtual town hall will help bring about change.
“We all can be future policymakers, legislators, judges prosecutors, it ranges so we have a huge impact and effect on the justice system,” Calvin said.
A part of speaking up, they said, is getting their law degrees. They said voting is key, too.
“Voting right now is important now more than ever,” Calvin said.
Among the panelists apart of Wednesday’s discussion is Orlando city commissioner Regina Hill and two candidates who are running for state attorney.
We’re told this town hall is the first of many more conversations about race.
You can watch that virtual town hall Wednesday at 6 p.m. using Zoom ID 960 4265 4393.