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The Ralph Munro Institute for Civic Engagement at Western Washington University will hold a symposium to discuss race, civic engagement and citizenship in a post-Ferguson world from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4 at the Bellingham City Council Chambers, 210 Lottie Street. 

The event is free and open to the public.

The symposium will look at the issues raised by the recent police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The program will feature a panel of professionals with wide-ranging experience in law enforcement, the judicial process and social justice advocacy. Topics will include questions such as, what legal actions can be taken in cases where police misconduct is witnessed? What are the rights of street protesters? How are the police trained to understand the communities in which they work? As well as many other topical issues.

After the panel, there will be breakout groups to discuss ways to engage citizens, the criminal justice system, and government in conversations about race and how to address the inequities or perceived inequities of institutional practices in America.

Panelists for the event will include:

• Craig Sims, chief, Criminal Division, Seattle City Attorney's Office
• Veronica Galvan, judge, King County Superior Court, Western alumna
• Tali Hairston, director of The John M. Perkins Center for Reconciliation, Community Development, and Leadership Training, Seattle Pacific University
• Flo Simon, Bellingham deputy police chief
• Veronica Velez, assistant professor and the director of the Education and Social Justice minor, Woodring College of Education/Fairhaven College
• James Bible, Seattle attorney, former president, Seattle chapter, NAACP, Western alumnus

For more information contact Vicki Hsueh at (360) 650-2649 or vicki.hsueh@wwu.edu, or Vernon Johnson at (360) 650-4874 or Vernon.johnson@wwu.edu .