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Rev. Ketlen A. Solak elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh Page A4
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 112 No. 26
Two Sections
JUNE 30-JULY 6, 2021
thenewpittsburghcourier Published Weekly $1.00
PRESIDENT JUDGE KIM BERKELEY CLARK SPEAKS OUT
‘Waning public confidence in justice system’ must be addressed by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Kim Berkeley Clark, the first Black person to hold the court’s top position in its history, boldly declared that the court must address the “waning public confidence in the justice system amidst the growing and compelling evidence that persons of color are at a greater risk of death or serious bodily injury at the hands of the police and are more likely to languish in the child welfare and juvenile and criminal justice systems than White persons.” Her letter was posted to the court’s website on June 23. While not completely unorthodox, a president judge publicly addressing race and, more notably, outlining steps the court is taking to lessen African Americans’ entry into the judicial system via strategic initiatives, doesn’t happen every day. But for President Judge Clark, who was born and raised in Wilkinsburg, graduated from an HBCU (Tennessee State University) and had been on the
front lines of the Pittsburgh area’s judicial system in the family division for 20 years, she felt the need to speak out. “While judges have a duty to uphold the law and, in many cases, impose sanctions and consequences on those who violate the law, we have an equal duty to promote public confidence in the judiciary as an independent and unbiased institution,” President Judge Clark wrote. “This means that Allegheny County Courts must be at the forefront in addressing these issues. We must undergo an ongoing and critical evaluation of how justice is administered in Allegheny County. It means we must openly acknowledge and address our flaws, rather than rely on the powers and privileges that may allow us to turn a blind eye to them. Please understand that our history is calling us to work collaboratively and inclusively to make positive changes in the justice system that will benefit all citizens.” The justice system, to the untrained eye, seems fair and equal. President Judge Clark, in her letter, referred to the phrase,
PRESIDENT JUDGE KIM BERKELEY CLARK wants to create a new mission for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, one that seeks to eliminate systemic racism.
“Equal Justice Under Law,” which is engraved above the front entrance of the U.S. Supreme Court Building, in Washington, D.C. The words are from the 14th Amendment of the Constitution which, among other things, granted citizenship to former slaves. The laws, as written, seem to be the same for all. If that’s the case, then how do African Americans outnumber Whites in federal and state prisons, although Blacks are just 12 percent of the total U.S. population? How do African Americans vastly outnumber Whites in the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ), although Blacks make up just 14 percent of the county? The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that in 2017, there were 475,900 African Americans incarcerated in federal and state prisons, almost 40,000 more than the 436,500 Whites imprisoned. A report from the Pittsburgh-based Abolitionist Law Center in 2020 found that Blacks made up 67 percent of ACJ inmates. SEE BERKELEY CLARK A2
TALI now an ‘institute,’ as organization gets $1 million grant from BNY Mellon by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Just in time for the “initiative” to officially become the “institute,” a huge donation was made by a local foundation to a local organization that prides itself on cultivating African American executive talent. The BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania awarded The Advanced Leadership Institute (formerly The Advanced Leadership Initiative) $1 million, it was announced on June 23, to support TALI’s mission, one that’s been heralded across the country. “We were so excited to receive the news,” TALI President and CEO Evan Frazier said on News Radio KDKA (100.1 FM, 1020 AM), June 24. “It came at such a critical time as we’re moving from initiative to
institute, and we couldn’t be more pleased with their ongoing commitment that they’ve (BNY Mellon) continued to demonstrate.” As we speak, the third cohort of TALI’s Executive Leadership Academy is learning the ins and outs about corporate leadership, taught by leading professors from Carnegie Mellon University. The seven-month training program ends in July, which will be followed by a graduation ceremony, of sorts. Some of the members of the third cohort are: Diamonte Walker, deputy executive director, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh; Olivia Benson, chief operating officer, The Forbes Funds; Michael Crawford, managing director, finance and administration, FedEx Ground; SEE TALI A3
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EVAN FRAZIER, president and CEO of The Advanced Leadership Institute. (Photo by Brian Cook Sr.)