Rethinking. DC Project
Rethinking.DC is a research scholarship cohort in partnership with the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service and the GW Sociology Department. This program seeks to actively understand the practices and procedures of the Metropolitan Police Department to drive down youth arrests and divert youth from the criminal justice system.
This program began in June of 2020 when The George Washington University Black Student Union in collaboration with our partner DC-area Black Student Unions (Georgetown University, American University, and Catholic University) partnered together to pen a letter to the Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Peter Newsham and Mayor Muriel Bowser. These unions decided to take action in direct response to the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. This was an act of solidarity to demonstrate the collective unity of thousands of area students.
The letter detailed our demands concerning the youth of the District and actionable reforms largely surrounding reducing youth arrests. With the swift response of the MPD, student leaders were able to directly ask questions and engage in meaningful conversations with department leaders who shared extensively how they were addressing the demands. These conversations were the foundation of what is now known today as the BSU x Nashman Center Rethinking DC Youth and Policing project.
Students can take part in this project today as a Federal Work-Study (FWS) student or by enrolling in SOC 2189: Rethinking DC Youth and Policing.
This BSU led program was inspired by the vision of Bishop Walton (BSU CoS) and influenced by Kylie Foster (VP of Community Service), Amy Cohen (ED of Nashman), Dr. Fran Buntman (GW Sociology Department), Ebony Russ (Nashman Doctoral Fellow), and Madison Sampson (Doctoral Candidate).
