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20/20 Leaders of America - 2015 Presidential Justice Forum

The Presidential Justice Forum will take place on the historic campus of Allen University, which was founded in 1870, and is named after Richard Allen, the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church. It is recognized as the first university in South Carolina founded by African Americans for the education of African Americans.  The state of South Carolina was initially chosen due to its importance as an early primary state, but with the June 17, 2015, mass murder of nine black churchgoers at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, the state has been a focal point for national discussions about race and criminal justice.  Further, three of the nine people that were killed in Charleston were alumni of Allen University.

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November 13, 2015

20/20 LEADERS OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES MEDIA PARTNERSHIP WITH BET NETWORKS TO LIVE STREAM THE 2015 PRESIDENTIAL JUSTICE FORUM ON BET.COM NOVEMBER 21 AT 1 PM ET

BET News correspondent Jeff Johnson to Host the 2015 Presidential Justice Forum with Top 2016 Presidential Candidates

WASHINGTON, DC- The 20/20 Leaders of America (20/20 Club) will partner with BET Networks on the 2015 Presidential Justice Forum on November 21, 2015 at Allen University in Columbia, SC.  BET News correspondent Jeff Johnson will host the forum at which top 2016 presidential hopefuls will articulate their plans and respond to questions about issues of justice that continue to punctuate headlines around the nation. Dr. Ben Carson, Martin O’Malley, and Senator Bernie Sanders will engage the audience beginning at 1:00PM ET.  The event will be streamed LIVE on http://www.BET.com. 
 
Led by co-chairs former Hall County Georgia Commissioner Ashley D. Bell (R), and Columbia, South Carolina City Councilman Brian Newman, the 20/20 Club is a diverse and bi-partisan collective of elected officials, law enforcement, prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, professionals, and community leaders from across the country united to elevate issues disproportionately affecting communities above partisan politics.
 
In 2015, the 20/20 club has hosted intimate “Listening Sessions” designed to engage top presidential candidates from both parties on preeminent and timely issues facing the black community; beginning with criminal justice reform, community policing, and the dispensation of justice in light of civil unrest across America.
 
The 2015 Presidential Justice Forum is the culmination of the first series of listening sessions with top 2016 hopefuls, the Republican National Committee (RNC), and the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
 
“This has never happened before. Gathering leading candidates during a presidential election cycle to discuss issues of justice that disproportionately affect communities of color. This unique event has to be shared with communities around the nation. An icon of black news and entertainment like BET Networks is uniquely positioned to share this step in the policy making process and ensure those most affected by issues of justice have a front row seat.  – Ashley D. Bell (R), Former Hall County Georgia Commissioner and 20/20 Club Co-Chair.

All of the leading Presidential campaigns have been invited to the November 21st town-hall style forum hosted at Allen University, a historically black college.  The forum will also provide the first of its kind “Drum Poll” a straw poll of the attendees who place a priority on criminal justice reform and community policing. The Drum poll will feature the names of all major candidates running for President.
 
“BET Networks bringing a respected voice like Jeff Johnson to host the 2015 Presidential Justice Forum solidifies this one-of-a-kind forum as a premiere event during the 2016 election cycle.  Millions of viewers, many of them personally impacted by issues of justice in America, will now have a trusted voice to guide the conversation and take their questions. Our goal is simple, fundamental change. This is an incredible next step.  – Brian Newman (D), City Councilman, Columbia South Carolina and 20/20 Leaders Club Co-Chair.
 
At the Forum, each candidate will have the opportunity to engage directly with local elected officials, law enforcement, and leaders from across the country that are meeting these challenges every day with resilience and success.
 
“BET Networks continues to make a concerted effort to mobilize the significant voting bloc of unregistered African-Americans and encourage them to sign up and get to the polls," said Debra L. Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BET Networks. "Joining forces with the 20/20 Leaders of America, a dominant voice in the conversation around issues of justice, provides our audience with a platform for comprehensive dialogue on the topics that matter most in the community."
 
The Forum will be co-hosted by the 20/20 Club and Facebook, along with the National Black Police Association, National League of Cities Black Caucus, Insight America, and IMPACT.



20/20 Leaders of America (@The2020Club)– a bi-partisan collective of local elected officials, law enforcement, professionals, and community leaders from across the country – is leading the conversation on justice issues with 2016 Presidential Candidates. United for positive change, the 20/20 Leaders of America have been engaging the 2016 Presidential Candidates through intimate Presidential Listening Sessions preeminent and timely issues such as criminal justice reform, community policing, and the dispensation of justice are addressed with the goal of each presidential candidate developing a plan of action that will result in measurable positive outcomes by what would be the end of his or her first term as President in 2020.
 
Visit http://www.2020club.org/ for additional information about the 20/20 Club and the 2015 Presidential Justice Forum.
 
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
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FACEBOOK JOINS 20/20 LEADERS OF AMERICA AS TITLE SPONSOR OF 2015 PRESIDENTIAL JUSTICE FORUM

Forum in Columbia, S.C., to feature bipartisan group of presidential candidates discussing criminal justice reform

WASHINGTON, DC (November 3, 2015) - Today, the 20/20 Leaders of America (“20/20 Club”) announced that Facebook will be the title sponsor of the 2015 Presidential Justice Forum in Columbia, S.C. In that role, Facebook will help connect people around the country to the conversation on justice issues with a bipartisan group of top 2016 presidential hopefuls.

 The 2015 Presidential Justice forum will take place on November 21, 2015, at Allen University, a historically black college, with a town hall forum featuring Dr. Ben Carson, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Governor Martin O’Malley beginning at 1 p.m.

In addition, those unable to attend in person will still be able to participate in the discussion by submitting questions for the candidates on the 20/20 Club’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/the2020club.

 Led by co-chairs former Hall County, Ga., Commissioner Ashley Bell (R), and Columbia, S.C., City Councilman Brian Newman (D), the 20/20 Leaders Club is a diverse and bipartisan collective of elected officials, law enforcement, prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, professionals, and community leaders from across the country united to elevate issues disproportionately affecting communities of color above partisan politics.

 “We are the new vanguard of leadership, working together to harness the power of technology to amplify the voices of those who have yet to be heard by policy makers in both parties,” said 20/20 Leaders of America co-chair Ashley Bell. “The 20/20 Approach brings together stakeholders at all levels to address community concerns at the highest level. Technology and social media have increased awareness and engagement on criminal justice reform and policing. The civil rights movement in the 1960s was galvanized in part because what was occurring in the South was beginning to be televised and the rest of the nation (and world) could no longer pretend it wasn't happening.  Similarly, discussions about race and criminal justice are not only happening on Facebook, but these discussions are possible because a platform like Facebook even exists. What is taking place in cities across the country – Oakland, Sanford, Ferguson, Baltimore, Columbia – is now being discussed and debated unfiltered at a national level on social media.”

“Our goal, from the beginning, has been to fundamentally change the way in which issues of justice are treated in the American political system,” said 20/20 Leaders of America co-chair Brian Newman. The people must have unfiltered access to those who seek to lead and that's exactly what our partnership with Facebook provides giving millions of users a voice that has too often been absent from the policy-making process. We will be heard and we stand ready to hold those who refuse to listen accountable."

 “The conversation about the 2016 election is happening on Facebook, and a huge part of that is a discussion of criminal justice issues,” said Crystal Patterson, politics and government outreach manager at Facebook. “Facebook is pleased to be the title sponsor of the 2015 Presidential Justice Forum, not only to help bring more attention to the issue of criminal justice reform, but also to help connect voters around the country with the candidates participating in the event.”

 All of the leading Presidential campaigns have been invited to the Presidential Justice Forum, which will provide a first of its kind “Drum Poll,” a straw poll of the attendees who place a priority on criminal justice reform and policing. The Drum poll will feature the names of all major candidates running for President.

 At the Forum, each candidate will have the opportunity to engage directly with local elected officials, law enforcement, and leaders from across the country that are meeting these challenges every day with resilience and success.

 In advance of the 2016 election, 20/20 Leaders of America has been hosting intimate “Listening Sessions” designed to engage top presidential candidates from both parties on preeminent and timely issues facing the black community; beginning with criminal justice reform, community policing, and the dispensation of justice in light of civil unrest across America.

20/20 Leaders of America (@The2020Club)– a bipartisan collective of local elected officials, law enforcement, professionals, and community leaders from across the country – is leading the conversation on justice issues with 2016 Presidential Candidates. United for positive change, the 20/20 Leaders of America have been engaging the 2016 Presidential Candidates through intimate Presidential Listening Sessions preeminent and timely issues such as criminal justice reform, community policing, and the dispensation of justice are addressed with the goal of each presidential candidate developing a plan of action that will result in measurable positive outcomes by what would be the end of his or her first term as President in 2020.

 The first series of these sessions – held during summer and fall 2015 – will culminate with the nationally televised 2015 Presidential Justice Forum on November 21, 2015 on the campus of Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina.

Visit http://www.2020club.org/ for additional information about the 20/20 Club and the 2015 Presidential Justice Forum.

 

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