The Ohio University community is invited to attend a film screening and discussion titled “Trial By Jury: A Case of the N-Word” on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 2 p.m. at the Athena Cinema.
- What would happen if the n-word was put on trial? Attend Trial By Jury: The Case of the N-Word to find out.
A short film dramatizes this dilemma by depicting a trial and jury deliberation regarding a conflict over the use of the n-word by a teacher in a fourth-grade class.
Then, the live audience is engaged in an open forum discussion about the case and its underlying issues.
Ultimately, the audience votes to determine a verdict in the case, thereby asserting a resounding public statement to affirm or renounce the current trend and newly established laws.
Aissatou Boye
Speakers at the event include Ohio University Presidential Leader Aissatou Boye. Boye is double majoring in Sociology-Criminology and African American Studies with a certificate in Law, Justice & Culture. She is President of Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) and Undergraduate Black Law Students Association.
Kyle Bowser
The Trial By Jury initiative is led by OHIO alumnus Kyle Bowser, who received his Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University in Radio/Television and Film Communications.
Browser describes the event as follows:
Trial By Jury was developed to address our increasing gravitation toward silos of political punditry and social media vitriol that affirm singular strains of ideology. We communicate in echo chambers that reverberate a reliance on sameness and reject the time-honored tradition of consensus building. The African American experience consistently affirms and disputes our founding ideals, to include the perpetual dilemma of black identity.
Trial By Jury: The Case of The N-Word confronts our use of the infamous epithet and examines its many ramifications. The Ohio University Black Alumni Reunion presents an opportune moment to share multigenerational perspectives on this ever-present issue. A filmed trial and jury deliberation establish evidentiary considerations for the audience to weigh during an open forum discussion, before ultimately voting to determine a verdict. All Rise!
The film screening and discussion is held in conjunction with Black Alumni Reunion Weekend 2019 and co-sponsored by the Center for Law, Justice & Culture.
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