Confronting the legacy of slavery

“I’m proud of the way that Brown has challenged and illuminated its own history, and shown itself to be a leader among peer institutions,” says David Haas ’78, a Philadelphia-based philanthropist who recently made a commitment to support the work of the CSSJ over the next five years. “I believe that the center's ongoing work will continue to play a leadership role in the field.”

Mr. Haas's interest in the CSSJ was piqued when he attended the 2017 Debra Lee Lecture featuring distinguished filmmaker Stanley Nelson Jr., whose documentaries focus on black history in America. He felt the center needed to reach a larger audience, so he helped fund a collaboration with PBS.

“People are attracted to the ways in which the center can intervene in the world,” says Bogues. “What turns the light bulb on in their minds is the public outreach mission.”

Connecting the past to the present

The center fulfills its public outreach mission through several community partnerships—with schools, museums and service organizations. For example, Assistant Professor of American Studies and Ethnic Studies Elena Shih, who leads the CSSJ's human trafficking research cluster, works with a variety of organizations in Providence to help them better understand and respond to the links between trafficking and the child welfare system, immigration policy, and the criminal justice system.

“We are looking at the racial hierarchies of global inequality and how they affect labor exploitation and mobility for certain groups,” says Shih. “When there are so few protections for vulnerable groups, people become targets for this type of exploitation.”

Julianna Brown ’18, a health and human biology concentrator, was drawn to Shih's work by her interest in the effects that anti-trafficking policies have on public health. Julianna is analyzing data that Shih helped collect and using it to develop training materials for volunteers at COYOTE RI—a grassroots service organization, whose Providence chapter was founded by Bella Robinson.

“Authorities use the anti-trafficking narrative to threaten consenting adult sex workers,” says Robinson. “But they're not developing services to help those who want to leave that life.”

“There are many layers to what justice looks like in the United States,” says Brown. “The research we are using is a tool that will lead to tangible solutions. It's amazing to find groups that are willing to involve a student in this kind of work.”

But students, says Shih, are an integral part of moving the work forward. “Anti-trafficking has become a global funding priority. Support for the center enables more students and faculty to study the interconnectedness of these issues.”

Committed individuals can make the difference!
Interested in supporting the work of the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice? Please contact:
Shelley Roth
Regional Development Director
shelley_roth@brown.edu.