Free Movie, Music and Public Discussion on Social Justice to Kick Off Black History Month - Refreshments After

WHAT:

Gideon’s Promise and the Cobb County Southern Christian Leadership Conference are presenting a free screening of the award-winning HBO documentary “Gideon’s Army” at the historical Zion Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga. The film follows three young public defenders trained by 2014 MacArthur Genius Jonathan Rapping and his organization, Gideon’s Promise, in their sometimes heart breaking quest for equal justice in indigent defense. To date, the organization has trained more than 300 public defenders, and was recently presented with the 2015 Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award from Emory University for its efforts in raising the standard of representation for the poor in our criminal justice system.

The event will kick-off with complimentary tours of the Old Zion Heritage Museum and a special musical performance by Atlanta-based, national recording artist Shamora. Following the screening, Mr. Rapping; Gideon’s Promise Executive Director Ilham Askia; Patrice Fulcher, associate professor at John Marshall Law School; and Anna Kurien, Gideon’s Promise program graduate and staff attorney at the Atlanta Fulton County Public Defender Office, will discuss the inequalities and disparities that exist within Georgia’s – and the nation’s – criminal justice system, where public defenders see an average of 300 cases annually.

“Poor citizens are fighting in court for a second chance at life every day,” says Rapping, founder and president of Gideon’s Promise. “Our organization works tirelessly to inspire, mobilize and train public defenders, so even the poorest clients know their lawyers are dedicated to ensuring ‘equal justice for all’ is not an empty promise, but a Constitutional right that rings true for everyone regardless of income level.”

WHEN:

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015

Old Zion Heritage Museum tour at 4 p.m.

Doors open at 5 p.m.

Program begins at 5:30 p.m.

Panel discussion on criminal justice system at 7 p.m.

WHERE:

Zion Baptist Church

165 Lemon St.

Marietta, GA 30060