Seeking Justice in Arizona

Bringing an Arizona perspective to national issues of justice

The Seeking Justice in Arizona Fall Lecture Series, now in its 13th year, brings in experts from our local communities to discuss critical national issues in an Arizona context. Each lecture is followed by a question and answer period and time to interact with the speaker informally. Admission is free and open to the public. 

 "Artivists Seeking Justice"

Chandra Crudup, Ph.D. in Social Work, ASU 2014

Mixed Roots Stories and One Drop of Love 

Chandra Crudup's talk will focus on how she integrates academics, advocacy, and art into her pursuit of justice. 

Monday, September 11, 2017 

3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., West Hall 135, Tempe campus

Chandra Crudup, Ph.D. in Social Work (ASU, 2014), is a Lecturer and Faculty Associate Coordinator in the School of Social Work, and a Faculty Fellow with the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at ASU, where she recently served as Community Engagement Liaison on The Scottsboro Boys partnership between Phoenix Theatre and the Black Theatre Troupe. Chandra is the vice president of the Critical Mixed Race Studies Association, and coordinates their annual conference. She also is a co-founder and director of Mixed Roots Stories, a non-profit organization that supports and advocates for diverse Mixed communities through the power of sharing stories, and the Production Manager and Educational Director for One Drop of Love, a multi-media solo show about history, family, race, class, justice, and love. 

 "Values-Based Leadership & Social Justice" 

Celia Robidoux, Justice Studies, ASU 2012

AmeriCorps-AZ, Youth on the Rise and Opportunity Nation

Celia Robidoux's talk will focus on how values-based leadership has been at the core of her pursuit of justice since she was 12 years old.

Monday, October 16, 2017

3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Social Sciences 211, Tempe campus

Celia Robidoux, B.S. in Justice Studies (ASU, 2012), is Program Manager for the AmeriCorps state program hosted by Arizona Serve at Prescott College. Her public sector career began in 2006, working with Public Allies Arizona, an AmeriCorps program. In 2014, she moved to Tucson to be a Workforce Development Coordinator with Pima Prevention Partnership. This led to Celia’s involvement with Youth on the Rise, the local collaborative that engages opportunity youth, and Opportunity Nation, a national network of advocates who have personal experience with barriers to advancement in the U.S. Celia also serves on Pima County’s first Safety + Justice Community Collaborative, a MacArthur Foundation-funded effort to safely reduce the jail population. 

 "My Dream, Your Vote"

Elizabeth Pérez, Justice Studies and Political Science, ASU 2017

DACA Recipient, Electoral Campaigns, and Community Organizer

Ellie Pérez’s talk will focus on why silence or inaction is not an option for her, and why (voting in) elections matter in the pursuit of justice. 

Monday, November 13, 2017 

3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., West Hall 135, Tempe campus

Elizabeth Pérez, B.S. in Justice Studies (ASU, 2017), was born in Xalapa, Veracruz Mexico. At the age of 4, her family immigrated to the U.S. In 2013, Ellie joined thousands of undocumented young adults who benefited from President Obama's Deferred Action for Early Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). Ellie is a seasoned community organizer, having volunteered for or worked on city council (Kate Gallego), state legislative (Eric Meyer), congressional (Kyrsten Sinema & Ruben Gallego), and presidential campaigns (Hillary Clinton). She was the first DREAMer to work for the City of Phoenix, on Vice Mayor Gallego's staff. After the 2016 election, she returned to Kate Gallego’s staff. A Leading For Change Fellow, Ellie also was recognized as one of 40 under 40 Latino Leaders.