WSLR Sponsors Focus on Florida Conversation Series: Preventing Violence in our Schools and our Community

WSLR-LP 96.5, Sarasota’s community radio station is reaching out to engage the community in a series of conversations on issues facing Florida. Conversations will take place from 6-8pm at the Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center (525 Kumquat Court) on the last Thursday of each month, January - April. The first hour will be a fairly structured conversation between a moderator and several guests knowledgeable in the area being discussed. This hour will be broadcast live on WSLR 96.5 at 6pm.  At 7pm the audience will be invited to share their insights and join the conversation with the featured guests. Topics being addressed in this series include prison reform, preventing violence in our schools and community, election reform and health care.

The first topic to be addressed will be Prison Reform on Thursday, January 24 from 6-8pm. Featured guests will be Shawn Griffith, author of Facing the U. S. Prison Problem 2.3 Million Strong, Robin Rogari, director of inmate programs at the Sarasota County Jail and Rebecca Wilson, a long-time Public Defender who has spent her whole career working with juveniles. Shawn Griffith spent almost 24 years in Florida prisons before his conditional release in 2012 at age 41. While incarcerated he began his long journey to full rehabilitation, gaining his GED and then taking over 40 accredited college correspondence courses with an emphasis on criminal justice, psychology, and marketing. As a teacher in prison, he helped hundreds of inmates gain their GEDs. His book Facing the U.S. Prison Problem 2.3 Million Strong is his attempt to put his vast experience in prison to improve prisons for the benefit of taxpayers, families of inmates, and the staggering 2.3 million inmates incarcerated in over 5,000 correctional jails and institutions dotting the U.S. landscape. Former Public Defender Adam Tebrugge will moderate the conversation.

Dates for the remainder of the series are:

February 28 - Preventing Violence in our Schools and our Community

March 28 - Election Reform  

April 25 - Health Care

The Focus on Florida Conversation Series is free and open to the public. Those that attend are welcome to bring snacks/dinner. Beverages will be available for purchase.