July 27: A chance to listen and share

On Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 7:00 pm, in the John Witherspoon Middle School auditorium, 217 Walnut Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540, members of the Princeton community will gather to process their reactions to the deep fissures exposed by the national tragedies of police shootings and sniper attacks.

Mayor of Princeton Liz Lempert, Police Chief Nicholas Sutter, Rabbi Adam Feldman of the Jewish Center, and Rev. Matthew Ristuccia of Stone Hill Church invite the entire community to join them.

The bulk of the evening will be devoted to hearing from a representative of the African-American community as well as a representative of the law enforcement community, giving them the opportunity to share their personal perspectives. In listening to these stories, we as a community will be challenged to examine our own narratives, and to put a human face on the statistics and headlines that have confronted us in recent weeks.

Such a challenge is a vital first step in building bridges and taking positive steps toward real reconciliation and growth in our community and our nation. Everyone is invited for this evening of grieving together as we acknowledge the pain and fear engendered by these events, and as we strive for hope and forward movement as a community.