Month: September 2023 Page 2 of 14

Prep Note 9/28

On September 27, 2023

There were two specific details that I vividly remember having a visceral reaction to. The first was during the part about the Starving Time, where a man salted his wife and then ate her. And I remember thinking at the time, That’s the detail that’s going to stick with me. The second was after the author started to explore the colonists’ relationship with the native people. The systematic murder of a helpless prisoner and an entire family shocked me. And the primary source was so cavalier about it, so nonchalant. They pushed children into the water and then shot at them until they were dead. I’m not going to forget the specific phrasing of that action anytime soon, if ever. After I finished the first two chapters, I reflected on the details that had stood out to me, and I had to think for a while before I remembered the guy who ate his wife. The queasiness that I felt reading that was nothing compared to the absolute horror I felt reading about the casual murders of several innocent children.

I thought it was so interesting that the author mentioned Richmond being built on contradictions – a heretical religion, and even the idea of “discovering” a land that was already inhabited. Richmond was built to satisfy the dreams of greedy men living across an ocean, but that came at the price of innocent blood – a price the builders were all too happy to pay. There was a complete lack of empathy and emotion that was shocking to me. I can’t help but wonder how in the world English colonists were able to look at other human beings and commit such atrocities towards them without feeling any sort of remorse for their actions.

Prep note 9/28

By Ana Michaelis

On September 27, 2023

In Ana, prep note

Reading the first two chapters of Richmond’s Unhealed History certainly has been eye opening. In Arkansas, on school wifi or devices anything related to Native American’s in ANYWAY is blocked. I have had to learn to educate myself about our history through other routes, but I certainly was not aware of the extent to how gruesome and disgusting colonists were. It is so interesting how colonizers used religion to justify genocide, slavery, killing, etc. I was just reading about how colonizers and South America said they had the right to go to war because it’s what God wants.

It is so interesting how to this day people abuse religion for power, or justify discriminating against others because it is in the bible, or is what God would have wanted…

Even though it is so disturbing, I am excited to keep learning about Richmond’s unhealed history, and learning more accurate depictions of colonization and how this country and city came to be.

Prep Note – 9/28/2023

By Nicholas Javier

On September 27, 2023

In Javier, prep note

The founding story of Virginia actually goes back even further to before Jamestown was established. The story starts a little bit further in Europe with a tale revolving around gaining support to establish a colony, starting with the stories of Roanoke and Jamestown. It has to do with the competition between the countries and other players competing for a slice of the New World, and it also is significantly intertwined with the “native people.” The original inhabitants, their interactions with the foreigners and how they banded together to fight the “invaders.” The book depicts a story that starts even before the story of Richmond actually began, with the interactions of the Powhatan and their allies eventually being pushed out.

Prep Note 9/28/23

By Kristine Nguyen

On September 27, 2023

In kristine, prep note

The founding of Virginia in “Richmond’s Unhealed History” offered a lot more factual information than the education I was given in elementary school. European exploration was so much more horrifying now that I’ve received a lot more background information. Although I knew that religion was a large motivating factor in European exploration, reading the vivid details of how these Europeans used their religion to justify the genocide of Indigenous people really turned my stomach. Furthermore, reading the ugly language they used to call Indigenous people was also sickening because it was the truth without any filters. Even the direct quotes from primary sources brought such rich detail, so much so that I had no trouble imagining that someone actually wrote or said something back then. The maps helped in that aspect too, by allowing me to visualize where these events unfolded. What surprised me the most, however, was the atrocious amount of greed these Europeans possessed. They believed that their religion gave them permission to take over other lands and slaughter the natives in order to have economic gains. When the natives retaliated with violence, they hit back even harder and had the nerve to wonder why they did so. I feel like my prior education about Virginia’s founding was very glossed over, so this gave me a chance to learn about what really happened without any censoring.

Prep Note – 9/28

By Nicholas Gunn

On September 27, 2023

In Nick G, prep note

The story of the founding of Virginia is gruesome and shocking. It’s a story of the British settlers dehumanizing the Native Americans and treating them as savages and not real people. They had no respect for the indigenous tribes and continuously attempted to expand their settlements, disregarding Native American ownership of land. It also shows the shocking atrocities committed against the native tribes and how British settlers mercilessly attacked and murdered them. They had no sense of remorse for their actions, only focusing on the expansion of their settlements and doing whatever was necessary to complete this task. Although it was not all of the settlers who treated the Native Americans in this way, it was enough for the negative actions of the settlers to outweigh any good.

For me personally, I have learned about conflicts between the British settlers and the Native Americans in the past but I did not fully grasp how violent these conflicts were. Some of the stories told in these first chapters did not seem real. I specifically recall the one story of the British settlers executing two Native American children by throwing them overboard into the water and shooting them. They also had other torturous methods such as burning people or chaining them to a tree and leaving them there until they starved to death. It’s shocking to think how anyone could commit such acts.

Prep Note 9/28

By Julia Dalmanieras

On September 27, 2023

In Julia, prep note

The first two chapters of Richmond’s Unhealed History made me realize a lot about the city’s roots, and how that history has prevailed up to now. Despite the positive change the city has made to rebrand, it’s important that we always understand how the city was founded. Which then bears the question: What is the story?

I thought this novel has done a great job of being transparent and informative while simultaneously making this an engaging topic to learn and understand. There are records of Spain and other European countries discovering this “new world,” and descriptions of the people they colonized. In Virginia specifically, however, the main focus is the British and their ways of colonizing the indigenous people of Virginia. Despite efforts to get along, there was too much strife and violence, from both sides, to make any progress. There seemed to be a lot of back-and-forth between Indigenous Chiefs and British Governors, making it impossible to establish a civil relationship between the two groups. Additionally, both groups were unable to survive in large numbers, as it is noted that many died due to starvation and disease. This story has been told many times and is arguably one of the most well-known in American history. In hindsight, it is very sad knowing how this story ends because not that many people needed to die for there to just be some peace. But as we look at Richmond now, whiteness and Christianity prevail, and only street names and regions are remnants of the Indigenous tribes that first established this city.

9/27 Prep Note

By Angelos Charalampos Bouras

On September 27, 2023

In Angelos, prep note

I made a lot of realizations after finishing the first two chapters of Richmond’s unhealed history. It still is prominently, white, Christian, and patriarchic, and that originates from the history of the town. The colonial history cannot be erased and determines to a big extent, the nature of the area. The fact that this land was taken from the indigenous communities and the current white-dominant civilization is built on that land is shocking. Our university, the houses, and the whole town have as foundations the blood of native communities that were genocide and still are not even heard in the modern world. I found it almost offensive in the book how it was mentioned that both colonial powers and indigenous peoples harmed each other and how they were responsible for the death of both sides. That equates the forceful and violent takeover of their home to the only defending mechanism that indigenous peoples had and that is at the minimum disrespectful. Overall painful and uncomfortable continuing to read the book but rewarding!

Prep Note 9/28

By William Sheets

On September 27, 2023

In prep note, Will S

The story of the founding of Virginia is a truly painful one to think about. The story, as detailed by the first two chapters of Benjamin Campbell’s Richmond’s Unhealed History, is fraught with colonial greed, abject racism, and atrocities committed against indigenous people. Although Spanish settlers had explored the area in prior years, the first true settlement in Virginia came by way of a British expedition. And from the start, conflicts with Native Americans began to become a major part of life for the settlers. Peaceful relations between the English and chief Powhatan soon fell apart as the English settlers who founded Jamestown were attacked by the native people. A lack of respect for the rights of the indigenous people doomed the settlers to hostile raids and attacks throughout the early years of the Virginia colony.

The relationship between the English and the Native Americans didn’t improve with the multiple changes of governor that the colony underwent. In fact, it seemed they got even worse, with a horrifically matter-of-fact account by George Percy detailing the atrocities he committed against the Paspahegh tribe under the command of Lord De La Warr being particularly chilling. Of course, not all the settlers or Native Americans held hatred toward the other, but the terrifying actions of those who did overshadow those settlers that tried to treat the indigenous people with respect, and the indigenous people that attempted the same.

As a result of English settlement, Native American numbers dropped from close to twenty thousand to two or three thousand in around fifty years. The English-Powhatan war, and even the relations between the two groups prior, is a brutal example of the horrific treatment of Native Americans by early English settlers and it is the most painful, yet also most important thing to consider when trying to understand the foundation of Virginia.

Notes for Class 9/26/23

By Kaylee Wyrick

On September 26, 2023

In Daily Class Notes, Kaylee

We started our discussion by going around and saying our name and the name of the person whose story (from WOWO) that we are focussing on.

Julie McConnell represents youth and adults who were first arrested as juveniles. Before law school, she did a lot of work with the Virginia ACLU and inmates on death row. She was a public defender and prosecutor, and now she teaches in the law school here at the University of Richmond.

For first-time youth offenders, the case will most likely stay in juvenile court.

2nd offense: If found guilty of a felony it will stay on the child’s record for life. Misdemeanors can be expunged after 5 years of good behavior

Some jurisdictions will charge the children as adults, while some try to keep the case in juvenile court.
If it was a non-violent crime, less likely for incarceration.
Children charged with grand larceny can be allowed out on an ankle monitor but for violent crimes, the ankle monitor is not an option.
For a 16-17-year-old, it is up to the prosecutor whether to try the person as a juvenile or an adult.
There are ways to dismiss charges after a period of supervision if the juvenile is young enough.
The juvenile equivalent of jail is juvenile detention.

The individuals that we will be working with are in the post-sentencing stage. Most are serving 6-month sentences

5 months are served in the center.
1 month is served back at home but with a lot of supervision and stipulations.
Many projects in Richmond. Culture of conflict between projects, and it carries into adulthood.

Brain science plays out a lot in the real world

Science proves that the vast majority of people in the justice system age out of violent tendencies by their mid-30s.
Early intervention is crucial, and it makes a huge difference.

Julie: Meeting our class can help the youth we’ll be working with. Interacting with people who have gone down a different path can create new positive role models and aspirations.

Family Therapy is key to youth rehabilitation

Kids are held accountable.
The parent needs to be held accountable as well.
Many of the children don’t know their father

Show up for the people we’re working with

If you say you’re showing up, show up.
Don’t over-promise.
Accept them, and be mindful that they are intelligent.
Take advantage of the chance to learn from them.
It’s going to take time to build trust and understanding with them.
Be encouraging, and don’t assume that they are bad people just because they are incarcerated.

Policies shift between governors and presidents

Large ideological shifts.
Grants outside of the current ideologies often won’t get funded.
There is a current focus on higher sentencing.
Value in diverting cases away from court, in some circuits this is now banned

Q & A:

Answer to Ana’s Question: Reaching out to the youth’s schools can be extremely beneficial when mixed with therapy because many solutions are right there in front of them. Connecting the youth with low-cost or no-cost extracurriculars can be very rewarding as well. Opening their eyes to options outside of video games or troublemaking is important.
Answer to Will L’s Question: Julie and her students went through Azeem’s case and helped him to be granted a retroactive sentencing and eventually he was paroled. Julie and her clients visit clients, get to know them, and help them with their cases. She works with 10 students who each work on about 2 parole cases a semester.
Answer to Professor Dolson’s Question: Once incarcerated there is no right to legal help, so the work that Julie and her students do is truly amazing. They do the work pro bono, and the going rate for a parole case is about $20,000. There is a racial disparity in the justice system, and pro bono work in Virginia is low.
Answer to Julia’s Question: Students working in Julie’s clinic get a lot of credit, grades, and volunteer hours. But there is no monetary compensation.
Answer to Angelos’ Question: Funding for these programs comes from various Virginia contracts (Department of Juvenile Justice mostly), families sometimes pay, and all clients are on Medicaid.
Answer to Wesley’s Question: Restorative justice helps balance the focus between the victim and the perpetrator. Putting yourself in someone’s shoes gives the opportunity for greater understanding. The system is not very focused on reconciliation, unfortunately. The system should be more victim-centered. This could lead to a decrease in crime. It helps with closure.

Prep Note 09-26-23

By Brice Di Carlo

On September 26, 2023

In Brice, prep note, Uncategorized

Julie Ellen McConnell: What role do your students take in running programs such as the PASS docket program?

Bon Aire Atlantic Video:

In this video, juveniles are viewed as teenagers who need rehabilitation rather than punishment. Although the facility gives juveniles the opportunity to reflect and change their behavior there are many flaws with the facility/program itself. The first being that the building is outdated and for the most part feels just like a prison. Leaders of the JDC are looking to renovate and move the facilities closer the juveniles home town rather than far away. The far distance from home creates another program for juveniles as well as their parents. If centers were closer to home, parents would be able to more frequently participate in workshops and constructing new relationships with their children. Juveniles take a far different perspective than others may assume. They are aware of their harsher environments growing up but believe there are too high of expectations for them to behave when brought up in reckless childhoods. They believe they’re not as well understood but are thankful for the opportunity to have a second chance and connect with their families.

Conversation Article:

I’ve taken on a new perspective on juvenile convictions. It does seem ridiculous to sentence the youth to life in prison when their decision making isn’t fully developed. As the saying goes, “Time heals all wounds.” Through rehabilitation services and a mixture of jail time, juvenilles will have a better chance of behaving in the future. Of course the seriousness of the crime plays a crucial role in jail time because being a 17 year old and having 4 years apart from an adult shouldn’t excuse you from serving justice. For many juvenile cases however, the lack of rehabilitation services is not ideal and should be provided for prisoners despite how long they are sentenced in jail.