Newark, NJ – A Gubernatorial Town Hall on Racial Justice featuring New Jersey gubernatorial candidates on Saturday, September 16, has achieved 15 co-sponsors. The free program is being held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (doors open at 3:30 p.m.) in Essex County Community College's Smith Hall.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 13, 2017

Kaper-Dale for Governor

www.kaperdaleforgovernor.com

CONTACT:

Richard Moser, 732-331-2969, comms@kaperdaleforgovernor.com

The event is hosted by the College's Africana Institute, with co-hosts the Anti-Racist Alliance of Northern NJ and the Undoing Racism Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair (UUCM). Also co-sponsoring the event are: ACLU- NJ; People's Organization for Progress (POP); NAACP-State of NJ and Newark & Metuchen Chapters; Anti-Racist Alliance of Morris County; Families for Equity; GrassROOTS Community Foundation; Islamic Society of Basking Ridge; NJCU Undoing Racism Committee; Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey; West Orange Human Relations Commission; Women of Color, Essex County N.O.W.; Nelson Mandela Coalition of NJ; Diaspora Pan African Action Committee; West Orange African Heritage Organization; MLK Leadership Program and Scholar Association of Seton Hall University.

While all seven official 2017 candidates for governor have been invited to discuss how they plan to address racial disparities in the state, Seth Kaper-Dale of the Green Party is the only participant whose platform includes setting a minimum wage for prison labor and creating a commission on reparations. Racial disparity in New Jersey prisons is a high-priority issue among anti-racism advocates, as ten times more African Americans than whites are incarcerated in the state.

Members of the audience will have the opportunity to submit questions for the candidates. Dr. Akil Kokayi Khalfani, Director of Essex's Africana Institute, and Dr. Janice Johnson-Dias, President of GrassROOTS Community Foundation, will serve as moderators.

Free parking will be available in Essex County College Lot D, 33-55 West Market Street. If lot is full, street parking is also available.

Additional information is available from Dr. Akil Kokayi Khalfani at 973-877-3219 or khalfani@essex.edu.