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Origin and Mission
During the summer of 2020, Pace alumni, students, staff, and faculty, in consultation with the Henry family, conceptualized Social Justice Week as a way to honor DJ’s life and acknowledge the connections between his story and racial injustice. DJ Henry had a passion for people and sports. He was a student on Pace’s Pleasantville Campus and a member of the football team. On October 17, 2010, Pace's Homecoming weekend, DJ was shot and killed by a Pleasantville police officer. DJ's family founded the DJ Henry Dream Fund to carry on his legacy and passion for youth sports. To learn more about DJ, visit the DJ Henry Dream Fund, view this video from the DJ Henry Dream Fund, view this video from CBS News, or read this comic strip.
Held to coincide with DJ’s birthday, October 29, Social Justice Week is a community-driven effort that understands that DJ’s story cannot be told accurately without acknowledging how it is connected to the history and present-day reality of white supremacy and racism. The week aims to offer original programming that adheres to values of equity and justice and engages the campus community in learning activities and dialogue centered on the issues of social justice. Social Justice Week seeks to create brave spaces that challenge white supremacy and racism, among other forms of oppression, and to create a starting point from which meaningful dialogue and action can be created for the entire Pace Community.
A calendar of events for Social Justice Week is available annually in early-mid October. All members of the Pace Community are invited to attend. For more information, contact the Social Justice Week Committee at socialjusticeweek@pace.edu.