Race has long been an issue centered on peace and justice. Men and women have fought for equality in many areas, and while improvements have been made, there are still challenges to overcome, specifically regarding race.
Dallas Criminal District Attorney, Craig Watkins, the guest speaker at the Robert O. Cooper Peace and Justice Fellowship Lecture, spoke about overcoming race while in his struggle to come into such a powerful position.
In front of approximately 30 people seated in Dallas Hall on Sunday at 7 p.m., Watkins said he had never experienced racism until starting the political process.
“I was sheltered by going to historically black colleges,” said Watkins, a graduate from Prairie View A&M. “I couldn’t understand why individuals would use race against me.”
The first African American District Attorney in the state of Texas, Watkins has been interviewed on several national television shows such as CNN, ABC and NBC and has been published in numerous publications such as D Magazine, The Dallas Morning News and The New York Times.
Since becoming the Dallas DA in 2007, Watkins has developed a more powerful grasp on his position after admitting to not recognizing the magnitude his decisions have on the rest of the country. In the beginning of his career, Watkins said he struggled in doing what the Constitution was telling him to do when people were trying to challenge him because of his skin color.
Now, two years later, everything makes sense.
“The difficulties of working in Dallas has nothing to do with the concept, but rather that the old way of doing things is being challenged,” explain Watkins.
Watkins, 40, has taken two years to understand the civil rights issue surrounding race, and expressed that the country “must open doors for people to make this place better,” in regards to being more open to allowing people of a different skin color into a position of power.
“I was impressed with Craig Watkins’ perceptions on his role as the Dallas District Attorney,” explained junior Derek Jones, a markets and culture major. “He seemed dedicated to his position as a public servant and focused in his mission of correcting social injustices through challenging current systems and beliefs.”
An avid supporter of abolishing the death penalty, Watkins has worked to resolve cases of wrongful conviction through the use of DNA testing and extra reviews of illegally withheld information.
Along with ridding Texas of the death penalty, Watkins hopes to improve the ratio of money spent on schools compared to the daily amount spent on prisoners in Texas.
Watkins explained that only $8 a day goes to children in the Dallas Independent School District. Compare that to the $40 a day going to citizens in the Texas prison system, and Watkins believes there is a huge discrepancy.
Touching on the issue of race, Watkins explained that a black male is more likely to go to jail than attend college, and says it is this very reason that Texas should have a university or college on every major highway instead of a prison.
“Political leaders make us less safe because the prisoners ultimately get out of jail with the same attitude that put them in jail,” said Watkins in regards to the importance of spending money on education instead of prisoners.
Watkins believes that without some form of education, the cycle will continue and these criminals will never change.
“We must continue to keep criminals off the street, advocate issues that relate to a safe and happy existence and challenge others to do what is best for all of us,” said Watkins.
