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This is live discussion about Senate Bill 71, 

Against SB71: An Attempt to End Affirmative Action with advocates Rosa Velázquez and Ryan D. Davis.

Ryan D. Davis, Little Rock Freedom Fund Co-Founder:

Ryan is dedicated to his family, his work, his church and the community. He's a native of Little Rock where he serves on the boards of various justice and community based organizations, including Arkansas Public Policy Panel, Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Decarcerate Arkansas, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (chair), Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families(vice-chair). He's a Co-Founder of Little Rock Freedom Fund.

Ryan's writings has appeared in Crisis Magazine, Black Books Bulletin, Arkansas Times, Sphinx, Stand News, The Chicago Defender and Black Issues Book Review. He is the co-author of Conversations in Color.

Davis is an advocate for children, who represent the only future we have. He subscribes to the Kikuyu proverb “Work with the clay while it is still wet.” Ryan D. Davis is an ordained elder in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Associate Pastor at Bullock Temple C.M.E. Church.

Rosa Velázquez, Advocate and Community Organizer

Rosa is an advocate and community organizer. she leads impact work in Arkansas and around the country with more than 12 years of community organizing, power building, public policy and philanthropic skillset. Rosa immigrated from México when she was four years old, and has made Arkansas her home.

She is a locally and nationally recognized advocate for immigrant's rights and played a critical role in developing the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program. Locally, Rosa led the work for in-state tuition equity, DACA Nurses, DACA Teachers and professional licenses, now laws in Arkansas.

She is passionate about social justice, education and racial equity. She has a history of uplifting and cultivating undocumented youth, Latinx organizers, and mentoring powerful women of color. Rosa's current project includes directing The Movement Institute, a Black and Brown led community organizing accelerator aimed at building and shifting power in Arkansas and the deep South. Rosa and her rescue Siberian Husky, Whiskey, have made Little Rock their home.

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More about SB71

If passed, this bill would ban the use of affirmative action in Arkansas. It will prohibit state governmental institutions from considering race, sex, sexual orientation or ethnicity, specifically in the areas of public employment, public contracting, and public education. It would gut state and local protections against discrimination. This will have a major impact on enrollment in medical schools and graduate programs for underrepresented groups as well.

Arkansas would become the 9th state to ban affirmative action if this bill is passed into law.

SB71 is an attack on equal opportunity that could end minority scholarships, support for women owned businesses, and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Read the bill here: https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2023R%2FPublic%2FSB71.pdf