racial equity

The project model for Operation Conversation: Cops and Kids (C&K) was first initiated as a ‘grassroots experiment’ by All Stars Project, Inc. (ASP) co-founder Lenora B. Fulani, PhD, a developmental psychologist and longtime community organizer. In the wake of the 2006 Bronx police shooting of an African American young man, Sean Bell, the project seeks to create healing in the relationship between police officers and young people of color from New York’s poor communities – a relationship all too often filled with mutual distrust, animosity and stereotypical attitudes.

Uniting ASP’s performance-based approach and 29-year track record in the field of inner city youth development, and with the expertise of John Jay College of Criminal Justice as a national leader in criminal justice and policing – cops and kids play theatre games and create improvisational performances together, creating an environment for having honest (and difficult) dialogues. Given the positive response from young people and the law enforcement community, C&K seeks to grown the program significantly, including a five-part lecture series about the model by Dr. Fulani, public performances in select New York City venues, and a research project on the impact and efficacy - providing racial healing through new possibilities for a changed relationship and activities.