The Center for Community Safety (CCS) of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has recruited three new academic professionals to support its efforts to better translate research on social justice problems into more meaningful solutions for communities in North Carolina and across the country.

“We need to provide the types of interventions that get at the root causes of problems if we are to stop the cycle of issues that continue to keep our adolescents from realizing their full potential,” said Alvin Atkinson, director of the CCS.  “Too often, well-intended programs have been implemented without having any reliable proof of what contributions they can make towards the outcomes that are being sought.  As resources are becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain, it is imperative that we begin to rely upon data-drive collaborate research and analysis to ensure that we have the problem-solving actions in place that address the issues we have and the outcomes we desire.

“We are fortunate to have three new professionals joining us who each have a distinguished track record for measurable transformation and reform in both urban and rural neighborhoods across the nation,” Atkinson added.  “This new multicultural team of established clinical and social scientists will lead our collaborative partnership toward achieving the goals of moving from dialogue to action as outlined in our 2012-2015 strategic plan.”

The new team members are:  Dr. Richard Moye, Jr., research director and faculty-in-residence whose research areas include equity and excellence in public education, urban change and social policy, patterns of residential segregation and race relations; Dr. Pedro Hernandez, research and data analytics manager whose research interests include culturally adapted interventions, solution-based child welfare practices, family systems and prisoner reentry services for mothers; and Marcellete Orange, training and engagement manager whose research interests include applied community studies, community development and violence prevention. Read Full article at WSSU