BINGHAMTON, NY – The Broome-Tioga NAACP is planning a virtual community forum this Thursday to discuss stigma and its impact on communities of color in our area.

The conversation is titled “Looking in the Mirror: Reflections on Racism in Our Community”.

The discussion will include what prejudice looks like, how a person’s background influences their perception of others, and how prejudice is used to isolate and marginalize minority populations.

The event was inspired by a recent experience documented by Carla Murray-Scott’s son.

Murray-Scott says her son and ex-husband encountered residents of a predominantly white local neighborhood and felt unwelcome.

She wants to take that negative experience and turn it into a catalyst for positive change.

“I believe Binghamton is a bad decision far from being in the national spotlight if these incidents continue to occur. So we want to be proactive. The goal is to really work to make our community a welcoming space for everyone, ”said Murray-Scott.

Thursday’s forum will be chaired by NAACP President Nicole Sirju-Johnson and Vice President Lea Webb, both facilitators trained at Binghamton University.

Sirju-Johnson says she’s thrilled to have the opportunity to share personal experiences because everyone has a certain degree of bias.

“It manifests itself in different ways. Sometimes it’s very conscious, we are very intentional about how we communicate this information. And then other times it manifests in a really micro-aggressive way. It should be brought to your attention as to what you are actually doing. And that’s how we learn, ”says Sirju-Johnson.

Murray-Scott says she hopes this leads to an ongoing conversation that builds awareness and advocacy.

And she wants there to be consequences for people who attempt to use law enforcement as a means of intimidation.

The community forum starts at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and registration is limited.

You can register here.