On Wednesday, August 12 beginning at 11 a.m., Harvard Law School’s Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice will hold an open event on Martha’s Vineyard entitled, “Striking the Right Balance: Addressing Our Individual and Collective Responsibilities to Families and Communities.”

The event will feature two star-studded panel discussions to be moderated by Harvard Law School Professor Charles Ogletree ’78.

Panelists will address questions such as: What is the responsibility of bankers and investors whose quest for short-term gains wiped out the savings of millions of American citizens? What of the mortgage brokers and companies that cynically awarded loans to those who could not afford them?  How do we strike the balance between the government’s responsibility to alleviate suffering and inequality, and the individual’s responsibility to face up to and address his or her own circumstances?

Participants will include:

  • Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter ’78, Harvard Business School
  • Debra Lee ’80, Chairman & CEO of BET
  • Professor Orlando Patterson, Harvard University
  • The Honorable Reggie Walton, U.S. District Court for D.C.
  • Congressman Barney Frank ’77, D-MA
  • Dr. Robert Franklin, President of Morehouse College
  • The Honorable Nancy Gertner, U.S. District Court for MA
  • Reverend Al Sharpton, National Action Network
  • Sonja Sohn, Actress, “The Wire”
  • Joe Watkins, MSNBC Analyst
  • Professor Patricia Williams ’75, Columbia Law School

Beginning at 11 a.m., there will also be a tribute to John Hope Franklin LL.D. ’81, the legendary historian, scholar, and humanitarian. The tribute to his life and legacy will include a look at the many lives he touched, either as mentor, friend or colleague.

Participants Include:

  • Professor Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law School
  • Professor Henry Louis Gates, Harvard University
  • Professor Evelyn Higginbotham, Harvard University

The event will take place at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. No formal RSVP for the event is required, but seating and parking are limited, so please arrive early. For more information, view the Charles Hamilton Houston website.