McKenzie To Speak on Prisons at East Hillsborough Democratic Club Meetup

The Rev. Charles S. McKenzie will address the privatization of the correctional system at the next meeting of the East Hillsborough County Democratic Club.

“He’s an amazing well-respected person and we are all excited to be hearing from him on this topic,” said club president Angie Angel. "I know I, like everyone else, will be learning from what he has to say."

The meeting is scheduled for July 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Barnacles in Brandon, at 926 Providence Road. The meeting is open to registered Democrats and Independents. Newcomers are asked to bring their voter registration cards.

Activists have described the prison industrial complex as perpetuating a belief that imprisonment is a quick fix to underlying social problems such as homelessness, unemployment, drug addiction, mental illness, and illiteracy.

McKenzie, a long-time civil rights advocate,  is the state coordinator of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a board member of the Florida ACLU, a member of the boards of the Florida ACLU and the Florida Council of Churches and a former vice president of the St. Petersburg NAACP.

Founded in 2005, the East Hillsborough County Democratic Club draws members Brandon, Riverview, Plant City, Mango, Lithia, and points in between.

Craig Latimer, who recently announced he will run for Hillsborough County’s Supervisor of Elections, is slated to be the group’s August speaker.

Group members are reminded to bring along a monthly canned food donation for the Emergency Care and Help Organization ECHO) in Brandon.

For more information about the club, call 813-334-8376 or email Angie Angel at EHCDClub@yahoo.com.