Bowman and Brooke associates Carolina Piñero and Eddie Holiday partnered with the Bridge in Miami to host a Q&A for youth in crisis. The Bridge is an emergency residence in Miami-Dade dedicated to providing housing and resources to at-risk youth. Prior to finding refuge in the Bridge, many of its residents were homeless or runaways.
As the current Pro Bono Committee Co-Chair for the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers, Carolina organized and moderated the Q&A, and Eddie presented alongside his former supervisor at the State Attorney’s Office, Melba Pearson.
Eddie currently sits on the Board of Directors for the League of Prosecutors. He is also the Alumni & Reclamation Chair for the National Association of Black Prosecutor’s South Florida Chapter. Mrs. Pearson was the former Deputy Director for the ACLU of Florida and immediate past-President of the National Association of Black Prosecutors; and is a criminal justice reform advocate who hopes to end racial disparities within the criminal justice system.
Ten teens actively participated in the Q&A and had many questions for Mrs. Pearson and Eddie. Mrs. Pearson and Eddie showed a natural ease and eloquence in breaking down complex issues on the topic of criminal law and how race comes into play. They addressed issues covering the Fourth and Fifth Amendment, prosecutorial discretion, qualified immunity, and racial profiling. Most importantly, they provided practical tips that the teens at the Bridge can implement when interacting with law enforcement to ensure their safety.