Name: Dr. Randy Nelson
Game Honored: Orlando Magic vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (1/2/21)
Background: The last several months have obviously been very difficult on the nation. Incidents of racial injustice and police brutality have caused many to ask what it will take to change the narrative.
One individual destined to make a positive impact on this problem is Dr. Nelson, the program director for the Bethune-Cookman University Criminal Justice Administration Graduate Program and Center for Law & Social Justice. It’s been his mission for as long as he can remember to improve the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve, and he’s optimistic that by us all working collectively and diligently we can improve conditions.
Nelson’s academic and professional career has focused on developing and evaluating delinquency prevention methodologies designed to address the problems negatively impacting disadvantaged communities, which is undoubtedly helping more people from all walks of life gain the necessary knowledge and awareness to better handle those critical issues.
He was born and raised in rural Wakulla County, Florida and played collegiate basketball at Florida A&M University and Eckerd College. His efforts over the years have steered many people down greener pastures, which is what inspires him to continue doing the work he does.
“I can’t describe the feeling that it feels to have (assisted) folks that have gone through (struggles) and could have taken a different path or may have taken a different path and then corrected themselves,” said Nelson, who has a B.A. degree in Sociology from Eckerd College, a M.A. degree in Criminology from the University of South Florida, and a Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Florida State University. “It’s a testament of not only the perseverance but also sometimes the only thing that people need, whether young or old, is just a light, a light that they can see at the end of the tunnel, something to work towards because the darkness and the disparities and other issues that afflict many poor, disadvantaged communities it’s almost like it’s an exception as opposed to the rule of them making it out and thriving and enjoying the things that everyone would want in life for themselves and their family.”
The founder of the Situational Environmental Circumstances (SEC) Mentoring Model, which was designed to meet the unique educational, social, emotional needs of high-risk Black males, Nelson works hand in hand with non-profit faith and community-based social service organizations to help people overcome their challenges and provide the assistance they need to reach their full potential.
Making an Impact: Recent events, including the George Floyd tragedy last May in Minneapolis, has opened up many crucial conversations. One of them is about law enforcement, and what can be done to avoid disturbing outcomes.
Nelson has been talking with many other community leaders across Florida and examining methods that could transform the way police interact with residents in their districts.
“It’s a critical look at law enforcement and their role, their responsibility, accountability and the likes. Forcing them to do some self-reflection,” he said. “What the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (tragedies) did is it brought a national television (audience) that some white folks were able to see what many African Americans and other people of color have said about (law enforcement). There are some good police officers (and) there are also some bad ones, and no matter how few, the damage that they have done and in some cases continue to do erode the trust that particular communities of color have.”
That historical fear and skepticism some communities have about law enforcement’s intentions and agendas will only change, Nelson says, if we aren’t afraid to communicate and work jointly on solutions.
“You can’t serve our people unless you know them,” he said. “The (police) academy has to do a better job of providing officers with the skillset, bringing the community to them so that they know how to engage.”
Working with the Magic: Nelson is incredibly proud of what the Orlando Magic, coach Steve Clifford and the team’s players have done and continue to do to increase the dialogue on these issues. It’s extremely important for athletes and those with high notoriety to bring attention to the problem so that it doesn’t get buried in the news cycle like it has in the past.
Nelson and Clifford are working with other community spearheads on a couple projects that sound very promising. One of them is a program that will help shape youth into future community leaders.
“His level of compassion and wanting to help is needed and necessary,” Nelson said of Clifford. “It reminds me of King (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.). King said that he wasn’t as concerned about the outright bigotry of folks, but it was the silence of good folks. Coach Clifford is someone that refuses to be silent.”
In late February, Nelson will be participating in a virtual town hall hosted by the Magic in which he and several other community trailblazers will discuss policy reform, criminal justice reform, and how corporations can make a positive impact when it comes to social justice.
About the Program: As part of the Magic and Clifford’s continuing efforts toward social justice reform, he created the Social Justice Game Changer program to honor one local leader who has made a difference in the realm of social justice issues. A cause close to his heart, Clifford is extremely active in programs that support equality and justice for all people in the Central Florida community.
Through this program, Clifford looks to put the spotlight on those continuously doing the hard work, day in and day out, fighting for sustainable change. As part of his program, one person is selected and honored each game. The honorees are given tickets, provided by Clifford, to the game and featured in-arena on the Magic Vision screen at center court.
“The purpose is to honor and to celebrate so many of the people in the Orlando community who are fighting for change and who commit their lives to making Orlando a better place,” Clifford said. “It’s just a way to celebrate them, what they stand for, and what they do for our community.”