The Fight Against Police Racial Profiling in Japan: A Conversation with Felicity Stone-Richards and Maurice Shelton

You are invited to a conversation with Dr. Felicity Stone-Richards (University of Michigan) and Maurice Shelton, an entrepreneur who has been living in Japan for 11 years. This online event takes place on Thursday, February 26, at 7:00PM (Eastern US) // Friday, February 27, at 9:00AM (Japan). Professor Kimberly Hassel (Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, Duke University) will moderate the discussion. About the speakers: Felicity Stone-Richards is a comparative political theorist of Japanese and Black American political thought and activist organizing. Her research focuses on the political claims and organizing strategies of progressive activists in Japan, as well as the history of Japanese intellectuals incorporating black radical politics into their practice. Dr. Stone-Richards has been the recipient of the Fulbright Research Award and the AAUW Dissertation Fellowship, and she is currently the Postdoctoral Fellow in Japanese studies at the Center for Japanese Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Maurice Shelton is an American performance coach, entrepreneur, and community advocate who has lived in Japan for 11 years. He is the founder and CEO of GetResolve Inc. and Resolve Fitness and Training Center in Kanagawa, where he leads English-friendly, science-based training programs for Japanese and international clients across the Tokyo metropolitan area. A former professional fighter and combat sports coach, he uses "Freedom Through Fitness" as a framework for resilience, leadership, and social connection in an increasingly diverse Japan. Maurice is a central plaintiff in a landmark lawsuit against Japan's National Police Agency and local governments, challenging racial profiling in police practices and documenting more than a decade of repeated stops and interrogations while living and working in Japan. His case has been covered by outlets such as ABC News and Kyodo, and he speaks and writes about how everyday policing, race, and migration interact with Japan's demographic crisis and its need to welcome foreign residents.