Four years ago, my son Kenneth – an Iraq war veteran and father to a 4-year-old son – was shot to death by a police officer in a 7-Eleven parking lot. A judge later ruled that my son posed no threat to anyone – but the officer who killed my son has never been charged and still works for the Albuquerque Police department.
If my son - who is 14 years old, has Autism and is hearing impaired - were African-American I would be worried every time he left the house to walk to school or the library, worried that he'd have a failed encounter with a teacher, school administrator or police officer that would result in him being hurt, psychologically or physically.
Within the criminal justice system, we must continue to challenge individual and institutional racial bias. Already, organizers and advocates are working to transform this system, organizing to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, demand greater transparency and accountability of police departments, or to decrease “shooter bias” in police officers. We need to support this work.
Today, a St. Louis Grand Jury refused to indict Mike Brown's killer — Police Officer Darren Wilson...Now his killer may never be held accountable — unless President Obama and US Attorney General Holder take action.
Last night it was announced that the grand jury decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the murder of Michael Brown...The role of philanthropy as committed partners remains critical, as we all understand the need to build just and vibrant cities, and inclusive democracies.
For immigrant rights organizations, our struggles are connected but distinct. We know of unjust policing and federal deportation programs that have created chaos in all our neighborhoods. But we are not Mike Brown.
St. Louis rapper Tef Poe told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday that he has “come to terms with the fact that in the United States of America it is perfectly legal for police officers to murder people of color.”
Ferguson is on fire. Immediately after St. Louis prosecutor Robert McCulloch announced that a grand jury had failed to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson in the killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, waves of unrest roiled the city.
"We stand with Michael Brown’s family, with Ferguson, and with all communities who are struggling for dignity and justice. Given the failure of local government to secure justice, the Department of Justice must act swiftly to conclude its investigation and convene a federal grand jury..."
For 108 days, we have been in a state of prolonged and protracted grief. In that time, we have found community with one another, bonding together as family around the simple notion that our love for our community compels us to fight for our community...
