Alex Marshall-Brown is a multifaceted creative who thrives through her artistic abilities. As an actress and stunt woman based in L.A., she has been in various accredited T.V. series such as “Westworld,” “Modern Family,” and “New Girl.” A woman of many talents and trained physique, she submerged in the development of motion capture and action stunts.
Her name has been seen on many rolling credits; on the end of movies, entertainment, and voice-over productions. However, Marshall-Brown says that one day, as she sat on the lawn of St. Paul First Lutheran Church in North Hollywood, a racially charged incident took place on the sacred grounds where her personal identity was not taken into account. According to Marshall-Brown, she was immediately associated with raised alert and viewed as a threat, and was asked to leave the church premises.
Prior to the unraveling moments, Marshall-Brown was already experiencing a new chapter in leaving a very loving nest of roommates to seek a new level of self.
She spoke highly of friends, family, and loved ones who have known and supported her throughout this journey. With the determination of reaching new levels, Marshall-Brown was in the mode of transitioning into travel and self-evolution.
Mapping out ideal placement for a future trip, Marshall-Brown, with laptop in hand, found a shady spot under a tree to search camping sites. Being aware of her surroundings, the church seemed welcoming and had the characteristics of being an open space. Unbeknownst to her, she was being watched from an affiliated school building. The observer was a member of the church; feeling violated and impeded on, they reached out to local protection services.
Security was called to handle “the problem” who quietly sat on their lawn with her laptop. Hired security approached Marshall-Brown on their bikes, advising her that it would be in her best interest to move; referencing a call from the church about her.
From past experiences, the congregation learned that without a sign of violation, city law enforcement would see no reason to engage. In retaliation to her presence, a sign was quickly purchased and rapidly implanted on their grounds. Two men walked toward the young woman and began to drill into a nearby tree with a sign that read, “No Trespassing,” Marshall-Brown says there was no initial exchange of introduction.
As the unidentified men intruded on Marshall-Brown’s personal space, she began to document the exchange of words. A few minutes into the video, the men were conversing among themselves, ignoring her.
Marshall Brown says one of the men had their back turned towards her, as she sat a few feet away. When of the men turned to make eye contact, she broke the silence with “Hello,” and was met with a passive-aggressive “welcome.” Then, one of the men clarified she was not welcome on private property.
As she posted the actions that were playing out before her on Facebook, the video immediately started to gather a large audience around the event. Some friends commented that they recognized the area, that they sat on the same patch of grass without hassle, while some mentioned being in proximity of the church. Urged by a member of her family viewing the comments, friends began to show up to her aid.
According to Marshall-Brown, the man declared, “That’s our property.” In a disheveled disposition, he explained that the church has been having problems with vandalism and other vulgarities that scuddled over from a nearby park. He continued, “You gave people a bad time, so I’m going to take care of it.” The her, the statement contradicted the setting but the two men continued hanging their sign and projecting the threat Marshall-Brown proposed.
Apprehensive throughout the conversation, the man unveiled the invisible principality that grew thicker in the air. He stated, “We have to treat everybody the same, all lives matter.” Marshall-Brown said the threat surfaced within moments of the “all lives matter” phrase, which is emblematic of the current misconception that there is an unseen hierarchy of life, that needs to be challenged.
As she sat outnumbered, Marshall-Brown said an elderly woman entered the scene and began recording her. Grouping her with past incidents, they made it clear that they could not see her as an individual person. A woman spoke with traces of exhaustion by Marshall-Brown’s unwillingness to leave. Marshall-Brown said the woman mentioned that Marshall-Brown had her “own agenda.” Their solution was for her to use the same park identified as the place most of their trouble comes from.
Sitting under the premise of being painted as a threat is a trigger of profound and historical civil movements, which caused the grass root organization Black Lives Matter to show up on Marshall-Brown’s behalf. The following Sunday, they protested their disappointment in the body of this spiritual organization. There are over a hundred teachings within the church’s studied material that calls for mindful behavior, but those members worked out of racial fallacies that live in society.
Since the incident, the men who confronted Marshall-Brown have been removed from their positions. The church has said they are undergoing an internal realignment of principles of their faith based out of love. Marshall-Brown showed up the next day to lead a roundtable discussion of understanding among the rest of the congregation, though, the members involved were absent.
Marshall-Brown was molded early to use tools of diplomacy and humility in order to bring forth common ground among culturally diverse people. She left the pews of St. Paul Lutheran church with these remarks, “I invite you not to think negatively in the event that someone tells you, you expressed racist views. To be told that you are racist is not a condemnation, if anything, think of it as an opportunity for self-assessment and improvement. It means that your racist-presenting and if you do not want to present that way, being cognitive of when you do is step one.” There is hope for a shift in energy that dwells among that place of worship.
