In an impactful and enlightening town hall at the annual Tools for Transformation Conference hosted by Special Needs Network (SNN) at California State University, Dominguez Hills, thought leaders, advocates, and community members gathered for a Town Hall on Autism, Mental Health, and Policing.
January 6: Oscar Grant was wrongfully shot, 2009
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, is a product of this history as we were founded in 1966 in direct response to the Watts Rebellion of 1965
Last year, I read a book titled “The Color of Law.” Every Californian should read it, too — especially if you truly care about Black lives.
Racism is America’s original sin. Racism that built this nation using the free labor of enslaved Africans. Racism embedded in our original Constitution, claiming that my Black ancestors held only 3/5 of value compared to a white person. Racism that led to racial segregation and discriminatory laws in education, housing and employment. Racism that created a system of law enforcement designed to disproportionately incarcerate Black Americans. For over 400 years, America has used racism to build a wall around Black Americans. This wall has kept Black Americans excluded from opportunities to learn, to work and to vote.
Legislation is first of its kind in the nation
Police killings continue to be a significant problem in California. According to the Department of Justice figures, California police killed 162 people in 2017, and half of them were unarmed. Cities such as Bakersfield, Stockton, Santa Ana, Long Beach, and San Bernardino ranked in the top 15 when it came to nationwide police killings.
Bradford made a pointed remark about the makeup of law enforcement organizations. During public testimony, supporters of the bill shared their support for the bill and their stories, including the uncle of Oscar Grant (who was shot in the back in the San Francisco area).
Michael Bakari Jordan is considered one of Hollywood’s brightest young actors. He garnered critical acclaim for his sterling portrayal of Oscar Grant in Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station, a searing account of a slaying by police officers on a San Francisco train platform.