by Latasha Morrison
This is where your engagement matters. Many will be tempted to separate themselves and return to their bubbles. This is part of the problem. People only show up when there’s a hashtag or a headline. I’m going to give you a few steps to keep this momentum going — so your outrage over this incident translates into meaningful action.
- Research Stand Your Ground laws. Find out if your state has a hate crime law. For example, Georgia doesn’t have a hate crime law. There are changes in the law that we must make.
- Call 912-554.7200 or write
Jackie Johnson, District Attorney for Glynn County,
701 H Street, Box 301
Brunswick, GA 31520
Officers who made up a lie and fed it to the mom must be fired for breaking their oath. The DA and Sheriff need to be removed. They have been major factors in prolonging injustice. - Educate yourself on the issues by following thought leaders. Read: Color of Compromise (Jemar Tisby), Stamped from the Beginning (Ibram X. Kendi) and my book, Be the Bridge.
- Don’t retreat to your bubbles after the attention on this case has waned. Capture your reactions and outrage in a journal so you don’t forget.
- Pray for People of Color in this country.
- Beware of the common pattern to disparage the victim or family of the victim. It functions to dehumanize and is used to validate or normalize brutality and death. It is another form of control and is crushing to the human spirit.
- Avoid common tropes like “waiting for all the facts to come in.” This is commonly heard whenever there’s a racially charged event in the news that captures all of our attention. The problem with “waiting and seeing” is that it’s a form of control. It’s similar to saying ”Let’s not politicize this,” or “This is not the right time.” This response functions as a means of getting out of a necessary conversation that needs to be happening right now. Most often, the facts aren’t going to come in — they’re already here. Many of us just don’t like what the facts are telling us.
- Get engaged in organizations that educate on racial injustice.
- Support (with your presence and money) trusted organizations that are led by POC.
- Continue to propel your anti-racism learning forward. Join our online BTB group.
—
Thank you for this. To clarify, we call Johnson to express that we feel she should be removed? Or are there two different DAs? Regardless, I’m calling.
Thank for this list!!! Definitely posting it to all my social media platforms AND sending it to some people personally. LET’S GO!!!
Like Stephanie Cochrane above, I’d like to take action but need some direction. Do we know the names of the sheriff and the officers? To whom would we send such a letter if Jackie Johnson is still in charge? I want to get more involved than just a 2.23 run!
The run, which ended up being more than 5 miles, was actually helpful, I believe. I think POCs in my town needed to see a white female running alone, advocating for justice for Ahmaud. I kept running because I kept getting positive reinforcement from people in traffic. I deliberately ran in a high-traffic area with an oversized sign and a Happy Birthday balloon.
So grateful for your help in directing and activating us! Your work, your wisdom and your encouragement make all the difference in this world. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on how we can proactively engage local law enforcement / civic leaders towards preventative measures. While we’re working on broader systemic and cultural changes, how might we also take action at a very practical level to mitigate / prevent future trauma in our own community?