Events in Washington, DC this Tuesday through Thursday With Mothers Who Have Lost Children to Police Violence
Note: The weekly protest at the Department of Justice held at 4:00 each Monday has been cancelled for December 8th because the organizers are supporting the Voices of Grief and Struggle Mothers who are coming to Washington, DC. More about them and their schedule below. The Hands Up DC/CODE PINK Mothers demonstration will take place on December 10th at 5pm.
There will be a protest at the Department of Justice on Monday, November 15th, 2014 at 4:00 pm.
Voices of Grief and Struggle: Mothers Come to Washington DC to Demand Police Accountability.
 |
Hosted by Mothers Against Police Brutality, CODEPINK, National Congress of Black Women and Hands Up DC Coalition, mothers who have lost their children to police brutality will travel to Washington DC from December 9-11 to call for police accountability, policy reform and justice for victims’ families. Press inquiries, contact Alli@codepink.org.
Aimed to coincide with International Human Rights Day (December 10), this delegation will consist of nine women from different parts of the country—from New York to Texas to California.
The group will also pave the way for a larger gathering in Washington DC on Mothers Day.
The women will come to Washington to advocate for changing existing laws that leave families vulnerable to police brutality and accountability loopholes. The changes they’d like to see include effective civilian reviews of police misconduct; transparency in investigations of police officers; a comprehensive, public national-level database of police shootings; and significant reforms to the 1033 program and other federal programs that equip police departments with military gear.
It’s time to end policies and attitudes that have created and encouraged a culture of militant combat officers instead of peace officers. All families deserve to be served and protected by police, and police must obey the law while enforcing the law.
Endorsed by the Center for Constitutional Rights, the National Lawyers Guild, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Popular Resistance, World Beyond War, CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, DC Campaign Against Police Abuse, Defending Dissent, UltraViolet, CREDO and the No Fear Coalition.
Schedule:
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Strategy meeting from 4:00-6:00pm This is not a public meeting, just for organizations working on issues related to police brutality. EmailAlli@codepink.org for location details if you would like to attend as a representative of your organization.
Public forum with the mothers at First Trinity Lutheran Church, 7:30-9pm 309 E Street NW (Judiciary Square Metro)
More information and RSVP on the webpage for the event!
Wednesday, December 10
Congressional briefing from 9:30am-12:30pm: In House Building Rayburn 2226 co-sponsored by Representative Conyers, Ellison, Johnson, Jackson Lee, and Rangel. Seating is limited and press and Congressional staffers will be given preference – thank you for understanding!
Stop Police Officers From Killing Our Children, by Jeralynn Blueford
Stop Giving Police a Green Light to Kill Our Children, by Collette Flanagan
Delegate Biographies
VALERIE BELL is the mother of Sean Bell, a 23-year-old unarmed man killed on his wedding day, November 25, 2006, in a barrage of 50 shots fired into his car by New York plainclothes police officers. The officers thought his friend had a gun. The detectives involved in the shooting were eventually acquitted. Valerie Bell is the founder of Mothers of Never Again (MONA), and after 8 years she has finally recorded her thoughts in a book coming out in 2015 called Just 23 (Thoughts from a mother in spoken word by Kisha Walker).
JERALYNN BLUEFORD from Oakland, California started the Justice4AlanBlueford Coalition on May 6, 2012 after her 18 year-old son Alan Blueford was shot and killed by a police officer in East Oakland. From there The Alan Blueford Center 4 Justice was established in Oakland, California, as a place to help heal the community. They offer our resources to help restore the community as they struggle against police brutality. She also organized Helping Heart 2 Heal, a conference to inspire, empower, and restore healing for mothers that are suffering with the pain of losing their children and loved ones.
DARLENE CAIN is a mother from from Baltimore, Maryland. On October 28, 2008, her 29-year-old son Dale Graham was killed by a Baltimore City police officer. Since then she has been dedicated to lifting the voices of those who have had a family member killed by the police but were never given true justice and closure. She is is President and founder of MOTHERS ON THE MOVE.
DANETTE CHAVIS from New York, New York, lost her 19-year-old son in October 2004. After being shot in a gunfire exchange (not with police), Gregory Chavis died just a block from Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx when police prevented him from receiving any medical treatment. Chavis has been active at demonstrations and is the head of National Action Against Police Brutality. She has launched a petition, now with over 18,430 signatures, that demands national action against police brutality and murder, for all families that have been brutalized and lost loved ones at the hands of the police.
COLLETTE FLANAGAN from Dallas, Texas, lost her only son when he was 25 years old on March 10, 2013. Clinton Allen was unarmed and shot 7 times by a Dallas policeman (once in the back), who has since been on administrative leave from the police force, without a gun or badge. Flanagan is founder of Mothers Against Police Brutality, which lobbies for change in police enforcement practices and accountability measures.
MARCELLA HOLLOMAN’s son Maurice Donald Johnson was murdered by Baltimore police on May 19, 2012. She called an ambulance when her mentally ill son began to exhibit erratic behavior at a children’s gathering. Since Johnson’s episodic illness was registered in the police data base, Holloman expected they would take him to the hospital for treatment. Instead of waiting for an ambulance, the two responding officers entered Holloman’s home where Johnson was sequestered and shot him three times. Since then, his mother has been active and outspoken against police brutality.
WANDA JOHNSON’s son Oscar Grant was shot in the back and killed by transit Police Officer Johannes Mehserle at a train station in Oakland, California on January 1, 2009. Initially charged with second-degree murder, Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Since the death of her son, Johnson has been active on the Board of Directors of the Oscar Grant Foundation, a resource for at-risk youth of all races who wish to turn their lives around in a positive way. A gospel minister and nation speaker, Johnson has made guest appearances on nationally syndicated television programs, universities and public forums to bring attention to injustices in law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
CONSTANCE MALCOLM is the mother of Ramarley Graham, who was 18 years old in 2012 when a New York police officer shot and killed him in his own home. Graham was suspected of carrying a gun in public, but no gun was found on him, in the bathroom he was shot in, or anywhere else in the house. Graham’s 6-year-old brother and his grandmother witnessed the shooting. Constance Malcolm has since been a vocal advocate against police brutality and has been seeking justice for her son.
TRESSA SHERROD is the mother of John Crawford III, a 22 year old who was shot and killed on August 5, 2014 by police in a Walmart in Ohio. A caller phoned police, accusing Crawford of brandishing a gun, when it was really an unloaded BB air rifle on a shelf, an item that is sold in the store. Surveillance footage shows major discrepancies between a 911 caller’s account and what really happened. An Ohio grand jury decided not to indict the officer who was responsible for Crawford’s death, and since then his mother has been pursuing justice.
WHEN: December 10, 2014 at 12am – December 11, 2014
CONTACT: Alli McCracken, Alli@codepink.org