>>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
I'M MARISA WOJCIK, MULTIMEDIA
JOURNALIST WITH "HERE AND NOW"
ON PBS WISCONSIN.
TODAY A APRIL 21.
YESTERDAY, AFTER ONLY TEN HOURS
OF DELIBERATION, THE JURY IN THE
TRIAL OF FORMER MINNEAPOLIS
POLICE OFFICER DEREK CHAUVIN WAS
CONVICTED ON ALL COUNTS IN THE
MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD LAST YEAR
ON MAY 25th.
JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT
REACTION AND CONTEXT IS ANGELA
LANG, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
BLACK LEADERS ORGANIZING FOR
COMMUNITIES IN MILWAUKEE, AND,
ANGELA, WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE
OF YOUR PRESENCE TODAY.
I JUST WANTED TO START BY YOU
SENT OUT A TWEET JUST BEFORE THE
VERDICT WAS READ, I'M JUST NOT
READY.
WHAT WERE YOU MENTALLY PREPARING
FOR?
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THE
THREE GUILTY CHARGES?
>> YEAH.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME, AND IT IS IMPORTANT
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CONTEXT
AND TO HAVE THIS REFLECTION IN
THIS MOMENT.
I WASN'T READY BECAUSE HONESTLY
I WAS PREPARING FOR A NOT GUILTY
VERDICT BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN
THERE SO MANY TIMES BEFORE, AND
I REMEMBER GETTING THE
NOTIFICATION THAT FROM TWITTER
THAT SAID THE JURY HAD REACHED A
VERDICT, AND MY HEART DROPPED.
I WAS ON A ZOOM CALL.
I IMMEDIATELY TURNED VIDEO OFF
AND STARTED CRYING.
I FELT A LOT OF ANXIETY IN MY
BODY BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS NOT
GOING OUR WAY.
AS AN ORGANIZATION WE WERE
PREPARING FOR A NOT GUILTY
VERDICT AND PREPARING FOR A
GUILTY VERDICT, BUT I WILL ADMIT
WE SPENT MORE TIME ON THE
NONGUILTY VERDICT THINKING THAT
WAS GOING TO BE THE CASE AS SO
MANY TIMES WE HAVE NOT SEEN THIS
LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE'VE ONLY SEEN A HANDFUL OF OF
OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEEN CHARGED
IN CASES LIKE THIS, AND HUNDREDS HUNDREDS
IF NOT THOUSANDS OF MURDERS LIKE
THIS ALL THE TIME.
THE ODDS GENERALLY ARE NOT IN
OUR FAVOR.
WHEN I SAW THE THREE GUILTY
VERDICTS, I WAS SHOCKED.
I WAS REALLY SURPRISED.
IT FELT -- I LITERALLY FELT THE
TENSION LEAVE MY BODY, AND I
FELT LIKE WE COULD EXHALE JUST
FOR A MOMENT.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT MOMENT DID NOT
LAST LONG AS SHORTLY AFTER THERE
WAS A 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL, MAKIAH
BRYANT, I BELIEVE IN OHIO, SHOT
AND KILLED BY THE POLICE.
FELT LIKE THAT EXHALE WAS SHORT
LIVED, BUT I THINK IT WAS A VERY
STRONG SIGN THIS IS JUST THE
BEGINNING.
THIS IS NOT, OKAY, WE SOLVED
THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, NOW
LET'S GO BACK TO NORMAL.
THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE DONE
RIGHT NOW.
>> I DID WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT
MAKIAH.
IT WAS ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY SHE
WAS SHOT AS THE VERDICT WAS
BEING READ.
FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, IS THIS NOT
REALLY A VICTORIOUS MOMENT?
>> YEAH.
YOU KNOW, AS A TEAM, WE WERE
REFLECTING ABOUT HOW WE FEEL,
AND, YOU KNOW, WE FELT THIS
SENSE OF RELIEF, BUT WE STRUGGLE
TO GO AS FAR AS TO SAY WE'RE
CELEBRATING IT BECAUSE THIS WAS
NOT JUSTICE.
JUSTICE WOULD BE THAT GEORGE
FLOYD WOULD STILL HAVE HIS LIFE
AND BE HERE, AND THAT THIS IS
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SO IT IS ONE
SMALL STEP.
FOR ME, PERSONALLY, IT WAS THAT
GLIMMER OF HOPE THAT I SO
DESPERATELY NEEDED IN THESE
REALLY DARK TIMES RIGHT NOW, AND
I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT
JUST BRINGS UP A LOT OF
COMPLICATED FEELINGS THAT WE
FINALLY SAW ACCOUNTABILITY IN
ONE CASE, BUT HERE WE ARE STILL
THINKING ABOUT DANTE WRIGHT AND
ADAM TOLEDO IN THE LAST WEEK OR
SO.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER
PEOPLE THAT DESERVE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND JUSTICE THAT
WILL NEVER COME TO THEM, AND SO
I THINK IT BRINGS UP A LOT OF
COMPLICATED FEELINGS, AND ALL OF
THEM ARE VALID AND
UNDERSTANDABLE RIGHT NOW.
>> ARE YOU AT ALL CONCERNED THAT
THIS CONVICTION SIGNALS A FALSE
SENSE OF SECURITY FOR PEOPLE
THAT ARE NOT PAYING AS CLOSE
ATTENTION TO THESE OTHER
SHOOTINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO
YOUR COMMUNITY?
>> YOU KNOW, I HOPE IT'S
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE REALLY
START TO EVALUATE HOW INVASIVE
WHITE SUPREMACY IS EVERYWHERE.
I HOPE ALL THE FOLKS HAVE
LEARNED IN THE LAST YEAR,
THERE'S A CRASH COURSE IN
PRIVILEGE, POWER, AND WHITE
SUPREMACY IN THE LAST YEAR OR
SO, AND I HOPE THAT THROUGH
THOSE REFLECTIONS, PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS VERY
INDICATIVE OF A LARGER PRACTICE
AND A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT
WHAT IT MEANS TO FEEL SAFE, AND
WHO PROVIDES THAT SAFETY, AND
WHAT SAFETY IS FOR COMMUNITIES.
SAFETY IS HAVING ACCESS TO
QUALITY HEALTHCARE.
SAFETY IS HAVING ACCESS TO
QUALITY HOUSING AND BASIC
NECESSITIES, AND REALLY THINKING
ABOUT WHAT IS THE WORLD WE WANT
TO CREATE IN ORDER TO FEEL SAFE?
I'M HOPING THIS IS JUST ONE
EXAMPLE, AND THE START OF PEOPLE
JUST AWAKENING IN CONVERSATIONS,
AND, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT THE
BLINDERS ARE KIND OF OFF WITH
SOME FOLKS, HOPEFULLY PEOPLE SEE
HOW THIS MANIFESTS AND HOW WHITE
SUPREMACY MANIFESTS EVERYWHERE
ELSE AND HOW MUCH AN OVERALL IN
THE SYSTEM WE NEED.
>> ALSO, YESTERDAY, WORK WRAPPED
UP ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICE
POLICY REFORM IN WISCONSIN FROM
THE SPEAKER'S TASK FORCE ON
RACIAL DISPARITIES.
AMONG THE SUGGESTIONS WERE BODY
CAMERAS ON EVERY OFFICER, A DUTY
TO REPORT AND INTERVENE, BANNING
CHOKEHOLDS, CREATING A STATEWIDE
USE OF FORCE STANDARD.
DO RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE THESE GO
FAR ENOUGH, IN YOUR MIND?
>> I THINK THOSE ARE JUST THE
STARTS.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT
WE CAN DO IN REALTIME SUCH AS
BANNING CHOKEHOLDS, YOU KNOW,
BANNING NO-KNOCK WARRANTS.
ON A FEDERAL LEVEL, PASSING THE
GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE AND
POLICING ACT.
THERE'S VERY TANGIBLE POLICIES,
BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A COMPLETE
OVERHAUL BECAUSE YOU CAN ENACT
POLICIES, BUT IF YOU HAVE
OFFICERS THAT ARE NOT TRAINED IN
BIAS AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THEIR
REENFORCING WHITE SUPREMACY
EVERY DAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO
SOLVE ANYTHING, AND SO, YOU
KNOW, INSTEAD OF KIND OF
THROWING MONEY AT A PROBLEM BY
SAYING, WELL, WE'LL SOLVE THIS
BY MORE BODY CAMERAS, THAT'S
JUST CAPTURING THE KILLINGS.
THEY ARE NOT STOPPING THEM.
SO, YOU KNOW, BY ADVOCATING FOR
MORE POLICE CAMERAS, THAT'S NOT
ACTUALLY SOLVING THE ISSUE.
IT IS SOLVING THE SYMPTOM.
IT IS PUTTING A BAND-AID ON IT.
IDEALLY, WE SHOULDN'T NEED BODY
CAMERAS TO RECORD POLICE MURDERS
BECAUSE THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY
AT ALL, AND SO I THINK THAT IF
WE WANT TO TAKE IT A STEP
FURTHER, IF PEOPLE ARE SERIOUS
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE WE DIVEST FROM THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE PUT SO MUCH BURDEN ON THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE MAKE THEM BE IN CHARGE OF SO
MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES, INCLUDING
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, AND
OFTENTIMES, THEY ARE MET WITH
LETHAL FORCE.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THEY
SHOULD HAVE TO DO.
THAT IS NOT IN THEIR JOB
DESCRIPTION, AND WHAT'S IT LOOK
LIKE TO INVEST IN MENTAL HEALTH,
TO INVEST IN ALL OF THESE THINGS
THAT ARE AT THE ROOT CAUSES OF
CRIME AND DIVEST FROM THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AS IT'S NO LONGER
SERVING US AS A MEANS TO BE SAFE
IN OUR COMMUNITIES ANYMORE.
>> ALSO, IN THAT REPORT IN THE
APPENDIX, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION
ABOUT QUALIFIED IMMUNITY THAT
THE COMMITTEE COULD NOT COME TO
A CONSENSUS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH
QUALIFIED IMMUNITY, AND THAT IT
IS FEDERAL LAW.
DO BAD POLICIES NEED TO BE
UNRAVELED FROM THE TOP DOWN?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A
COMPLETE AUDIT OF EVERY SINGLE
NOOK AND CRANNY AND EVERY SINGLE
POLICY.
THERE'S, I THINK, A SENSE --
THERE'S AN IDEA THAT POLICY CAN
BE RACE NEUTRAL, AND IT IS NOT.
SO MANY POLICIES ARE SO WOVEN
AND INTERTWINED INTO ALL OF
THESE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT
INTERSECT WITH SO MANY OTHER
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, AND WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
DOING EVERYTHING AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE, INCLUDING ENDING
QUALIFIED OF UNITY.
WHAT WE SAW YESTERDAY DOES NOT
MEAN THERE'S CONSTANTLY GOING TO
BE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SO USING
YESTERDAY AS AN EXAMPLE TO SAY
THINGS ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO
BUSINESS AS USUAL, OH, WE DON'T
NEED TO END QUALIFIED IMMUNITY
BECAUSE THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW,
WORKED FOR ONCE, THERE'S SO MANY
TIMES THE SYSTEM FAILED.
SO JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS
SMALL WIN YESTERDAY, IT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT WE DON'T NEED A
COMPLETE OVERHAUL AND COMPLETE
AUDIT OF EVERY SINGLE POLICY AS
IT COMES TO RACE IN POLICING AND
SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> WHAT SPECIFIC MEANINGFUL
REFORMS ARE YOU CALLING FOR?
>> THERE'S ONE IN PARTICULAR
THAT I THINK IS VERY TIMELY AT
THIS MOMENT.
OUR CURRENT FIRE AND POLICE
COMMISSION, THEY BROUGHT IT UP
ON THURSDAY, AND THEY ARE NOW
TABLING IT AGAIN, BUT THEY ARE
HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT
MAKING AN EXCEPTION TO CHOKEHOLD
BANS, AND WE DON'T FEEL THERE
SHOULD BE ANY EXCEPTIONS.
THERE SHOULD BE NO FLEXIBILITY
BECAUSE IT WOULD BE SUBJECTIVE,
AND IT GIVES PEOPLE THE
FLEXIBILITY TO ALLOW THE
MECHANISMS TO CONTINUE TO HURT
AND MURDER US, IN THESE CASES,
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE
FIRE AND POLICE COMMISSION HAS
DISCUSSED SEVERAL TIMES.
THEY CANNOT REALLY COME TO AN
AGREEMENT.
THEY WANT TO HAVE MORE COMMUNITY
INPUT, AND THEY WANT TO HAVE THE
TABLE FOR THE NEXT MEETING NEXT
MONTH TO HAVE ALL COMMISSIONERS
AVAILABLE.
IT BAFFLES ME WE CONTINUE TO
HAVE THE DEBATE.
IT IS NOT AN OBVIOUS STANCE AT
THIS POINT, BUT THIS IS A VERY
REAL THING THAT WE CAN DECIDE
RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY OF
MILWAUKEE, WHERE DO WE STAND?
DO WE WANT TO HAVE AN EXCEPTION
TO THE RULE THAT HAS BEEN ABUSED
FOR SO LONG OR FINALLY DISRUPT
THIS CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW?
CONTINUING WITH THE FIRE AND
POLICE COMMISSION, CONTINUING TO
LOOK AT CITY BUDGET.
THERE'S NO REASON THAT WE SHOULD
BE SPENDING NEARLY HALF OF OUR
CITY BUDGET TO THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND NOT FUNDING OTHER
CRITICAL NECESSARY ENTITIES THAT
SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES.
CONTINUING TO CHALLENGE AND ASK
FOR THOSE INVESTMENTS SO WE CAN
HAVE THRIVING COMMUNITIES WHERE
THERE'S NOT A NEED FOR POLICE
OFFICERS.
>> WHY IS THERE SUCH A
DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT
COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND
ADVOCATES LIKE YOURSELF ARE
CALLING FOR AND WHAT THE
COMMUNITY ITSELF IS CALLING FOR,
AND WHAT LAWMAKERS AND
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE
WHO ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS
AND PEOPLE IN POWER NOT PUTTING
FORTH AND NOT ENACTING, WHY
CAN'T THERE BE CHANGE BY NOW?
>> I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF
REASONS.
I THINK THE FIRST REASON IS
THINGS LIKE GERRYMANDERING.
I'VE SAID FAR TOO OFTEN THAT
THERE'S SO MANY TIMES THAT THE
WILL OF THE PEOPLE IS IGNORED
BECAUSE OF GERRYMANDERING.
PEOPLE DON'T FEEL -- OUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS DO NOT FEEL THE PUBLIC
PRESSURE TO HAVE TO LISTEN TO
THE CONSTITUENTS IF THEY DON'T
PERSONALLY AGREE WITH IT.
THEY CAN REALLY DO WHATEVER THEY
WANT IN THIS CASE.
AND IN OTHER CASES IN WHICH THE
COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE OF
WISCONSIN WANT THINGS, LIKE
RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE, THAT'S
BEEN PUT TO REFERENDUM BECAUSE
PEOPLE WANTED.
SAME WITH LEGALIZING MARIJUANA,
AND THERE'S TIMES LAWMAKERS ARE
OBSTRUCTIONISTS AND NOT
LISTENING TO THE WILL OF THE
PEOPLE.
THIS IS ANOTHER INSTANCE FOR
THAT.
I THINK ANOTHER THING IS,
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT USED TO
DREAMING ABOUT THIS WORLD.
WE'RE SO CONDITIONED TO THINK
THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A WORLD
WITH BELIEF.
IF WE DON'T, IT'S ANARCHY.
EVERYTHING BREAKS LOOSE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE CRIME.
YEAH.
THEY ARE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS.
WE ARE TRYING TO CREATE A WORLD
THAT'S NEVER EXISTED BEFORE.
BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE ABILITY
TO DREAM AND NOT TO SAY, OH,
WELL, WE HAVE TO DO IT LIKE WE
HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT, AND LET'S
LOOK AT THE BUDGETS FROM LAST
YEAR, AND AMEND THAT, AND IT IS
HARD TO JUST THROW SOMETHING
COMPLETELY OUT AND TO START OVER
IF YOU NEVER HAVE SEEN IT
BEFORE, AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT
IT'S DONE, AND WHAT IT LOOKS
LIKE, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT
WE NEED TO DO TO BUILD TOGETHER,
AND SO, FOR ME, I THINK MAYBE I
JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE
HOPE, BUT I THINK THE BLACK TEAM
HAS A LITTLE MORE HOPE THAN THE
ELECTED OFFICIAL, AND WE DREAM
OF A WORLD WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY
THRIVE, AN WE WANT TO WORK TO DO
SO, AND THAT MEANS OPERATING
OUTSIDE OF REGULAR CONFINEMENTS
THAT WE'RE TYPICALLY USED TO.
>> DOES THE FIGHT FOR REFORM IN
POLICING, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND
THE SYSTEM AT LARGE REQUIRE A
BIGGER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF
HISTORY AND HOW POLICIES AND
SYSTEMS WERE BUILT IN THE FIRST
PLACE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK OF A BIG THING
THAT I TRY TO TALK ABOUT THAT I
THINK REALLY IMPACTS PEOPLE, AND
I THINK IT CAN BE POWERFUL IS
HISTORY OF POLICING IN THIS
COUNTRY.
THE HISTORY OF POLICING REALLY
DATES BACK TO SLAVE CATCHING
DAYS.
THAT WAS THE ROLE OF SHERIFFS
AND POLICE OFFICERS, AND NOW
THAT SYSTEM HAS EVOLVED, AND IF
WE DON'T KNOW OUR HISTORY, WE
DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW PERVASIVE
WHITE SUPREMACY HAS BECOME IN
ALL OF THESE INSTITUTIONS, AND
WE REALLY WILL NOT FULLY
UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT THERE, AND
IF WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND HOW
WE GOT HERE, WE DON'T KNOW HOW
TO FIX IT OR KEEP HISTORY FROM
REPEATING ITSELF, AND SO I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO
UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT OF THIS
SYSTEM AND WHAT IT WAS ROOTED
IN, AND INSTEAD OF DOING A
COMPLETE OVERHAUL, WE JUST
ADJUST THE SLAVE CATCHER SYSTEM
INTO WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT
EVOLVED INTO TODAY, AND MAKING
THESE KIND OF SMALL EDITS AND
UPDATING THIS DOES NOT ROOT OUT
THE FACT OF ALL OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE SEEING
TODAY, AND SO IF WE KNOW OUR
HISTORY, WE KNOW THE ORIGINS,
AND WE REALLY UNDERSTAND NOT
JUST THE HISTORY OF POLICING,
BUT THE HISTORY OF PEOPLE OF
COLOR OF BLACK FOLKS IN THIS
COUNTRY, WE WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY
THERE ARE SO MANY CHALLENGES.
WE WON'T GASLIGHT BLACK AND
BROWN ORGANIZERS WHEN WE SAY WE
ARE HURTING AND EXPERIENCING
RATISM EVERY DAY, PEOPLE WOULD
UNDERSTAND OUR HURT AND PAIN AND
WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO WRITE IT
OFF AS BEING TOO SENSITIVE OR
BEING SNOW FLAKES OR
EXAGGERATING, OH, IT IS NOT THAT
BIG OF A DEAL IF PEOPLE ARE NOT
USED TO THAT, THAT LIVED
EXPERIENCE.
>> WE SPOKE TO YOU ALMOST A YEAR
AGO.
LAST JUNE, SHORTLY AFTER GEORGE
FLOYD'S KILLING, YOU SAID
"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH" FROM TREYVON
MARTIN, DOES YESTERDAY'S QUICKS
TO YOU BRING TRUTH AND CHANGE
ONE STEP CLOSER?
>> IT BRINGS IT ONE STEP CLOSER
IN A WAY THAT I THINK A LOT OF
US NEEDED THIS WIN.
THE TEAM EVEN HAS BEEN
STRUGGLING.
WE ARE ORGANIZERS, BUT WE ARE
ALSO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE
TRYING TO ORGANIZE WHILE ALSO
NAVIGATING OUR OWN GRIEF AND
TRAUMA AND PERSONAL TRAGEDIES,
AND SO THIS WAS A STEP IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION.
THIS WAS SOMETHING I THINK A LOT
OF US ORGANIZERS THAT HAVE BEEN
IN THE FIGHT FOR YEARS
DESPERATELY NEEDED.
WE NEEDED A GLIMMER OF HOPE, A
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
FOR ME, IT IS REJUVENATING JUST
A LITTLE BIT TO KEEP FIGHTING
WHEN TIMES IT IS HARD TO GET OUT
OF BED.
HOPEFULLY, IT PUTS PEOPLE ON
NOTICE AND UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS
IS NOT GOING TO BE OVER.
THIS IS THE FIRST STEP.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY BECAUSE
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, AND THIS WAS
THE START OF IT BEING ENOUGH,
BUT IT CERTAINLY IS NOT THE END.
>> MANY CITIES LIKE MINNEAPOLIS,
ITSELF, PROMISE REFORMS
IMMEDIATELY AFTER FLOYD'S DEATH,
BUT A LOT OF THAT MOMENTUM FOR
GENUINE CHANGE FADED.
DO PEOPLE, LIKE YOURSELF,
ORGANIZERS AND REGULAR PEOPLE IN
THE COMMUNITY, JUST NEED TO KEEP
THEIR FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL?
>> YEAH.
100% WE HAVE TO CONTINUE FULL
STEAM AHEAD, AND IT IS HARD, AND
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT IS HARD
TO MAINTAIN THAT, RIGHT?
THERE'S PEOPLE PROTESTING FOR
ALMOST A YEAR SINCE THE MURDERS
OF BREONNA TAYLOR AND GEORGE
FLOYD, AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE
GETTING WORN DOWN, RIGHT?
IT FEELS THEY ARE TRYING TO LAY
US OUT AND WEAR US DOWN, BUT WE
CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN, AND AS
HARD AS THAT IS, WE HAVE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE HOW THIS GRIEF AND
TRAUMA MANIFESTS IN OURSELVES
AND HOW WE CARRY THAT AND
HOLDING THAT, AND IT IS OKAY TO
TAKE A BREAK TO SAY, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS A LOT RIGHT NOW, I NEED
TO TAKE A STEP BACK.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE
CONTINUING TO PICK UP THE FIGHT,
AND WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE A
BREATHER, TAKE THAT BREATHER,
BECAUSE IT IS A MARATHON AND NOT
A SPRINT.
IT TOOK A LONG TIME OVER THE
COURSE OF HISTORY TO GET TO THIS
MOMENT, AND IT IS GOING TO TAKE
A LONG TIME TO UNRAVEL ALL OF
THESE HARMFUL POLICIES THAT GOT
US HERE, AND THIS WAS THE FIRST
MOMENT WHERE WE CAN'T GIVE UP,
AND I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP OUR
FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL EVEN MORE
NOW.
>> CAN I ASK HOW IS YOUR MENTAL
HEALTH, AND WHAT ADVICE DO YOU
GIVE TO OTHER BLACK AND BROWN
FOLKS, ESPECIALLY YOUTH, THAT
ARE PROCESSING ALL OF THIS?
>> YEAH.
I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS TO
BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF.
I TRY TO BE HONEST WITH THE
TEAM, AND WE TRY TO HAVE HONEST
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR MENTAL
HEALTH, AND I WAS HONEST AT THE
LAST COUPLE WEEKS HAVE BEEN VERY
DARK FOR ME.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF TEARS.
IT'S FEELING SOMETIMES AT A
LOSS.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO I CARRY MY OWN
GRIEF AND MY OWN TRAUMA AND
ORGANIZE AND CARRY THE GRIEF OF
THE TEAM AND TRY TO BE
SUPPORTIVE THERE WHILE ALSO
FEELING LIKE WHAT'S THE POINT
SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW?
YOU WAKE UP AND YOU SEE ANOTHER
VIDEO, AND YOU'RE WONDERING IF
YOU ARE MAKING AN IMPACT THAT
YOU THINK YOU'RE MAKING, AND IT
IS HARD TO WRESTLE WITH THAT ALL
THE TIME, AND SO, FOR ME, WHEN I
SAY "I PERSONALLY DESPERATELY
NEEDED THIS VERDICT" I," I DID.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN AWHILE
I CRIED TEARS OF JOY AND NOT
SADNESS AND NOT WONDERING IF
BLACK IS MAKING AN IMPACT, ARE
WE DOING ENOUGH?
WE ARE ALWAYS SECOND GUESSING
OURSELVES A LOT, AND I THINK THE
ADVICE I HAVE WOULD HAVE IS TO
FIND YOUR PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE
YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY YOUR
PEOPLE.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP.
HAVE A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR
THERAPY.
I THINK THIS IS A REALLY
CHALLENGING TIME, AND WE'RE NOT
MEANT TO SORT OUT ALL OF OUR
FEELINGS ALONE BY OURSELVES.
SOMETIMES IT IS OKAY TO ASK FOR
HELP IN WHATEVER FORM THAT LOOKS
LIKE, INCLUDING THERAPY, AND
TRYING TO PUT IN PLACE OTHER
SELF-CARE PRACTICES AS WELL, AND
FOR FOLKS REMOVED FROM THE
SITUATION AND DON'T HAVE TO FEEL
THESE FEELINGS EVERY DAY, THANK
AN ORGANIZER.
WHENEVER IT IS SAFE TO DO SO
AGAIN, HUG AN ORGANIZER.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE
SEEN AND BE HEARD AND VALIDATED
IN THESE REALLY TOUGH TIMES AS
WELL.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE, ANGELA LANG,
FROM BLACK LEADERS ORGANIZING
FOR COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> FOR MORE FROM "HERE AND NOW"
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