A movement fueled by grief, anger, and an unyielding demand for justice is growing across the country. Loved ones of people killed by police are turning their pain into power, becoming prominent voices in the fight against systemic injustice and advocating for sweeping reforms in law enforcement practices.
For many, the journey begins with an unimaginable loss. Mothers, fathers, siblings, and friends are thrust into the spotlight, often against their will, to speak for those who no longer can. Their stories, raw and heartbreaking, capture the nation’s attention and galvanize communities.
One such story is that of Eric Garner Jr. who was 18 when his father Eric Garner, Sr., who had asthma, was placed in a chokehold by a New York City police officer and died a decade ago on July 17. Transformed by his loss, the younger Garner has since dedicated his life to advocating for police accountability and reform.
Photo: MGN Online
He continues to fight and push forward, to put smiles on people’s faces to “show them that just because one tragedy happens, that doesn’t mean your whole life has to be a tragedy,” he stated. The Eric Garner Foundation in his father’s name is his way of giving back to the community and connecting with the youth.
“Them seeing me out there inspires them to either help the community or help me build what I’m building now,” Mr. Garner Jr. told The Final Call. His effort to turn his pain into power began with his older sister, Erica, he shared. The 27 year old who became an activist for police reform following her father’s death suffered cardiac arrest, fell into a coma, and died in December 2017.
“She was just like a warrior, fighting for justice for my father, and it just trickled down to my siblings and we just follow in her path and try to continue the same fight that she fought,” he stated. His father’s death impacted him greatly on several levels. One, because they were together when Mr. Garner, Jr. signed scholarship papers to study business and sports management in college, he said.
“I did two years, and it became too much, so I just got my two-year associate’s and just continued on,” continued Mr. Garner Jr. “Stay with your support system. Lean on them a lot because they’re going to support you no matter what. It’s going to be hard, but brighter days are going to come,” he said to others who may be in pain over similar ordeals.
The struggle for justice often brings together a diverse coalition of supporters, from grassroots activists to legal experts. Organizations and campaigns, like the Love Not Blood Campaign and Families United for Justice, offer a platform for those affected to share their stories, provide mutual support, and organize collective actions. Brother Cephus X (Uncle Bobby) Johnson and his wife, Sister Beatrice X, co-founded the campaign and group. Their work was birthed from the pain of losing their nephew Oscar Grant, whose life was portrayed in the riveting film, “Fruitvale Station.” Oscar, 22, was shot and killed January 1, 2009 by a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) police officer in Oakland, California. Brother Cephus is the brother of Oscar’s mother, Wanda Johnson.
From July 13-14, the husband-and-wife team, who attend Muhammad Mosque No. 26B in Oakland, honored suffering families, communities and celebrated children of the movement and others during an awards gala commemorating their 15 years of activism, during the Love Not Blood Campaign 10+5 Celebration and Fundraising Gala at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle in Oakland.
The five represents the number of years of supporting families through the Oscar Grant Foundation. The 10 symbolizes 10 years of the Love Not Blood Campaign, and 10 years of the Families United for Justice Campaign launched out of Love Not Blood, explained Sister Beatrice X.
Themed “The Blue Print: The Genesis of Action,” the gathering acknowledged the pain, struggle and sacrifice of children of loved ones who have been killed.
Keilani Childress, the youngest daughter of Keith Childress Jr.’s three children, was accompanied by her grandmother, Jacqueline Lawrence, when she accepted her award. Las Vegas police officers shot and killed Mr. Childress, who was reportedly wanted on several charges, on December 31, 2015. He was holding a cell phone that authorities allegedly thought was a gun. He was shot multiple times, and his death was ruled a homicide.
“We didn’t get the justice,” said Ms. Lawrence about their (officers) trial outcome and plans to appeal. “They only found the police officers 15 percent accountable for my son’s murder, so we are definitely going to fight that. … My son was murdered for walking Black while holding a cell phone. They stated that he actually had a gun in his hand,” she stated. She spends her time advocating for families and fighting for police reform.
Pastor Michael McBride and Student Minister Abdul Sabur Muhammad opened the July 14 event with prayers. The day before, Student Minister Muhammad and believers welcomed the families to Mosque No. 26B. He thanked Allah (God) for Brother Cephus and Sister Beatrice facilitating their visit.
“Those who traveled from near and far because of the unfortunate loss of loved ones generally at the hands of law enforcement, you are certainly near and dear to our hearts, because the Honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches us that no one of us can rise above the condition of our people,” stated Student Min. Muhammad.
For Earl Lewis, the pain of losing his 18-year-old cousin William Chapman comes and goes. “The frequency of gun violence is like every day. The thing is networking with people like Uncle Bobby has truly (made) a difference,” he told The Final Call.
Mr. Chapman was shot in the head in 2015 by Portsmouth, Virginia, police officer Stephen Rankin over alleged shoplifting. “We went to court, got an indictment, and a conviction of two and a half years so the police officer went to jail. We got a settlement of $1 million. But once he got out of jail, he appealed the case. We fought the case up to the Virginia Supreme Court and we won!” Rankin was found guilty of manslaughter.
According to Mr. Lewis, the solution is clear. “He (the officer) killed somebody in 2011 also, and he got away with it. … Once they kill somebody, decertify them. Three years later, he killed my cousin, but if they would have gotten him decertified from the beginning, he wouldn’t have had a chance,” Mr. Lewis argued.
Years before he shot and killed William Chapman, Off. Rankin fatally shot Kirill Denyakin, an unarmed hotel cook, but a grand jury declined to bring charges against him, reported The Guardian.
“The hurt will never go away but continue to network. … They (Brother Cephus and Sister Beatrice) have changed my life and made me a better person,” Mr. Lewis added.
The July 14 gathering included a videotaped message by California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Webber, also an awardee. She acknowledged Love Not Blood Campaign’s importance across the state and the nation.
“The fact that you are advocating for something so powerful called love and working against the shedding of blood of innocent African American men and women is extremely important,” she stated. A former Assemblywoman out of San Diego, Dr. Webber worked with Love Not Blood Campaign on AB 392, which passed the state legislature in July 2019. The legislation states that police should use deadly force only when necessary; and so it requires officers to use other techniques to address threats instead of using deadly force when safe to do so and encourages law enforcement to train on and use de-escalation techniques like verbal persuasion and other crisis intervention methods.
“To give me the Vanguard Award is really unbelievable and something I never thought that I would receive, because I don’t consider what I did an individual act. I consider it a community act, and so I take this award with some recognition that I had an army of good people working with me, an army focused on doing what is right and just,” said Dr. Webber.
Sister Beatrice explained the importance of keeping the memories of victims to the forefront and acknowledging the advocacy of their loved ones. It was important to honor the memory of Eric Garner, Sr. “because his mother (Gwen Carr) has been working so hard to keep her son’s legacy alive,” she explained. “We’ve been to his mother’s events and the grandsons are right there with her,” said Sister Beatrice.
The family of Emmett Till was at their first Families United for Justice conference 10 years ago, and their bond exists through today, according to Sister Beatrice.
“Ten years later, Allah (God) has seen it fit for all of us to still be here. I cannot explain how it feels when I see them. … And we’re still together. We’re still united. It’s that united force that changes things,” she stated.
There’ve been a lot of cases I’ve been involved with through the years, some very big, bigger than this (Oscar Grant) case perhaps, but this case was the starting point of a movement,” stated Attorney John Burris, who represents the family of Oscar Grant.
The Grant family organized, which made the case bigger than the individual, he stated. “It made a huge, huge difference. I’m pleased to have been there at the beginning of it and helped to get it started. It was a vision that they had which was very important. Even though they were in pain, hurt by what happened, they saw an opportunity to move this just beyond themselves,” Atty. Burris told The Final Call.
Their plans for the next 10 years and beyond include continuing to build the network of families and create sustainability within their organizations, as well as develop an emergency family response team, added Brother Cephus X.
Efforts of turning tragedy to activism also play a crucial role in educating the public and policymakers about the systemic issues underpinning police violence. By hosting town halls, family conferences, and engaging in legislative advocacy, they amplify the voices of those most impacted and push for meaningful change. The advocacy efforts of families affected by police violence have led to some significant legislative victories.
The family of Oscar Grant III have worked hard to aid others suffering similar tragedies.
“Words wouldn’t be able to tell you how I feel, so I’m just gonna tell y’all, thank y’all for what y’all did for my family,” said Oscar Grant, Jr., the father of Oscar Grant III.
“I’ve got a job that I’m doing right now. I work with the kids out there in San Francisco, out here in Oakland. … It takes the ’hood to save the ’hood,” he said after accepting his award.
The biggest challenge is the reality of injustice, White supremacy and racism every day, explained Sister Beatrice X. “You have to continue to fight. It’s the reality that they’re killing and they are not being held accountable,” she told The Final Call. “But what can you do? You can’t stop. We can’t lay down. We’ve got to continue to fight,” she added.
For Brother Cephus X, the biggest challenge has been witnessing the continued assault on Black people by police. The current system is forever pushing back on what justice should look like, he explained. “That’s the biggest pain. Even though we’ve made gains, we’re still witnessing this atrocity,” he stated.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has consistently taught that true justice comes from the God of Justice and that it is up to Black people to work with one another to make our communities safe and decent places to live. The Minister, like his teacher, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, also warned that separation from our open enemy is the best and only solution for both Blacks and Whites.
“The biggest triumph in our working with families is that we have created, I believe, inspiration within families that have now joined this battlefield. So, it’s not just us fighting the fight. A network of families around this country have risen up and went to the streets, to their legislators, to advocate for real systemic change in a way that I think has really propelled the movement but (I) witnessed also a push back against the network of families that are doing it,” he added.
For Sister Beatrice, triumph is being bonded by blood, united in love. “Love is what keeps us together, united to fight. Families United for Justice and the love that families experience when they’re with one another, to strengthen, encourage one another, and to fight together. As we know, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad has said, our unity is more powerful than an atomic bomb, and we have seen that,” she added.
