African American

sheshe2

(87,896 posts) Sun Jul 31, 2016, 03:08 PM Jul 2016

One Year After My Sister, Sandra Bland, Died In Custody, Young People Are Giving Me Reason To Hope

Shante Needham
Sister of Sandra Bland

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This past spring, I attended the #Fight4AFuture summit for criminal justice reform and gun violence prevention, hosted by Generation Progress, in Chicago. In convening a racially, socioeconomically, geographically, and culturally diverse group of people (including police officers, movement leaders, and elected officials), there existed a platform for tackling criminal justice and gun violence prevention through a truly holistic lens. These are exactly the types of forums that will bring about change. But change needs to be recognized at the top, too.

Police departments must first acknowledge there is a deeply-rooted cultural problem – a simple admission that would go so far. In holding up that mirror, states, cities, and municipalities must also provide resources—after-school activities, mentorship programs, safe spaces, increased funding for education—to disenfranchised and underprivileged communities.

Empowering the next generation with the necessary tools to take the movement a step further, while ensuring we all move forward together, is critical in creating a more equitable America. And it starts with engaging and listening to young people.

There must also be consistent standards of accountability that do not favor the word of law enforcement over the citizens they are sworn to protect. This includes much more than mere administrative leave. This means that the Justice Department and state attorneys general assume a larger role in clarifying police codes of conduct so that officers, if convicted, face the same punishment any ordinary citizen would. No more culture of impunity.

But still I have hope. I’m hopeful we won’t have to say Black Lives Matter, because it will be implied and earnestly understood. I’m hopeful our government won’t turn a blind eye to systemic failures of justice, and hopeful that police won’t have to fear for their safety when doing their job. I’m hopeful because I’ve seen the invaluable work of the next generation leading the movement.

I just hope others start to listen, too.