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Standing Together to Stop the Violence

07/11/2016 Nativegrl77

Vice President Biden: “This violence has to stop”

This has been a trying week for America.

As Americans, we are all wounded by the targeting of the police force in Dallas and the deaths in St. Paul and Baton Rouge.

Now, I know a lot of you might ask, “What can I do?”

You can do a lot—right now, this weekend.

This weekend, it is on each of us to be a visible force in our communities for non-violence. Join together online, in your neighborhood, in your houses of worship, around your kitchen table. For all of you community leaders, use your platforms to heal and unite. Talk and listen, see and hear each other during this moment for our country that requires profound introspection and dialogue. To find helpful resources in your community, visit the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service atwww.justice.gov/CRS.

For if not you, then whom? If not now, then when?

In the days and weeks ahead, we’ll continue offering our thoughts and prayers to provide comfort to the broken-hearted families. But they will only be redeemed by the courage of our actions that honor their memories.

I believe the Dallas Police Department is one of the finest in the nation—and this incredibly diverse city can bridge any divide. To paraphrase Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, let us use our words carefully. Let us act with unity, not division. As Dallas Police Chief David Brown—one of the leading chiefs in America—said, “there are no words to describe the atrocity that occurred to our city, all I know is that this must stop, this divisiveness between our police and our citizens.”

This violence has to stop. It is not normal. And it is not who we are.

So while we’re being tested, we can’t be pulled apart.

We are America, with bonds that hold us together.

We endure, we overcome, we stand together.

—
Joe Biden
Vice President of the United States

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Deadline extended by one week | The Guardian Public Service Awards 2016

07/11/2016 Nativegrl77

Deadline extended to 15 July

Take advantage of our deadline extension to give your entry the best chance of success. You now have one extra week until entries close on 15 July. If you or your colleagues have considered entering, this could be your opportunity to get recognition for your work.

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Edison R. Wato, Jr., Membership Program Manager …Grand Opening Information

07/11/2016 Nativegrl77

GRAND OPENING SCHEDULE

Dear Friend,

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has launched a new website, www.nmaahc.si.edu, and we want to share this good news with our dedicated supporters. And, the new website now lists preliminary information about our September 24th Grand Opening.

Beginning Friday, September 23, 2016, on the Washington Monument grounds, the NMAAHC presents Freedom Sounds: A Community Celebration. Conceived and presented in festival fashion, Freedom Sounds programming will include musical performances, spoken word, oral history activities and evening concerts.

The times for the festival are below:

Friday, September 23, 2016, 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Saturday, September 24, 2016, 12:00pm – 9:00pm
Sunday, September 25, 2016, 12:00pm – 9:00pm

On Saturday, September 24, 2016, the public witnesses the outdoor Dedication Ceremony of the NMAAHC. In the afternoon, the museum officially opens to the public. Tickets are not required for the public to view the outdoor Dedication Ceremony. Extensive large-screen viewing areas will be well-positioned for crowds during the Dedication Ceremony on the Washington Monument grounds.

The times for the dedication are below:

8:00am Gathering and Musical Prelude
10:00am Dedication Ceremony Begins
1:00pm Museum Opens to the Public

The Museum officially opens to the public immediately following the Dedication Ceremony on Saturday, September 24, 2016. The museum keeps its doors open for extended hours Sunday, September 25, from 10am to 10pm.

For more information about the Grand Opening, please visit the Grand Opening Frequently Asked Questions on our website.

Thank you,
edison signature
Edison R. Wato, Jr.
Membership Program Manager
P.S. Information may be subject to change and new information will be added as the Grand Opening approaches. Please check the website for any updates.

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Fatal Shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile

07/09/2016 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

Summary:

Today, President Obama posted a message on Facebook on the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.

Update: This evening, President Obama delivered a statement on the fatal shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota. Watch below:

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/LL3tRgsqMmw?version=3

Today, President Obama posted the following message on Facebook:

“All Americans should be deeply troubled by the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. We’ve seen such tragedies far too many times, and our hearts go out to the families and communities who’ve suffered such a painful loss.

“Although I am constrained in commenting on the particular facts of these cases, I am encouraged that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation in Baton Rouge, and I have full confidence in their professionalism and their ability to conduct a thoughtful, thorough, and fair inquiry.

“But regardless of the outcome of such investigations, what’s clear is that these fatal shootings are not isolated incidents. They are symptomatic of the broader challenges within our criminal justice system, the racial disparities that appear across the system year after year, and the resulting lack of trust that exists between law enforcement and too many of the communities they serve.

“To admit we’ve got a serious problem in no way contradicts our respect and appreciation for the vast majority of police officers who put their lives on the line to protect us every single day. It is to say that, as a nation, we can and must do better to institute the best practices that reduce the appearance or reality of racial bias in law enforcement.

“That’s why, two years ago, I set up a Task Force on 21st Century Policing that convened police officers, community leaders, and activists. Together, they came up with detailed recommendations on how to improve community policing. So even as officials continue to look into this week’s tragic shootings, we also need communities to address the underlying fissures that lead to these incidents, and to implement those ideas that can make a difference. That’s how we’ll keep our communities safe. And that’s how we can start restoring confidence that all people in this great nation are equal before the law.

“In the meantime, all Americans should recognize the anger, frustration, and grief that so many Americans are feeling — feelings that are being expressed in peaceful protests and vigils. Michelle and I share those feelings. Rather than fall into a predictable pattern of division and political posturing, let’s reflect on what we can do better. Let’s come together as a nation, and keep faith with one another, in order to ensure a future where all of our children know that their lives matter.”

Read the message on the President’s Facebook page.

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Turn out for Mike Brown. Eric Garner. Tanesha Anderson– reminder

07/09/2016 Nativegrl77

I believe in a future with no discriminatory police violence. A future where 12-year-old Black children can play safely in the park without being shot by law enforcement; A future where “Am I next?” doesn’t haunt the minds of millions of Black youth and adults every day; A future where the justice system holds police who kill and harm Black communities fully and swiftly accountable.

But we’ll have to work hard for this distant future. Tomorrow, thousands of people across the country will take part in a national day of resistance, demanding justice for Mike Brown, Eric Garner, and all those targeted by the systemic crisis of anti-Black policing. Our national leaders are paying more attention to police brutality than they have in years and its the power of our collective voices and civil unrest has gotten us here — and we must continue.

Join an action tomorrow to help increase pressure on President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to hold Darren Wilson, Officer Pantaleo and other officers who have killed and brutalized Black youth and adults fully accountable. We need a powerful show of people to match the crisis of our time. Find an event in your area using the links below and click on the posters to download a printable version.

FergusonAction.com

Ferguson National Response Network

And if you can’t make it in person, please help strengthen the growing movement by sharing the Justice For Mike Brown and Justice for Eric Garner campaigns with your friends and family.

Although the vast majority of protests are peaceful, there is a real risk of police violence or arrest. In response to the growing movement for police accountability, law enforcement have militarized their tactics and are cracking down on people exercising their first amendment right to free speech. Before attending an action, make sure you know your rights and check out the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) on twitter and your local NLG chapter for a local hotline to report police violence or receive legal support if you are arrested.

We are in a historic time — amidst a growing new civil rights movement led by inspiring Black and brown youth demanding an end to institutional racism. And since the St. Louis Grand Jury and Staten Island Grand Jury refused to indict the officers who brutally killed Mike Brown and Eric Garner, that movement has only grown. Thousands across the country have taken to the streets to shut down highways, bridges, organize sit-ins and die-ins, all in the name of a better future. Tomorrow, we will come together as a nation, to stand up in a powerful show of love and democracy and move forward systemic change to end the insidious cycle of police violence and denied justice. We organize because Mike Brown’s killer is free; Because Eric Garner’s killer is free; Because those who we have lost to discriminatory police violence deserve justice:

Amadou Diallo, 23 years old, killed by police in 1999. Last words: “Mom I am going to college.”
Sean Bell, 23-years-old, killed by police the night before his wedding, last words: “I love you too.”
Eric Garner, 43-years-old, killed by police 5 months ago, last words, “I can’t breathe.”
Mike Brown, 18-years-old, killed by police 4 months ago, last words “I don’t have a gun. Stop shooting.”

See you tomorrow,

Rashad Robinson

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