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Resist Newsletter, Special 2015

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Recommended Citation Resist, "Resist Newsletter, Special 2015" (2015). Resist Newsletters. 401. https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/resistnewsletter/401 #BlackLivesMatter

The Newsletter Special 2015 Volume 24 #1 A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement How a moment became a movement

By We were humbled when cultural be the highest form of flattery, I was workers, artists, designers and techies surprised when an organization called I created #BlackLivesMatter with offered their labor and love to expand to ask if they could use "Black Lives and , two #BlackLivesMatter beyond a social Matter" in one of their campaigns. We of my sisters, as a call to action for media hashtag. Opal, Patrisse, and agreed to it, with the caveat that a) as Black people after 1 7 -year-old Trayvon I created the infrastructure for this a team, we preferred that we not use Martin was post-humously placed on movement project-moving the hashtag the meme to celebrate the imprison­ trial for his own murder and the killer, from social media to the streets. Our ment of any individual, and b) that it George Zimmerman, was not held ac­ team grew through a very success­ was important to us they acknowledged countable for the crime he committed. It ful ride, led and the genesis of #BlackLivesMatter. I was a response to the anti-Black racism designed by Patrisse and Darnell L. was surprised when they did exactly that permeates our society and also, Moore, organized to support the move­ the opposite and then justified their unfortunately, our movements. ment that is growing in St. Louis, MO, actions by saying they hadn't used Black Lives Matter is an ideological after 18-year old Mike Brown was killed the "exact" slogan and, therefore, they and political intervention in a world at the hands of Ferguson Police Officer deemed it okay to take our work, use where Black lives are systematically Darren Wilson. We've hosted national it as their own, fail to credit where it and intentionally targeted for demise. conference calls focused on issues of It is an affirmation of Black folks' con­ critical importance to Black people tributions to this society, our humanity, working hard for the liberation of our and our resilience in the face of deadly people. We've connected people across oppression. the country working to end the various forms of injustice impact­ Resist. ing our people. We've cre­ ated space for the celebra­ Resist tion and humanization of 259 Elm Street, Suite 201 Black lives. Somerville, MA 02144 617-623-5110 [email protected] The Theft of Black Queer The Resist Newsletter is published four times a Women's Work year. Subscriptions are available free to prison­ ers and to individuals for a suggested donation of $25/year. The views expressed in articles, As people took the other than editorials, are those of the authors #BlackLivesMatter de­ and do not necessarily represent the opinions mand into the streets, of the Resist staff or board. mainstream media and Resist Staff: Miabi Chatterji corporations also took Ravi Khanna Seth Kirshenba um up the call. #BlackLives­ Yafreisy Mejia Matter appeared in an SaifRahman episode of "Law & Order: Resist Board: Jennifer Bonardi SVU" in a mash up con­ Jackie Gil taining the Paula Deen Kevin Alexander Gray racism scandal and the Judy Hatcher Kay Mathew tragedy of the murder of Jim O'Brien . Gregory Pehrson Suddenly, we began to Nisha Purushotham Camilo Viveiros come across varied adap­ tations of our work-all Newsletter Editor: Saif Rahman lives matter, brown lives Printing: Piro Printing matter, migrant lives Cover Photography lippe (vinwwwflackr t·o m/ 1x-oph•/ hppd)

matter, women's lives Printed or, recycled paper with t•egetable- based ink Member of BreakOUT!, a Resist grantee in New Orleans, Loui­ matter, and on and on. .e,. .. www .resist.org siana with a sign reading"#BlackTransLivesMatter." While imitation is said to

2 Resist Newsletter, Special 2015 came from, and then use it to applaud with us, but to investigate the ways in Broadening the incarceration. which anti-Black racism is perpetuated Conversation to Include I was surprised when a community in their own communities. We are also Black Life institution wrote asking us to provide grateful to those allies who were willing materials and action steps for an Black Lives Matter is a art show they were curating, en­ Survival Tip #3587: When walking through your 'hood, hoodies not advised. unique contribution that goes titled "Our Lives Matter." When beyond extrajudicial killings questioned about who was in­ of Black people by police and volved and why they felt the need vigilantes. It goes beyond the to change the very specific call THE narrow nationalism that can and demand around Black lives be prevalent within some Black to "our lives," I was told the art- BLACK BODY communities, which merely call ists decided it needed to be more on Black people to love Black, inclusive of all people of color. I SURVIVAL GUIDE live Black and buy Black, keep­ was even more surprised when, ing straight cis Black men in in the promotion of their event, Help us #WriteABookln 1Day! the front of the movement while one of the artists conducted an Tweet #BlackBodySurvival tips @intelmischief our sisters, queer, trans, and interview that completely erased All Day Sat. Feb. 22 disabled folk take up roles in the origins of their work-rooted in the background or not at all. the labor and love of queer Black Black Lives Matter affirms the women. lives of Black queer and trans Pause. folks, disabled folks, Black­ When you design an event, undocumented folks, folks with campaign, et cetera based on the records, women and all Black work of queer Black women, don't lives along the gender spectrum. invite them to participate in shap­ It centers those that have been ing it, but ask them to provide ma­ marginalized within Black lib­ terials and ideas for next steps for eration movements. It is a tactic said event, that is racism in prac­ to (re)build the Black liberation tice. It's also hetero-patriarchal. movement. Straight men, unintentionally When we say Black Lives or intentionally, have taken the Matter, we are talking about work of queer Black women and the ways in which Black people erased our contributions. Perhaps are deprived of our basic hu­ if we were the charismatic Black man rights and dignity. It is an men many are rallying around acknowledgement that Black these days, it would have been a Intelligent Mischief (IM), a Resist grantee, ''provide(s) poverty and genocide is state different story, but being Black space for low-income communities to experiment with cre­ violence. It is an acknowledg­ queer women in this society (and ative actions to improve their lively hoods ... " and believe ment of the fact that one million apparently within these move­ that "mischief-makers push the boundaries of authority Black people are locked in cages ments) tends to equal invisibility and allow us to see what is possible." Members of IM in this country-one half of all and non-relevancy. spent time in Ferguson, MO. They state, '~s a response people in prisons or jails-is an to the current state of race relations in the US, we have We completely expect those act of state violence. It is an designed a multimedia project called 'The Black Body who benefit directly and improp­ Survival Guide.' This will be a compilation of rules and acknowledgment that Black erly from White supremacy to try regulations for surviving in the US as the owner of a black women continue to bear the and erase our existence. We fight body. When the problems of race become absurd it's time burden of a relentless assault that every day. But when it hap­ to get (sur)real!" on our children and our fami- pens amongst our allies, we are lies and that this assault is an baffled, we are saddened, and we act of state violence. Black queer and are enraged. And it's time to have the to engage in critical dialogue with us trans folks bearing a unique burden in a political conversation about why that's about this unfortunate and problematic hetero-patriarchal society that disposes not okay. dynamic. And for those who we have not of us like garbage and simultaneously We are grateful to our allies who yet had the opportunity to engage with fetishizes us and profits off of us is have stepped up to the call that Black around the adaptations of the Black state violence; the fact that 500,000 lives matter, and taken it as an oppor­ Lives Matter call, please consider the tunity to not just stand in solidarity following points. continued on page seven

Resist Newsletter, Special 2015 3 Timeline of Police Violence

March 7, 1965 - March 25, 1965 Selma to Montgomery Marches January 13, 1874 Selma, Alabama: Civil rights activists are attacked by Tomkins Square Riot police as they attempt to march peacefully from Selma January 1, 1845 to Montgomery. TV & till cameras capture the violence. New York Police NYPD riots against immigrant protestors. Over 7,000 people gathered, which was the largest demonstration that New York City 600 marchers, protesting th death of Jimmie Lee Depoartment is Jackson and ongoing exclusion from the electoral process, founded. had ever seen at the time. It was described by a protester as police "... attacking men, women, and children without discrimination. It were attacked by state and local police with billy club was an orgy of brutality." and tear gas.

April 12, 1861 - April 9, July 2, 1964 August 11, 1965-Augu t 17, 1965 October 15, 1966 1865 Civil Rights Act The Watts Rebellion The Black Panther Civil War Civil Rights legislation passed in Congress to An uprising in the Watts neighborhood Party for Self Defense After the war, police violence address the systematic denial of rights of Black As part of their work to expresses itself through folks. Its aim was to provide protection to those of Los Angeles is parked by the stop and lynchings, beating, and many wronged by the "misuse of power, possessed arrest of 21-year-old Marquette Frye, an protect black communi­ other forms of harassment. by virtue of state law and made possible only African American man, by a California ties from police violence, because the wrongdoer is clothed with the Highway Patrol officer. In total there the Black Panthers authority of state law." were 34 deaths, 1,032 injuries, 3,438 began the fir t known arrests, and over $40 million in property Cop Watch-style patrols. ______L_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-~:.======~ ... I They also developed a January 1, 1995 - December 31, 1999 February 17, 2000 damage. Coalition Against (CAPB) Peoples' Justice 2000 "Pocket Lawyer of Legal CAPB, an alliance of POC-led organizations People's Justice 2000 forms to First Aid," the first Know working on issues of racism and police brutality, bring attention to the killing January 1, 2002 - December 31, Your Rights-style out­ of Amadou Diallo and assault organized annual "Racial Justice Day" 2013 reach material related to demonstrations. CAPB helps to bring national of Abner Louimer. PJ 2000 Michael Bloomberg's Reign as police. attention to police brutality in NYC. For the first organizes 41 days of city-wide Mayor time LGBTQ organizations and activists are actions, contributing heavily Michael Bloomberg takes Stop & Frisk recognized structurally for their leadership in the to making Diallo's case and tactics to new levels, increasing such anti-police violence movement. the movement for justice a tops over 600% during his tenure. national headline.

February 4, 1999 November 25, 2006 September 11, 2001 April 10, 2002 Sean Bell Amadou Diallo 9/11 Impacts the Police Violence NYPD Street Crimes Unit Soundview, Bronx: Amadou Diallo, a On the eve of his Movement Dismantled wedding, Sean Bell 23-year-old Guinean immigrant, was 9/11 changes the entire direction of the NYC groups including PJ's murdered outside his apartment by four and two friends police violence movement. Police are predeces or the Coalition Against Trent Benefield and NYPD plaincloths officers Sean Carroll, suddenly framed by government and the Police Brutality (CAPB) help win Richard Murphy, Edward McMellon and Joseph Guzman media as almost untouchable as "heroe of the elimination of the NYPD Street were shot a total Kenneth Boss, after supposedly mistaking Crimes Unit, known for targeting 9/11," while activists face heavy repression of 50 times by Amadou's wallet for a gun. The cops fired a under the Patriot Act & related laws. Police people of color, particularly Black and total of 41 shots, 19 of which struck Diallo. plaincloths NYPD surveillance, harassment and criminalization Latino youth. The Street Crimes Unit officers, as they left of Muslims, South Asians, Arabs and other was responsible for Amadou Diallo's his bachelor party. Middle Easterners is dramatically increased. death, among other . January 26, 2012 Jateik Reed July 21, 2013 Beating by NYPD June 14, 2012 Kyam Livingston The filmed NYPD Shantel Davis Brooklyn: Kyam Livingston, a 37-year-old mother, beating of Jateik East Flatbush, Brooklyn: 23-year-old Shantel Davis was murdered by died while in police cu tody over a non-violent family Reed in the Bronx infamous NYPD officer Phillip "Bad Boy" Atkins, after chasing her in a car dispute. Kyam lo t her life due to medical neglect makes waves across that the officer wrongly assumed to be stolen. Shantel's car crashed at the by the police, who arrested her and then ignored New York. corner of Church Ave and East 38th St, and she was shot by Bad Boy Atkins as she sat in her seat trapped behind the car's airbag. She was unarmed. repeated pleas for medical attention.

February 2, 2012 March 9, 2013 August 12, 2013 Ramarley Graham Kimani Gray Floyd vs. the City of New York: The North Bronx: Ramarley Graham, a 19-year-old East Flatbush, Brooklyn: 16-year-old Kimani Gray wa Stop & Frisk trial youth of Jamaican descent, was shot to death shot seven times by NYPD officers, including several A federal judge found the NYPD liable for a in the bathroom of his Grandmother's home shots to his back as he laid on the ground. Both officers pattern and practice of and in front of her and Ramarley's little brother. who killed Kimani had previous Federal Civil Rights unconstitutional stop-and-frisks in a historic After NYPD cops broke into the house without investigations against them. NYPD claims that Kimani ruling. The case was brought by the Center a warrant, officer Richard Haste shot him twice had a gun, but numerous witnesses say otherwise. for Constitutional Rights and strongly in the chest. Ramarley was unarmed. Police NYPD has also tried to justify Kimani's killing by supported by Communities United for Police initially lied and stated that the officers were in spreading rumors about gang involvement, but his Reform (CPR), a broad coalition of dozens of "hot pursuit," but security footage from outside family denies this and some of his teachers have come organizations. the building told a much different story. out in his defense as a good child and student.

4 Resist Newsletter, Special 2015 By Peoples' Justices for Community Control and

September 23, 1968 March 1, 1982 March 31, 1991 Young Lords Party Broken Windows Theory of Policing Rodney King Beaten by Young Lords Party The broken windows theory of policing was introduced by LAPD April 29, 1992 - May 4, 1992 advocates for and James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling in their article National uproar follows Los Angeles Uprising titled "Broken Windows," which appeared in the March the beating of Rodney King includes in their platform Mass uproar arises in Los Angeles community control of all 1982 edition of The Atlantic Monthly. Broken Windows by four Los Angeles Police after the LAPD officers that institutions including the theory calls for harsh response to petty and minimal officers, which was exposed horrifically beat Rodney King were police. crimes as a means of preventing bigger crimes. This is by a witness who filmed it. acquitted. the basis behind NYPD's Stop and Frisk policies.

June 28, 1969 People Killed by the NYPD in the 1990s Stonewall Riots People Killed by the NYPD in the 1990s: Anthony Baez, 29, the Bronx. Anthony Rosario, 18, the Riots in what is now known as the West Village Bronx. Hilton Vega, 21, the Bronx. Anibal Carasquillo, 21, Brooklyn. Nicolas Heyward, Jr., 13, occur in response to a police raid and brutality at the Brooklyn. Answon "Keshawn" Watson, 23, Brooklyn. Yong Xian Huang, 16, Brooklyn. Amado Stonewall Inn, as well as government repression of Diallo, 22, the Bronx. Gidone "Gary" Busch, 31, Brooklyn. Richard Watson, 32, Harlem. Larry LGBTQ folks in general. This event fueled the gay Cobb, 30, the Bronx. Angel Reyes, 47, East Harlem. Robert Striker, 54, Manhattan. Jatrek Hewitt, rights movement, and is the origin of what evolved into 17, Staten Island. Delano Maloney, 32, Brooklyn. Renato Mercado, 63, Manhattan. Rodney Mason, the curr nt PRIDE marches. 38, . Yvette Marin Kessler, 36, Manhattan. Freddie Rivera, 17, the Bronx. Alex Santos, 23, the Bronx. Jose Luis Zarete, 22, the Bronx. Cesare Mollo, the Bronx. Vladimir Santana, 19 Queens Margaret McGivern 94 Queens Kevin Cedeno 16 Washington Heights Dion June 11, 2007 Hawthorne, 17, Queens. Rich~rd Singleton, 18, Bronx. Fr~nkie Arzuaga, 15, Brooklyn. December 13, 2006 Puerto Rican Day Parade And many more. Timur Person 208 people, mostly youth, were Bronx: Timur, 19 arrested for wearing black and years old, was shot gold which supposedly signified December 31, 2011 four times in the membership in the Latin King September 24, 2008 chest and once in the and Queen Nation. Some Annual Stop & Frisks top 600K Iman Morales Stop and Frisks by NYPD top 600,000 neck by plainclothes people arrested were wearing Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn: Iman was tasered by - more than a 600% increase since detectives. Timur beads as part of their religious NYPD officers while standing on the ledge of a store was killed at close practice. Most of the charges 2002. About 90% of those stopped front awning 10 feet high. Despite his mother's cries were Black and Latin@, and about range his hands were eventually dropped and for an inflatable bag and clear indications that Iman were in the air and several lawsuits against the 90% of them were completely innocent was experiencing a mental health crisis, the officers of any wrong doing at all. he wa lying face-up NYPD have been paid out. still tased Iman and made no attempts to catch him as on the floor. he fell to his death. I I I I January 1, 2009 January 1, 2007 November 4, 2007 Oscar Grant Peoples' Justice Forms Khiel Coppin Oakland, CA: Oscar Grant, a 22 year old father, was Peoples' Justice for Community Control Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn: On November 14, 2007, shot un the back as he laid on his stomach by BART & Police Accountability is formed as a NYPD officers shot 20 bullets at Khiel Coppin, an police officer Johannes Mehserle on New Year's Day coalition of grassroots POC & LGBTQ 18-year-old young man with a mental health condition, 2009. Several of Oscar's friends were also beaten orgs in NYC, in the aftermath of both striking him eight times. Police Commissioner and were detained by police for many hours after PJ 2000 & CAPB. The coalition started Raymond Kelly claims the officers were provoked by watching their friend be murdered in front of them. by organizing around the murder Khiel when he pointed an object at them that looked Luckily the case was captured on film by dozens of of Sean Bell and shootings of Trent like a gun. After the police ceased fire, they found the cameras as a packed train full of people watched in Benefield and Joseph Guzman, and object he was holding was a hairbrush. An eyewitness horror. Mehserle eventually was convicted but only today coordinates a city-wide Cop Watch said officers told Coppin to put his hands up. When for manslaughter, and served less than 2 years in Alliance as well as other organizing Khiel did, he dropped the brush and the officers began prison. around police violence. to shoot.

August 22, 2013 Community Safety Act Passes! The New York City Council overrode the Mayor's veto to approve two Community Safety Act bills. The bills were Intro. 1080: End Discriminatory Profiling Act - protecting New Yorkers against discriminatory profiling by the NYPD, and Intro. 1079: NYPD Oversight Act - establishing independent oversight of the NYPD. As in the "Floyd" stop-and-frisk lawsuit, the movement to pass the bills was spearheaded by Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), of which all Peoples' Justice member orgs are members. IL- ----1 L...------..

August 9, 2014 - July 17, 2014 Michael Brown Eric Garner Michael Brown was an 18-year­ Eric Garner was a 43-year-old husband, Peoples' Justices for Community Control and Police old young black man who fatally a father of six, grandfather of two and Accountability is a New York City coalition of grassroots shot by Officer Darren Wilson a widely-loved member of a community. organizations working in Black, Latino/a and Asian in Ferguson, Missouri. A Grand On July 17, 2014, in Staten Island's communities. The coalition was formed in the wake of the Jury decided not to indict Darren Tompkinsville neighborhood, his 2006 NYPD killing of Sean Bell and shooting of Trent Wilson. This sparked massive life was ended by an NYPD officer's Benefield and Joseph Guzman in order to respond to the protests in Ferguson and around chokehold, which has been explicitly incident and highlight the systemic nature of police violence. the country and also sparked banned as a restraint tactic for decades. the "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" He was unarmed and non-threatening movement. prior to being choked and tackled.

Resist Newsletter, Special 2015 5 Dear Governor Cuomo, A letter from the families of those killed by the NYPD

February 24, 2015 cases of police killings moving forward. in the Bronx The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo After several months of heated de­ Margarita Rosario, mother of Governor of New York State bate over police reform in New York Anthony Rosario, killed January City and nationally, this is a major 12, 1995, in the Bronx Dear Governor Cuomo, reform you can and should pursue im­ Haw a Bah, mother of Mohamed mediately. The time to do it is now. Bah, killed September 26, 2012, We are family members of New York­ We need you to take action im­ in Manhattan ers who were killed by New York police mediately to ensure the independent, Natasha Duncan, sister of Shan­ officers during the last two decades. fair and adequate investigation and tel Davis, killed June 14, 2012, There are too many New Yorkers suf­ prosecution of all police brutality cases in Brooklyn fering because of the epidemic of police moving forward. Cecilia Reyes, mother of Noel brutality. Losing a child, sibling or spouse to Polanco, killed October 4, 2012, We are glad that you have pledged to police violence is horrific. The loss is in Queens make criminal justice reform a priority compounded when the criminal justice Nancy Pacheco, sister-in-law of this year and that you are sensitive to system fails to provide any justice or Jayson Tirado, killed October the historic failure of District Attorneys accountability for those responsible for 21, 2007, in Manhattan and the grand jury system to hold police the deaths of New Yorkers. Amarilis Collado, wife of John officers who unjustly kill New Yorkers A special prosecutor - independent Collado, killed September 6, accountable. However, we are disap­ of local police departments and local 2011, in Manhattan pointed that your seven-point agenda politics - would have helped our fami­ Nicholas Heyward Sr., father did not include more definitive steps lies, and can help countless families in of Nicholas Heyward Jr., killed towards ensuring police accountability the future. We urge you to act today by August 23, 1994, in Brooklyn in cases of excessive, deadly force. issuing an executive order to establish a Olga Negron, mother of Iman There is one crucial reform that we special prosecutor for all cases of police Morales, killed September 24, urge you to support: establishment of a killings in New York State. 2008, in Brooklyn permanent independent prosecutor for Finally, we request a meeting with Carol Gray, mother of Kimani all cases of police brutality, not just kill­ you by March 24, 2015 to discuss our Gray, killed March 9, 2013, in ings. Towards this end, we urge you to call for a special prosecutor. Loyda Brooklyn immediately enact an executive order to Colon of the Justice Committee can be Carmen Morales, mother of assign a special prosecutor to all cases contacted to schedule this meeting. Hilton Vega, killed January 12, of police killings moving forward. 1995, in the Bronx New Yorkers have looked to District Sincerely, Jennifer Gonzalez, mother of Attorneys to investigate and charge the the child of Kenny Lazo, killed officers who took the lives of their loved Constance Malcolm and Fran­ in April 8, 2008, in Bay Shore ones for decades. The hope is that inves­ clot Graham, parents of Ramar­ Cynthia Howell, niece of Alberta tigations will lead to indictments and ley Graham, killed February 2, Spruill, killed in May 16, 2003, families will have their day in court to 2012, in the Bronx in Manhattan uncover the truth and begin to heal. In Valerie and William Bell, par­ all of our cases, the District Attorneys ents of Sean Bell, killed Novem­ Thank you to the Justice Committeee failed to deliver any justice or account­ ber 25, 2006, in Queens (JC), a Resist Grantee, for sending ability. The failure has occurred even in Kadiatou Diallo, mother of Ama­ this letter to The Newsletter and giv­ cases for which there is video evidence dou Diallo, killed February 4, ing permission to publish it. JC is a - look no further than Eric Garner and 1999, in the Bronx Latina/ Latino-led organization dedi­ Ramarley Graham. Kenneth Chamberlain Jr., son cated to building a movement against There is an inherent conflict of inter­ of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., police violence and systemic racism est whenever District Attorneys must killed November 19, 2011, in in New York City. Their organizing investigate the NYPD they rely upon White Plains strategies include leadership devel­ and work with every day. The system Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Gar­ opment, political education, base­ is broken. ner, killed on July 17, 2014, in building and direct action, as well You can begin to fix this problem by Staten Island as resource development and service immediately enacting an executive or­ Iris Baez, mother of Anthony provision to meet the immediate needs der to assign a special prosecutor to all Baez, killed December 22, 1994, of victims and their families.

6 Resist Newsletter, Special 2015 Constance Malcolm, mother of Ramarley Graham, conducts a die-in in front of the DOJ building.

A Herstory of#BlackLivesMatter when Black people in this country get acknowledge the critical role that Black continued from page three free, the benefits will be wide reaching lives and struggles for Black liberation Black people in the US are undocu­ and transformative for society as a have played in inspiring and anchoring, mented immigrants and relegated to whole. When we are able to end hyper­ through practice, and theory, social the shadows is state violence; the fact criminalization and sexualization of movements for the liberation of all that Black girls are used as negotiat­ Black people and end the poverty, con­ people. The women's movement, the ing chips during times of conflict and trol, and surveillance of Black people, Chicano liberation movement, queer war is state violence; Black folks living every single person in this world has a movements, and many more have ad­ with disabilities and different abilities better shot at getting and staying free. opted the strategies, tactics, and theory bear the burden of state-sponsored When Black people get free, everybody of the Black liberation movement. And Darwinian experiments that attempt gets free. This is why we call on Black if we are committed to a world where to squeeze us into boxes of normality people and our allies to take up the call , we are called to support defined by White supremacy is state that Black lives matter. We're not say­ the very movement that inspired and violence. And the fact is that the lives ing Black lives are more important than activated so many more. That means of Black people-not all people-exist other lives, or that other lives are not supporting and acknowledging Black within these conditions is consequence criminalized and oppressed in various lives. of state violence. ways. We remain in active solidarity Progressive movements in the Unit­ with all oppressed people who are fight­ ed States have made some unfortunate When Black people get free, ing for their liberation and we know errors when they push for unity at the everybody gets free that our destinies are intertwined. expense of really understanding the And, to keep it real-it is appropri­ concrete differences in context, experi­ #BlackLivesMatter doesn't mean ate and necessary to have strategy ence and oppression. In other words, your life isn't important-it means that and action centered around Blackness some want unity without struggle. As Black lives, which are seen as without without other non-Black communi­ people who have our minds stayed on value within White supremacy, are ties of color, or White folks for that freedom, we can learn to fight anti­ important to your liberation. Given the matter, needing to find a place and a Black racism by examining the ways disproportionate impact state violence way to center themselves within it. It has on Black lives, we understand that is appropriate and necessary for us to continued on page eight

Resist Newsletter, Special 2015 7 A Herstory of#BlackLivesMatter ~iberation Movement, what its political state, we are asking you, our family, to continued from page seven purpose and message is, and why it's stand with us in affirming Black lives. important in our context. Not just all lives. Black lives. Please do in which we participate in it, even When you adopt Black Lives Matter not change the conversation by talking unintentionally, instead of the worn and transform it into something else (if about how your life matters, too. It does, out and sloppy practice of drawing you feel you really need to do that-see but we need less watered down unity lazy parallels of unity between peoples above for the arguments not to), it's and more active solidarities with us, with vastly different experiences and appropriate politically to credit the Black people, unwaveringly, in defense histories. lineage from which your adapted work of our humanity. Our collective futures When we deploy "All Lives Matter" derived. It's important that we work depend on it. as to correct an intervention specifically together to build and acknowledge the created to address anti-blackness, we legacy of Black contributions to the Alicia Garza is the Special Projects lose the ways in which the state appa­ struggle for human rights. If you adapt Director for the National Domestic ratus has built a program of genocide Black Lives Matter, use the opportunity Workers Alliance. In 2013, Alicia co­ and repression mostly on the backs of to talk about its inception and political founded #BlackLivesMatter, an online Black people-beginning with the theft framing. Lift up Black lives as an op­ platform developed after the murder of of millions of people for free labor-and portunity to connect struggles across Trayvon Martin, designed to connect then adapted it to control, murder, race, class, gender, nationality, sexual­ people interested in learning more and profit off of other communities of ity, and disability. about and fighting back against anti­ color and immigrant communities. We And, perhaps more importantly, Black racism. This piece was origi­ perpetuate a level of White suprema­ when Black people cry out in defense of nally published in The Feminist Wire cist domination by reproducing a tired our lives, which are uniquely, system­ (www.thefeministwire.com). trope that we are all the same, rather atically, and savagely targeted by the than acknowledging that non-Black oppressed people in this country are both impacted by racism and domina­ tion, and simultaneously, benefit from anti-black racism. When you drop "Black" from the equation of whose lives matter, and then fail to acknowledge it came from somewhere, you further a legacy of erasing Black lives and Black contribu­ tions from our movement legacy. And consider whether or not when dropping the Black you are, intentionally or un­ intentionally, erasing Black folks from the conversation or homogenizing very different experiences. The legacy and prevalence of anti-Black racism and hetero-patriarchy is a lynch pin holding together this unsustainable economy. And that's not an accidental analogy. In 2014, hetero-patriarchy and anti­ Black racism within our movement is real and felt. It's killing us and it's killing our potential to build power for transformative social change. When you adopt the work of queer women of color, don't name or recognize it, and promote it as if it has no history of its own such actions are problematic. Members of Alliance of South Asians Taking Action, a Resist grantee, ''have been partici­ When I use Assata's powerful demand pating in protests in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco in solidarity with the #Black­ in my organizing work, I always begin LivesMatter movement. South Asian and API folks in our larger networks are also engag­ by sharing where it comes from, sharing ing in internal conversations about white supremacy and how anti-black racism plays out about Assata's significance to the Black in our communities."

8 Resist Newsletter, Special 2015 Photo: Yo11th Organizing lnstit11te

Youth Organizing Institute in North Carolina, a Resist grantee, has been organizing a "#BlackLivesMatter Youth Assembly." In addition, they have been fighting to drop the charges against Carlos Riley Jr., stating: ''Drop the charges, Free Carlos Riley Jr., sentenced to 10 years for defending his life against a killer cop. #BlackLivesMatter even when they survive."

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#ThisStopsToday "On December 4, 2014, Justice Committee [a Resist grantee] and allies blocked the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge in response to the officers that killed Eric Garner not being indicted."

10 Resist Newsletter, Special 2015