Norwich Asked by members of the Norwich NAACP youth council how youths could become more involved in improving relations between the police and the community, police Chief Patrick Daley told them to do more of what they did Thursday evening.
Members of the NAACP Robertsine Duncan Youth Council hosted an hourlong forum Thursday with police and city leaders that started with prepared questions and progressed to a frank discussion about the distrust of police felt by some youths of color.
“Getting a conversation at a certain age about how to handle a situation when the police approach you because of something like the color of your skin,” youth council member Joceline Rodrigues said. “We’re taught, hands on the wheel, or on the dash, don’t reach for anything, somehow stand your ground, but somehow be more submissive to protect yourself.”
Norwich Karen Lau still gets choked up when she tries to explain what the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris meant for her as a 16-year-old high school senior.
“When Kamala Harris was sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, there were tears, happy tears flowing down my face,” Lau said this past week. “I didn’t think I was going to cry. It definitely was a moment I will never forget.”
Jareth Tosses, a senior and president of the Norwich Free Academy Class of 2021, recalled the entire scene of the inauguration, from the oaths of office to National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman s inspirational oration to the musical performances by star artists and ethnic cultural groups.