Transcripts For CSPAN Congressional Black Caucus Holds Town

Transcripts For CSPAN Congressional Black Caucus Holds Town Hall On Race 20240712

Karen bass, and several other members of the black caucus who you will be hearing from momentarily. Thank you for joining us on this emergency town hall meeting, living while black in america, 401 years later after our ancestors were first brought to the shores of america in shackles, we now that while we have come a long way in this country, we still have a long way to go. We are living with the legacy of slavery and jim crow and racial oppression that continued to permeate every aspect of american life. And we have seen that over the last several months in such a stark and striking fashion. The covid19 pandemic, a twin crisis, both a Public Health crisis and an economic crisis, has impacted everyone, but disproportionately impacted in an adverse fashion the africanamerican community. In terms of pain, in terms of suffering, in terms of economic dislocation and in terms of death. And then, of course, youre dealing with the continued epidemic at the same time of Police Violence, Police Brutality, police abuse. Land. Ross the impacting every aspect of our lives. Shopping while black, george floyd. Black, Breonna Taylor. Black, Ahmaud Arbery. Are too numerous to mention. But those tragedies are a microcosm of what we confront in our communities on a daily basis. And we want to have a discussion about where we go from here. Congressional lack caucus is working hard to put forth the legislative package to respond to the moment that we are in and to finally bring some accountability and change to the manner in which our communities and every other community in is policed in america. This is a phenomena that has been with us year after year, decade after decade, century after century. That,struck by the fact as i conclude my opening observations, that i talk to my youngest sun the other day who brought me the video of george floyd being assassinated the minneapolis street, and wanted to go out and protest, which as a concerned father i had hesitations about, new it was the right thing to allow him to do, this young teenage africanamerican boy. I had to remind him of certain things. Make sure he has his school id. If he is harassed, or talked to, or mishandled in an appropriate fashion, use restraint, even if the abuse is disrespectful, because it could escalate in a manner that he could lose his life. He is being questioned or three put a document in front of him, dont signnything, dont cite anything. Why should i have to have that conversation the young africanamerican boy . I know mothers and fathers and grandfathers and grandmothers are having that conversation. Its a difficult thing i have to say. But i knew the words i had to say to him, why . Because when i was growing up in brooklyn in the 1980s and 1990s, i father said the exact same thing to me. And my grandfather said the fatherame thing to my when he was a teenage boy in newark italy 1950s. So this time will be different because of the young people who have taken to the streets. We hear you, we see you, we are you, and we are going to make a change. Its my honor to yield to the distinguished gentlelady of the great state of texas, a leading member of the Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security committee and a champion for racial justice, Sheila Jackson lee. Rep. Jackson lee mr. Chairman, thank you. I will remove my mask because i do it when im in the midst of my staff and to indicate, mr. Chairman, of where we are in these calamities, these catastrophic incidences in our lives. Chair,think our mighty congresswoman karen bass and my colleagues who are with me, my sister, my brother, and a very important guest that we have with us. Let me just think eleanor mark, thank youd up a a badge, but to hold up. That i wish i never had to see in my life. That is the document used yesterday for me joined the family of those in minneapolis, and when i say that the brothers and sisters and extended family members in neapolis to be able northrn as they go from carolina to houston. Catastrophic because as chairman jeffries indicated, it follows into the insult that we have suffered in our most recent series of months. 110it is also compounded by thousand dead from covid19. The fact that the administration failed to both know and prepare, created a heavy burden on those who already didnt have access to health care, africanamericans. And when people rush to Emergency Rooms from the nations Public Housing and from innercity neighborhoods, rural america, there were turned away. They were given an aspirin and turned away to die. Black people who did not have the right care, medical care that the government, the federal government should have been engaged in. So, when we talk about living black in america, there is a compounding of things. Not only did we have the circumstances that were rihannad in rihanna arbery andand ahmaud now, of course, the heinous killing, murder, slaughter of mr. Floyd, but we cant even birdwatching in central park. Because when we birdwatching in central park, someone is going to say, im going to call the police and tell them a black man is attacking us. In the United States congress, Congressional Black Caucus that is working every day to throw up and to stop between step between our amazing work in appropriations, our work on the Judiciary Committee and just introduced h. R. 7100 the George Floyd Law enforcement trust and integrity act, that is going to deeply embed in its new form into deep changes in the psyche of policing. So just let me close, we are working very hard and will encourage commentary on hr 40 two understand the very basis of this nation is built on the backs of slaves unpaid that built kotten as king and we cant seem to get rid of the disease of racism, covid19 and racism. Hopese with these words, i we will engage on this, which if there ever is a time now, the catastrophic restructuring of how africanamericans are treated. Listen to these words from a white house on a radio show. Our white people supposed to be embarrassed because of how we are born, speaking to White Privilege . Are we supposed to be embarrassed because our dads worked overtime so we have enough . Are we supposed to be embarrassed because we didnt roam the streets because our parents didnt let us . This is privilege . Are we supposed to be embarrassed . Do we have a nation within a nation . Are these people occupiers and others occupied . Are we still talking about slavery in 2020 . If we do not stand solidly with each other and face goodwill and wood hearted americans that this is the time to save america, i believe that we will as well have asked our opportunity. You and im delighted to be a part of this and im delighted now even or so to yield to my sister , representative ayanna pressley, for opening remarks. Rep. Presley thank you. Centeri begin, i want to Breonna Taylor, who was shot eight times and murdered. A frontline, essential worker whose birth they would have been today. She would have turned 27 years old. No more hashtags. George floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, they should be trending waste upon their contributions to community, to the world, discovering a cure for cancer. We learned today from George Floyds second grade teacher that he had written in a school essay that, when asked what he wanted to be in he grew up, he said a Supreme Court justice. Im just returning from minneapolis, where i was humbled to join the floyd family and many embers of the congressional caucus, including my dear sister im a representative jackson lee, just spoke. And, of course, my sister in ilhaneleanor mark omar. There to witness previously for Congressional Black Caucus visits, the black brilliance of the twin cities. I so deeply wish that the trip i took yesterday i did not have to take. I wish so deeply that this man was still alive. He should still be alive. And in a more just america, george floyd would be alive. They would all be alive. I have spent time with organizers who have indicated their lives to disapprove the pursuit of racial justice. I want to underscore a point i have been making recently, clarifying for some, just the fact of the matter for everyone who is participating in this town hall. Activists,ers, our represent a long line of organizing and activism and leshaking cable tableshaking and peaceful protesting, the ministrations while Holding Space for our righteous rage and demanding radical change. Our organizers, our Community Builders are not destroyers. They coopt the narrative and we will not allow it to happen. And so, it always feels good to travel from massachusetts to minneapolis, i wish i did not have to do it on this occasion and for this reason. My time spent in community visiting thriving black businesses, beating in black owned restaurants reminds me that until we dismantled the systems of oppression, all of our lives are at risk. What are we calling for . The protesting and demonstrating, the blueprint of the Civil Rights Movement we are still in, is to organize, mobilize, and is to legislate. There will be unrest in our streets for as long as there is unrest in our lives. We are calling for deep, lasting, structural, legislative change because the death, destruction, denial of black people and our humanity is not new. Our lives have been devalued and delegitimizede for too long. Week marks the near century anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre were for todays white mobs terrorized the greenwood district, destroying the wealthiest black community and robbing it of at least 300 lives. The massacre was one of the worst incidents of racist violence in our history and won the government denied for decades. The same way it always does the abuses we, as black folks, suffer. How we document these abuses has changed, but the instant to deny the experience has not. Guaranteeing we areods demise, experiencing a crisis within a crisis that is decimating our communities and we must respond and act accordingly. As a black woman married to a black man raising a black child i would very much like to pass on to my 11yearold daughter generational wisdom, generational wealth, generational joy instead of generational debt, trauma, and fear. I would love for her to live a life free from fear. I understand the pain of people taking to the streets. Minnesota, in massachusetts, folks want to be seen, they want to be heard because for too long, black and brown bodies have been profiled, policed, lynched, choked, brutalized and murdered at the hands of Police Officers. Disregard of impunity and without any retribution or consequences, we cannot allow these fatal injustices to go unchecked any longer. Congress needs to send a clear message and act now. There can truly be no justice for george floyd or Breonna Taylor or any human being killed by Law Enforcement, in a just world, they would still be here. Accountability and that means enacting uniform standards and restrictions on use of force, true oversight and transparency, and the elimination of special protections like qualified immunity the allow the police to use a badge as a shield from accountability in cases of brutality and abuse. We cannot give into false choices pitting our safety and freedom against one another. Whether an unlawful traffic stop, assault, every abuse must be accounted for. Legislators have codified our hurt and harm for generations, we must now codify our healing and justice in our lawmaking. Reforms thatto match the scale and scope of the systemic injustices we faced for centuries. This will not be easy, but i know that with your partnership we can realize justice for all. Chance for our a 10,000 strong black lives matter protest here in boston that was organized by one of our freedom runsers, monica grant, who violence in boston and we said, andmy life i had to fight we gonna be all right. I yield to my sister, johan omar. Thank you, congresswoman. Thank you all for this toortunity for us to convene our wonderful chairwoman for calling on us to come together and have these conversations. T is really important to all of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus who joined us yesterday as our community memorialized the life and the hurtions the death of georg george floyd has brought not only to minneapolis, but the nation. I join you for minneapolis, minnesota where my community is feeling lots of pain and hurt and is just beginning the process of healing. Yesterday we held a town hall conversation with our Community Organizers. Queer,olks, young, who joined us where we had our governors, our mayors, the senators, the state representatives, city council members, and where we all sat and listened to the voices of the community. To tell us what Police Brutality the devastation Police Brutality has caused in our donety, what neglect has to the black lives in minnesota, and what we should be doing as those who are interested to enact laws to uphold all of us. It has been 11 days since we lost george floyd due to a nether senseless act of racism by the hands of Police Officers. The latest example of Police Brutality and Excessive Force has caused deep, but not unfamiliar, pain. From slavery to lynching to jim crow, black people have been subjected to dehumanization since before this countrys founding. As a black immigrant i center myself in those voices and that spacey as i move in this of actively fighting for justice for all of us. Right now we are facing two pandemics the coronavirus and injustice. Both are disproportionately killing black americans. We know that being black in america makes you live by a different set of rules. Far too many times we have seen black men and black women be brutalized and killed by Law Enforcement with no consequences. Years removed30 from the rodney king incident and yet, black people are facing these injustices. Frustrated that we keep finding ourselves in these positions. Be the firstis step to healing. We all have a responsibility to implement real, systematic, and tangible criminal justice reforms on a national level. The network also needs to get done on a municipal and state level. Onm so glad my colleagues the Congressional Black Caucus are taking the lead as we push for bold actions that will andte Police Accountability us of the economic and social neglect our community. As faced our chanc our chance to dismantle the racism is real. Demonstrate only organized mandate to legislate, i am so glad that in this moment of hurt, this moment ofpain, there is a joining many voices across our country that finally are recognizing that if we not only make the lasting changes we need to make, we turn to the same place. We also have to be vigilant in the policies we implement because we know a few years back when the movement for black housesegan across state there were policies that were popping up to criminalize our right to protest. Justice, we have to make sure we are also systematically fighting policies that will be proposed to set us back. With that, i would like to recognize and introduce a young man who has been on the front lines in our Community Organizing for justice, tony williams, a black Community Organizer from minneapolis. Over the past five years he has been working with local groups to educate for safety be on Police Strategies in the twin cities. He is a graduate of Santa Clara University and he is also a prolific musician, broadcaster, and insulation artist. Tony and i have spent many nights in an encampment that was set in front of the fourth precinct over north minneapolis when the death of jamar clark in the hands of Police Officers, who were called to respond to a need, and took the life of a community member. Hearing whatd to he will share with us about the of black lives. Thank you so much. All forking to you minneapolis where we are consumed with grief and righteous rage and an understanding this moment needs to be the moment we turn away from these systems of domination that have constrained us black americans for so long. I want to tell you a story to it was a warm july day and they were black youth gathering on the north side of the city and they were brutally beaten by Police Officers. Later that night and male youth was in the district and was a attacked and beaten by an officer who tried to pull his gun and shoot. The youth was able to res wreste the gun away and rather than choosing to kill the officer, he threw the gun on the ground and ruran away. The word from the Police Department was that the youth started the incident. That was the story in the press the next day. A group of multiracial citizens had seen the truth, see the officer was the one that instigated the situation. They wrote an oped about it and placed in the paper. Night,cp gathered that the next night, and called for Police Reform. They said we need more diversity, we need more black women at the front of the Police Department, and we need better use of deescalation practices. The changes never came about. The story i am telling you took place in 1922. End of atting at the long arc of history, of the deep failure, to secure Public Health<\/a> crisis and an economic crisis, has impacted everyone, but disproportionately impacted in an adverse fashion the africanamerican community. In terms of pain, in terms of suffering, in terms of economic dislocation and in terms of death. And then, of course, youre dealing with the continued epidemic at the same time of Police Violence<\/a>, Police Brutality<\/a>, police abuse. Land. Ross the impacting every aspect of our lives. Shopping while black, george floyd. Black, Breonna Taylor<\/a>. Black, Ahmaud Arbery<\/a>. Are too numerous to mention. But those tragedies are a microcosm of what we confront in our communities on a daily basis. And we want to have a discussion about where we go from here. Congressional lack caucus is working hard to put forth the legislative package to respond to the moment that we are in and to finally bring some accountability and change to the manner in which our communities and every other community in is policed in america. This is a phenomena that has been with us year after year, decade after decade, century after century. That,struck by the fact as i conclude my opening observations, that i talk to my youngest sun the other day who brought me the video of george floyd being assassinated the minneapolis street, and wanted to go out and protest, which as a concerned father i had hesitations about, new it was the right thing to allow him to do, this young teenage africanamerican boy. I had to remind him of certain things. Make sure he has his school id. If he is harassed, or talked to, or mishandled in an appropriate fashion, use restraint, even if the abuse is disrespectful, because it could escalate in a manner that he could lose his life. He is being questioned or three put a document in front of him, dont signnything, dont cite anything. Why should i have to have that conversation the young africanamerican boy . I know mothers and fathers and grandfathers and grandmothers are having that conversation. Its a difficult thing i have to say. But i knew the words i had to say to him, why . Because when i was growing up in brooklyn in the 1980s and 1990s, i father said the exact same thing to me. And my grandfather said the fatherame thing to my when he was a teenage boy in newark italy 1950s. So this time will be different because of the young people who have taken to the streets. We hear you, we see you, we are you, and we are going to make a change. Its my honor to yield to the distinguished gentlelady of the great state of texas, a leading member of the Judiciary Committee<\/a> and the Homeland Security<\/a> committee and a champion for racial justice, Sheila Jackson<\/a> lee. Rep. Jackson lee mr. Chairman, thank you. I will remove my mask because i do it when im in the midst of my staff and to indicate, mr. Chairman, of where we are in these calamities, these catastrophic incidences in our lives. Chair,think our mighty congresswoman karen bass and my colleagues who are with me, my sister, my brother, and a very important guest that we have with us. Let me just think eleanor mark, thank youd up a a badge, but to hold up. That i wish i never had to see in my life. That is the document used yesterday for me joined the family of those in minneapolis, and when i say that the brothers and sisters and extended family members in neapolis to be able northrn as they go from carolina to houston. Catastrophic because as chairman jeffries indicated, it follows into the insult that we have suffered in our most recent series of months. 110it is also compounded by thousand dead from covid19. The fact that the administration failed to both know and prepare, created a heavy burden on those who already didnt have access to health care, africanamericans. And when people rush to Emergency Rooms<\/a> from the nations Public Housing<\/a> and from innercity neighborhoods, rural america, there were turned away. They were given an aspirin and turned away to die. Black people who did not have the right care, medical care that the government, the federal government should have been engaged in. So, when we talk about living black in america, there is a compounding of things. Not only did we have the circumstances that were rihannad in rihanna arbery andand ahmaud now, of course, the heinous killing, murder, slaughter of mr. Floyd, but we cant even birdwatching in central park. Because when we birdwatching in central park, someone is going to say, im going to call the police and tell them a black man is attacking us. In the United States<\/a> congress, Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> that is working every day to throw up and to stop between step between our amazing work in appropriations, our work on the Judiciary Committee<\/a> and just introduced h. R. 7100 the George Floyd Law<\/a> enforcement trust and integrity act, that is going to deeply embed in its new form into deep changes in the psyche of policing. So just let me close, we are working very hard and will encourage commentary on hr 40 two understand the very basis of this nation is built on the backs of slaves unpaid that built kotten as king and we cant seem to get rid of the disease of racism, covid19 and racism. Hopese with these words, i we will engage on this, which if there ever is a time now, the catastrophic restructuring of how africanamericans are treated. Listen to these words from a white house on a radio show. Our white people supposed to be embarrassed because of how we are born, speaking to White Privilege<\/a> . Are we supposed to be embarrassed because our dads worked overtime so we have enough . Are we supposed to be embarrassed because we didnt roam the streets because our parents didnt let us . This is privilege . Are we supposed to be embarrassed . Do we have a nation within a nation . Are these people occupiers and others occupied . Are we still talking about slavery in 2020 . If we do not stand solidly with each other and face goodwill and wood hearted americans that this is the time to save america, i believe that we will as well have asked our opportunity. You and im delighted to be a part of this and im delighted now even or so to yield to my sister , representative ayanna pressley, for opening remarks. Rep. Presley thank you. Centeri begin, i want to Breonna Taylor<\/a>, who was shot eight times and murdered. A frontline, essential worker whose birth they would have been today. She would have turned 27 years old. No more hashtags. George floyd, Breonna Taylor<\/a>, Ahmaud Arbery<\/a>, they should be trending waste upon their contributions to community, to the world, discovering a cure for cancer. We learned today from George Floyds<\/a> second grade teacher that he had written in a school essay that, when asked what he wanted to be in he grew up, he said a Supreme Court<\/a> justice. Im just returning from minneapolis, where i was humbled to join the floyd family and many embers of the congressional caucus, including my dear sister im a representative jackson lee, just spoke. And, of course, my sister in ilhaneleanor mark omar. There to witness previously for Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> visits, the black brilliance of the twin cities. I so deeply wish that the trip i took yesterday i did not have to take. I wish so deeply that this man was still alive. He should still be alive. And in a more just america, george floyd would be alive. They would all be alive. I have spent time with organizers who have indicated their lives to disapprove the pursuit of racial justice. I want to underscore a point i have been making recently, clarifying for some, just the fact of the matter for everyone who is participating in this town hall. Activists,ers, our represent a long line of organizing and activism and leshaking cable tableshaking and peaceful protesting, the ministrations while Holding Space<\/a> for our righteous rage and demanding radical change. Our organizers, our Community Builders<\/a> are not destroyers. They coopt the narrative and we will not allow it to happen. And so, it always feels good to travel from massachusetts to minneapolis, i wish i did not have to do it on this occasion and for this reason. My time spent in community visiting thriving black businesses, beating in black owned restaurants reminds me that until we dismantled the systems of oppression, all of our lives are at risk. What are we calling for . The protesting and demonstrating, the blueprint of the Civil Rights Movement<\/a> we are still in, is to organize, mobilize, and is to legislate. There will be unrest in our streets for as long as there is unrest in our lives. We are calling for deep, lasting, structural, legislative change because the death, destruction, denial of black people and our humanity is not new. Our lives have been devalued and delegitimizede for too long. Week marks the near century anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre<\/a> were for todays white mobs terrorized the greenwood district, destroying the wealthiest black community and robbing it of at least 300 lives. The massacre was one of the worst incidents of racist violence in our history and won the government denied for decades. The same way it always does the abuses we, as black folks, suffer. How we document these abuses has changed, but the instant to deny the experience has not. Guaranteeing we areods demise, experiencing a crisis within a crisis that is decimating our communities and we must respond and act accordingly. As a black woman married to a black man raising a black child i would very much like to pass on to my 11yearold daughter generational wisdom, generational wealth, generational joy instead of generational debt, trauma, and fear. I would love for her to live a life free from fear. I understand the pain of people taking to the streets. Minnesota, in massachusetts, folks want to be seen, they want to be heard because for too long, black and brown bodies have been profiled, policed, lynched, choked, brutalized and murdered at the hands of Police Officer<\/a>s. Disregard of impunity and without any retribution or consequences, we cannot allow these fatal injustices to go unchecked any longer. Congress needs to send a clear message and act now. There can truly be no justice for george floyd or Breonna Taylor<\/a> or any human being killed by Law Enforcement<\/a>, in a just world, they would still be here. Accountability and that means enacting uniform standards and restrictions on use of force, true oversight and transparency, and the elimination of special protections like qualified immunity the allow the police to use a badge as a shield from accountability in cases of brutality and abuse. We cannot give into false choices pitting our safety and freedom against one another. Whether an unlawful traffic stop, assault, every abuse must be accounted for. Legislators have codified our hurt and harm for generations, we must now codify our healing and justice in our lawmaking. Reforms thatto match the scale and scope of the systemic injustices we faced for centuries. This will not be easy, but i know that with your partnership we can realize justice for all. Chance for our a 10,000 strong black lives matter protest here in boston that was organized by one of our freedom runsers, monica grant, who violence in boston and we said, andmy life i had to fight we gonna be all right. I yield to my sister, johan omar. Thank you, congresswoman. Thank you all for this toortunity for us to convene our wonderful chairwoman for calling on us to come together and have these conversations. T is really important to all of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> who joined us yesterday as our community memorialized the life and the hurtions the death of georg george floyd has brought not only to minneapolis, but the nation. I join you for minneapolis, minnesota where my community is feeling lots of pain and hurt and is just beginning the process of healing. Yesterday we held a town hall conversation with our Community Organizer<\/a>s. Queer,olks, young, who joined us where we had our governors, our mayors, the senators, the state representatives, city council members, and where we all sat and listened to the voices of the community. To tell us what Police Brutality<\/a> the devastation Police Brutality<\/a> has caused in our donety, what neglect has to the black lives in minnesota, and what we should be doing as those who are interested to enact laws to uphold all of us. It has been 11 days since we lost george floyd due to a nether senseless act of racism by the hands of Police Officer<\/a>s. The latest example of Police Brutality<\/a> and Excessive Force<\/a> has caused deep, but not unfamiliar, pain. From slavery to lynching to jim crow, black people have been subjected to dehumanization since before this countrys founding. As a black immigrant i center myself in those voices and that spacey as i move in this of actively fighting for justice for all of us. Right now we are facing two pandemics the coronavirus and injustice. Both are disproportionately killing black americans. We know that being black in america makes you live by a different set of rules. Far too many times we have seen black men and black women be brutalized and killed by Law Enforcement<\/a> with no consequences. Years removed30 from the rodney king incident and yet, black people are facing these injustices. Frustrated that we keep finding ourselves in these positions. Be the firstis step to healing. We all have a responsibility to implement real, systematic, and tangible criminal justice reforms on a national level. The network also needs to get done on a municipal and state level. Onm so glad my colleagues the Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> are taking the lead as we push for bold actions that will andte Police Accountability<\/a> us of the economic and social neglect our community. As faced our chanc our chance to dismantle the racism is real. Demonstrate only organized mandate to legislate, i am so glad that in this moment of hurt, this moment ofpain, there is a joining many voices across our country that finally are recognizing that if we not only make the lasting changes we need to make, we turn to the same place. We also have to be vigilant in the policies we implement because we know a few years back when the movement for black housesegan across state there were policies that were popping up to criminalize our right to protest. Justice, we have to make sure we are also systematically fighting policies that will be proposed to set us back. With that, i would like to recognize and introduce a young man who has been on the front lines in our Community Organizing<\/a> for justice, tony williams, a black Community Organizer<\/a> from minneapolis. Over the past five years he has been working with local groups to educate for safety be on Police Strategies<\/a> in the twin cities. He is a graduate of Santa Clara University<\/a> and he is also a prolific musician, broadcaster, and insulation artist. Tony and i have spent many nights in an encampment that was set in front of the fourth precinct over north minneapolis when the death of jamar clark in the hands of Police Officer<\/a>s, who were called to respond to a need, and took the life of a community member. Hearing whatd to he will share with us about the of black lives. Thank you so much. All forking to you minneapolis where we are consumed with grief and righteous rage and an understanding this moment needs to be the moment we turn away from these systems of domination that have constrained us black americans for so long. I want to tell you a story to it was a warm july day and they were black youth gathering on the north side of the city and they were brutally beaten by Police Officer<\/a>s. Later that night and male youth was in the district and was a attacked and beaten by an officer who tried to pull his gun and shoot. The youth was able to res wreste the gun away and rather than choosing to kill the officer, he threw the gun on the ground and ruran away. The word from the Police Department<\/a> was that the youth started the incident. That was the story in the press the next day. A group of multiracial citizens had seen the truth, see the officer was the one that instigated the situation. They wrote an oped about it and placed in the paper. Night,cp gathered that the next night, and called for Police Reform<\/a>. They said we need more diversity, we need more black women at the front of the Police Department<\/a>, and we need better use of deescalation practices. The changes never came about. The story i am telling you took place in 1922. End of atting at the long arc of history, of the deep failure, to secure Police Reform<\/a>. Here in minneapolis we just anniversary ofh the minneapolis Police Department<\/a>s establishment. A group of Community Members<\/a> put together this report on a Performance Review<\/a> of the Police Department<\/a>. In order to take a look at the history of our department the president , and where we are oing, you can find that at the mpd150 website. When you look at the history of the Police Department<\/a>, especially in minneapolis, there is a clear pattern begins to emerge and that is one of reform, andtality, stagnation and backsliding. In almost every incident of Police Brutality<\/a> in minnesotas history it starts out where a system of racism and domination allows a Police Officer<\/a> to take the life of a person and usually a black or native person. The Community Rises<\/a> up and righteous outrage, sometimes peacefully, sometimes not. State, officials, local, and nationals demand justice to be taken. These reforms can look like diversity initiatives, deescalation initiatives, training,lth body cams, and we see they are ineffective or completely undone by the Police Department<\/a>. The cycle repeats. The pace slackens and everything goes back to business as usual until the next atrocity occurs. I myself have been involved in a movement for black lives for the last five years. Just in that time i have seen five highprofile Police Murders<\/a> in our city. , philando castile, justine damond, we have tried having conversations with officers. President obamas instituted it when he First Century<\/a> Police Department<\/a> and propped it up as a model of Effective Community<\/a> policing. It did not work. We had police chiefs, our first color andr woman of black police chief, say they were capable of reforming the system. They have failed and that is why, for the first time in our history, we are seeing Community Members<\/a> on the ground saying, no more reform, number deescalation, no more Critical Incident<\/a> training, no more body cameras, no more use of force policies. It is time for us to abolish the police. Our communities have gone noninvested in since our arrival 401 years ago. We know the reasons our has not been thriving is but do not have the resources. We should not be responding to Mental Health<\/a> crises with under resourcing and generations of trauma with military, white militarized enforcers, from outside the communities. Minneapolis, and and protesters have been calling for the last week, that we needed Better Safety<\/a> model and our elected officials are finally starting to listen. Time, and time again we have advocated peacefully, we have gone to the going to cityve got a cit Council Meetings<\/a> and said, the time is coming for us to create safety. Now we are saying the time has come. It is time for us to reexamine what Public Safety<\/a> looks like in america. Black lives matter. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for sharing with us your experience, your perspective, and your passion. It is my honor and privilege to introduce someone who is no stranger to all of us. She is an awardwinning journalist, a White House Correspondent<\/a> since the clinton administration, and she frequently speaks truth, questions power, and reports on it in an authentic and distinguished fashion. Baltimore. Tive of she represents the city well. She represents us, as africanamericans, incredibly well and she will speak on the importance of black journalism during this moment of pandemic, pain, this moment of physical distancing, and this moment of Police Violence<\/a> and injustice. I yield to april ryan. Thank you. It is an honor to be with you all today. Discussion is very important. One of the main reasons i believe this is an important moment for those on the call and those watching is we need to have this conversation and we need action. We have been talking for over 400 years and our voices have not been heard. We are bringing in the mix of the media. Baltimore woman from who happens to be a journalist i can no longer sit on the sidelines and just write the story. We are part of the story and we must be heard and we must speak up. It iss moment in time hard to watch my colleagues being taken into custody on national television. Threatened and beaten on the streets of not only minneapolis, but across the nation. It is hard to watch black reporters being talked down to like dogs at the white house. Faced this moment before. Lastve watched in the 1015 years the accountability piece of these videos starting with eric garner, freddie gray, trayvon martin, we heard trayvon martin. Moment, thist this moment. We are seeing reporters tear gassed, reporters beaten. We are the first line of reporting whether we are black, jewn, protestant, catholic, or gentile. Saidminds me of something by President Trump<\/a> at the very beginning of this administration when he had Police Officer<\/a>s flanked behind him talking about dont be nice. He was talking about dont be so bringing intoare custody immigrants and those ms13. The gang that reverberates in the streets of minneapolis, in the streets of chicago, in the streets of new york. It reverberates everywhere and as we have talked to so many manye across the nation people are saying in the Civil Rights Community<\/a> from the naacp to the urban league to reverend sharpton, it starts from the top. This president has considered us the enemy of the people. We are the first line of accountability. We were there when he held his bible at st. Johns the piscopo crowd so gas to he could take a picture. We were there to not only account what he did, but to see what the National Guard<\/a> was to peaceful protesters. I do not want to dwell on this because i want to go back to history. Document go back to 1968 because of violence in the streets after dr. Kings death. People were trying to understand why would this happen . How can we fix this issue . Aboutssue i want to talk that seem to not make any difference at the moment, but people have forgotten one piece. Chapter 15, the news media and the disorder. Bear with me for just one moment. Thehapter starts off, president asked what effect did the mass media have on the lives. The commission determined the answer to the question did not lie solely in the performance of the press. Our analysis had to consider the overall treatment by the media, negro ghetto, the poverty day by day, year in and year out. I am going to go further down. The recommendation at the time there with me. The conclusion talked about improving the coronation with police and reporting right news through advanced planning and cooperating with the police, the establishment of information centers, and development of mutually acceptable guidelines for right reporting and the conduct of leader personnel. It also talked about accelerating efforts to ensure accurate and responsible news throughracial adaptations by all news gathering organizations of stringent internal staff guidelines. There are guidelines that were put forth over 50 years ago. They were guidelines over 50 years ago so why are they not followed . It is a roughandtumble game and this is not a game. This is lifeanddeath. We see minority media reporting what is going on. Reportrent commission talks about how we are needed in the spaces. Purchases to be able to report on our community and we are being beaten. We are not allowed to do our jobs and the blueprint is they are. It is not being followed. Heart to watch my fellow journalists, my , put into the constitution not knowing we would be here. All of the reporters who would be brutalized during this critical moment in history, but we are part of the Fourth Amendment<\/a> and we thank you so much for allowing to have a voice for the voiceless who are out on the front lines trying to cover the story for us, to hold accountable the president , and all that need to deal with Police Brutality<\/a> and beyond. Thank you. I just spotlighted your video for everyone. April,k you very much, foufor focusing on the challenges you have faced. Theare a valuable voice for black community. Toni as well for the powerful sometimes the word powerful falls flat when peoples lives have been lost. Everyone is to be free with peace and dignity in this nation and treated with the dignity they deserve. Alexander, i know you are well aware of this journey. We have taken it together, we have worked together. You have appeared before the Judiciary Committee<\/a> on these very issues. I do not know why we are in the deja vu circle, but i am grateful you continue to be engaged with the issues of change,eform, systemic catastrophic changes needed. As i introduce you mean reinforce the fact there are young men and women like toni who have said to this nation nothing less than what dr. King said. You served as a federal security , you served as the deputy commissioner, chief of police, and held several leadership roles. He began his Law Enforcement<\/a> career in 1977 and was a Law Enforcement<\/a> officer in florida for 15 years. He is a former National President<\/a> of the National Organization<\/a> of black Law Enforcement<\/a> executives. I met him through those activities and he now is a Law Enforcement<\/a> analyst for cnn. Dr. Alexander, i want to welcome you. It is good to see a friend and we thank you for participating with us here today. Welcome. It is a very difficult time and thank you for having me to the entire Congressional Black Caucus<\/a>. It is great to see you as well, congresswoman. When we think about policing in this country who have to go back to the beginning of policing. It has always been a challenge, right from the beginning, at the inception of police in this country. Communities of color, Police Department<\/a>s, have had this challenge over the years. This is not a new phenomenon. This is a continuation of history in which we are still to come out of. Let me say this. Andn talk about the history relationships between police and communities across this country, but for all of those listening and watching, you have your own stories to tell, your own history to tell. It is where we are right now in this present moment and where we are going over the last 30 years ive held a number of positions and lead people through hard times, Police Involved<\/a> shootings, you name it. I have been in charge of it. Appears,oes on it just in my career, that nothing gets better. Led recent history that into the culmination of the most , went murder of mr. Floyd got back to just a few weeks ago. Today, theory, Ahmaud Arbery<\/a> case. We saw a young black man jogging through a neighborhood which he had the right to do as a citizen in this country. He is chased down by two men and a pickup truck and it turned out to be three involved. He was shot and killed in front of us. Upt would have been covered by the incestuous relationship people were having with the das office in that county. We have seen that many times before. If that was not enough, Breonna Taylor<\/a> a no knock warrant that should never have been issued. She loses her life in the middle of the night. Then there was a case in central park. Birdwatching, and a woman who decides she did not want to take any direction from him in regards to tying up her dog. We have seen that before. She gets on her phone and she dials 911 and says there is an africanamerican man that is attacking me. We all watched that very differently in color. That is reminiscent of our history as well because we can take that back to the thousands of lack men in this country who have lost their lives because someone said, a white woman said, they were being sexually assaulted and all it took was an allegation. Wouldpe was that somebody show up and arrest him. What would have been funny as to africanamerican show up, what would be her response . She weaponized her being female and her whiteness and attempted to do harm to him. We have seen that so many times before. If that was not enough, on may 25 we watched a man murdered right in front of us who had surrendered to authorities, who laid on his stomach, handcuffed, and his neck was crushed and he died right in front of us. We do not have to go back 100 years in history. We can stay in present history and see the need for Police Reform<\/a> is long overdue. During my tenure and that of many chiefs across this country we have made all efforts we could and we continue to make those efforts to make a change in this country. There must be Police Reform<\/a>. It must come from a federal level. It must come from a state and local level as well, but it is going to take communities across this country to stand up. What i think is very different about where we are in this movement, because this is not a protest, this is a global movement, a stand for righteousness, because those ,our men who murdered mr. Floyd they have no soul, they had no respect for humanity. I wonder how they ever made it on the Police Department<\/a>. It also suggested a larger systemic problem they have within the Minneapolis Police<\/a> if theynt because can be that mean and hateful, what do they do when there are no cameras . What kind of system inside that department that holds those personalities in place but minneapolis is not the only one that could use an internal look i have encouraged. Chiefs and sheriffs to look inside your organization, find your blind spots and if you cannot, have somebody come in and do it for you. Heres what i know. If you do not have the compassion, you do not have an understanding or sincere affection toward humanity, if you do not care for people, if you do not love people, if you are full of hate, i cannot train that to you. Whenome with compassion you come into Public Service<\/a> or you dont. I cannot teach you that at the police academy. What we have got to do is go back to the course of history of policing in this country and look at what we can do better. Recruit, butho we how we are recruiting. I need to know more than the criminal history and driving record. I need more than that. I need to know if they have a sense of compassion and love for people. If they are being guardians, not warriors. The Community Want<\/a> guardians. They want relationships with the people who serve them, who protect them and their property, and we know it is challenging. There are dangerous people out there and they have to be confronted, but it is so much easier to do when you have a Police Department<\/a> and Community Working<\/a> together. Historically, we made some gains, but recently, we have set back 100 years. Forward ito move would encourage all of you to do i would say to the young men who opened this, president obama, after the death in ferguson, he employed 11 persons from this country and i was privileged to be one of them but after the death in ferguson, we were tasked within 60 days to produce a document that would become a roadmap to developing and guiding this country into developing relationships between police and community. We had nothing. There was no documentation, there was no roadmap, there was no gps, there was nothing. 2014 after the death of Michael Brown<\/a> we have to come up with something and we were given 90 days to do. We talked to thousands of people , 2015 werch 2 delivered that document at the white house. It has been utilized across this country and federal money went behind it. Body worn cameras as you see them today the most of Police Employee<\/a> were a result of that document along with other recommendations. A new administration came into play. When the administration came into play they took that document and they put it on a shelf, throw in the garbage can. Later, with no gps, no guidance, no roadmap, is how to build those relationships. Is take thatto do document off the shelf, dusted off, and put it back into play because it did prove to be a benefit. There are hundreds of chiefs across this country who would tell you that and some to this day employee the recommendations that are made. Oy thel recommendations that are made. I am in this fight. I am bringing 40 years of experience and i am a black man every day i wake up. I am in this fight to make Law Enforcement<\/a> a better place for those who are employed in that profession, those who are out there giving 100 of everything they can do, but theyve got to come in behind what we just saw. We are not going to give up on 1000because i can tell you men and women out there who are Police Officer<\/a>s, their husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, they believe in what is right. We are going to support them and the them by reforming environment in which they work in. Thank you very much and i look forward to any questions you may have. Thank you very much, dr. Alexander, for your thoughtful articulation of some of the things that need to be considered as we move forward. It is my honor and privilege to introduce our final panelist and then we will have an opportunity to proceed to a question and answer time. I think everyone who has joined us for this town hall meeting which is one in a series of town halls we have been having on the state of black america since the covid19 pandemic struck under the leadership of our chair. We know that in social movements across the country and throughout the world, including the Civil Rights Movement<\/a> here in the United States<\/a> of america, the Antiapartheid Movement<\/a> that liberated south africa, it was young people at the forefront. Just as we see young people throughout communities in america at the forefront of raising their voices in such a profound and meaningful way, demanding racial, social, and economic justice. It is my honor to introduce Tiffany Lofton<\/a> who is the youth director of the naacp. In that capacity she works closely with over 700 different high councils, school groups, as well as college groups. Young people who are interested in making america a better place as tiffany is doing. It is my honor to yield to Tiffany Lofton<\/a> for her thoughts. Thank you very much. Thank everyrst single one of the speakers who spoke before me, but especially the black caucus members who are defending and fighting for protection, liberation, and safety for all of our people. Binarythere is often a between elected officials and Community Members<\/a>, but i know i know have been you personally enough to know it is better when we Work Together<\/a>. I appreciate not only the opportunity to address everyone here, but i want to acknowledge the dedication of our elected officials, especially black elected officials, who care deeply about us and are facing the challenges of dealing with a administration that does not care. Your work and bravery is inspirational at this moment. Me, being on a call like this friday evening when it is a Beautiful Day<\/a> outside would definitely cause you to fall into a little bit of a depression. Pause andit of a before i begin my remarks i want to see icu, i hear you, and you are not alone. Racism and White Supremacy<\/a> on steroids, and i say that explicitly because i have been watching videos on cnn and instagram all day long, living in the violence is not easy so i am asking you all to make sure you taking care of yourselves, make sure you are reaching out and asking for help because without you, we are unable to continue the important work of freedom fighting. You do not have to worry about the fear of missing out. We do not want to miss you, so please take care of yourself. My job is simple. I want to give you three quick things we need to do. The things that are going to solve White Supremacy<\/a> otherwise we wouldve done it already, but they are three important things i do not want to lose sight of in the middle of Incredible Movement<\/a> building that has been happening over the last couple of days. Think the reminder for these items i have for us are essential to making sure we do in trendsny mistakes we have seen losing Community Members<\/a> to violence. I was three years old when rodney king was murdered in 1991. Have31 years old and we uplifted a lot of names on todays panel discussion, but i tony to uplift 2 mcdade, there was a iyearold first grader am reminded that i did not get into my activism until i got into college. Forced children who are to live in this moment of trauma earlyeate an analysis too when they should be watching cartoons and celebrating summer break. I have two nephews who are eight years old and nine years old or so politically charged right now not only around the comments, the tweets, and the actions of commanderinchief, but also the tough discussion theyre having with their peers about Police Violence<\/a> and black lives matter. That is not fair for any of us. It has longterm traumatic impacts on our community. Acknowledge that what we are watching over this weekend in terms of protests is not foreign to us. The whole country was in flames in 2014 after the murder of Michael Brown<\/a>. , the important take away is for everybody to make sure that after you build community, after you go outside for a protest i went to one on thursday after you return back home and make sure you washer close after covid19, i need you to make sure you find a political home you can belong to. A political home is a space where you are able to strengthen your Organization Skills<\/a> and leadership, a place where you are able to work with likeminded people on an agenda to improve your community, a political home is a place like the naacp, but if you do not join the naacp, join black lives matter, united we dream, movement for black lives, the new york gathering for justice, join Los Angeles Community<\/a> Coalition Created<\/a> by karen bass. There are hundreds of organizations you can choose from, but i need you to choose a political home because you cannot do this work alone. We cannot destroy political systems that oppress our people, people who look like you and me, by ourselves. We have to do this in community with each other and the only way we can make sure we continue the of aure is by being part Political Organization<\/a> that will help you do that and give you the space to work with other likeminded people toward that collective strategy. That is the first take away. If you are not part of a political home, you have work to do after this call. The second is simply to take action. I do not mean donate, attend a memorial service, tweet, change your avatar, or put a blackout square for your instagram. What i mean is simple. Naacp work with the university of minneapolis, the first black student body president , and she wrote a letter to her chancellor and region asking them to break the relationship between the police and school to keep students on campus safe. The students are paying to keep them on campus and when that happens, whether it is sexual assault, hate crime, or protest and police show up, they do not always have to listen to the university in terms of protocol. They are allowed to do whatever it is they are able to do. There is a lack of accountability and the role has no the university has no role. She wrote another responding letter saying they were going to break the relationship between the department of police and the school. Superintendent of portland Public Schools<\/a> tweeted, the time is now. With new proposed investments in direct student support, social workers, counselors, partnerships and programs, i am discontinuing the regular presence of resource officers. We need to reexamine a. Lationship with ppd i have petitions from the university of colorado boulder, albany university, Florida Agricultural<\/a> and mechanical university, foot estate, schools across the country are not. Aiting for the Justice System<\/a> we are taking action so another george floyd does not happen in our own community. We do not know if schools coming back in the fall, but when it does, we need to make sure it is safer black students and Community Members<\/a>. If you are interested in how to write that letter or petition, the naacp has a toolkit that you can find on our website and we are all in support to making sure you have what you need to do the Proper Research<\/a> and ask yourself the Smart Questions<\/a> of what exists and what does not exist and what you need to do to regulate the use of force. We talk a lot about voting. Im going to show it to you all so you believe me. On tuesday. I voted there we go. Voting is necessary. But it isefficient, necessary. If we knew we had a better District Attorney<\/a> in georgia, the white vigilantes that murdered Ahmaud Arbery<\/a> wouldve been arrested. The reason we were able to get such a quick arrest in minneapolis is because it elected strong leaders. Across the country i do not want us to wait for what the white house will tell us to do. I do not want us to wait for what the next president will tell us to do. I want to make sure we have relationships with people we elected to serve the people in office in our midterm elections, the balla races, district governors,mayors, representatives and senators. That is necessary for us. We cannot have a strategy that withouthout wins having political power. Once we vote we have got to hold folks accountable. The protests will last for a few days. The election on november 3 will a few hours. Holding accountable officials is a 3625 job. 365 job. I need folks to make sure they hold folks accountable. If you are outraged because of george floyd, but do not know who your mayor is or cit city councilmember is, or state attorney, or chief of police have a bigger problem that what we are talking about. Toeed folks on a local level vote for their community. I am so inspired by the young people i am seeing across the country. By theo inspired because we are using ns folks, wantra to pay attention. Americas needed to go instruction a long time. Im honored to be a part of this movement and thankful to be invited to this conversation. Thank you. Thank you very much, tiffany, for laying that out in such a thoughtful fashion. We will have the opportunity for a few questions in the time we have remaining. Moderatorover to our to begin the question and answer period. I think everyone of you for joining us on this town hall. Thank you, chairman jeffries. We have Great Questions<\/a> that have come in. I will begin with what do you suggest we do to ensure the tragic death of george floyd and others turns into a movement and not just a moment . That question is open to the panelists. I will briefly respond by saying i think it was ron walters, the great Political Science<\/a> professor and director of Political Science<\/a> at Howard University<\/a> who once said, the difference between a movement is sacrifice. Sacrifice is required. I think what we have seen from the young people that have taken to the streets as they recognize sacrifice, in terms of day to and toes, is important make sure those voices are heard at every level of government. The Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> is prepared to act. We have heard your cries. Your crafting legislation in record speed. Weve talked to nancy pelosi who was deferred to the National Black<\/a> caucus on this issue. We expect that legislation to address Police Accountability<\/a> and violence will be unveiled early next week that will be comprehensive in nature and a bill will be brought to the floor by representatives before the end of the month. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Is next question we have what will be the next steps from leaders in the black caucus to ensure a change takes place among Law Enforcement<\/a> and the powers that be . Let me yield to Sheila Jackson<\/a> lee who has been a leader on this issue. Chairman, thank you so very much. Weve clearly been at the forefront of these issues. The house Judiciary Committee<\/a> has been at the forefront and i am grateful both chairman jeffries and myself served with john conyers and chairman nadler. It has been the mindset of the house Judiciary Committee<\/a> to know that we have serious concerns. Goal is to have a legislation marked up and presented to the Florida House<\/a> by the end of the month. This coming wednesday you can log on to our house Judiciary Committee<\/a> hearing on Police Reform<\/a>, Police Accountability<\/a>. That is the terminology i would like to use. It is going to be a gambit. Building, thete mount everest, whatever you want to call it which would include the legislation dealing with prohibiting chokeholds, ensuring body cams are universal, and national and requirements, to ensuring the Law Enforcement<\/a> integrity legislation has a new protocol for policing through accreditation, through definitions for Excessive Force<\/a>, the duty to intervene and the lack of punishment of individuals because they are black. The idea that anything we want officers to go home go to their families. We want citizens to go home. We want Breonna Taylor<\/a> to have lived. So we are going to be looking at parts of 21st century policing. I think it is very important we have a front end solution and back and solution, which is the punishment solution. This example speaks to Police Accountability<\/a> and what dr. Alexander said, mr. Chairman. Isperament, temperament crucial. Police officers, firefighters, sanitation workers, our public servants, and they do the best when they have a sense of duty in their work. Hear anful was it to black grandmother was shot in a protest in california . , as iinful was it conclude, to see a 75yearold that did not happen to be from the African American<\/a> community, in buffalo new york, pushed to the ground, bleeding from the head, and when an officer attempted to render aid, that person was pushed away. Aid may bee injured, a matter of seconds, as it was with george floyd when citizens were begging for his life. We are going to look at every aspect of policing. I want to listen to tony, i want to listen to the valuable work of tiffany and the naacp, but i think our legislation will be comprehensive. My singular point on that is the question has to be where will be the body politic to tell leader macconnell that he cannot block legislation anymore . Where will be that body politic . I hope it will be gathering as we speak, peaceful, but forceful that congress has to act. I yield back. Inc. You, congresswoman Sheila Jackson<\/a> lee. We have a specific question for mr. Alexander what role do they play and the problems of police and the community . Mr. Alexander, you are on. Unions innc. About general. The unions are there to make work,hat employees that members of the union have an opportunity to have good salaries, good benefits and safe working conditions, etc. Police unions in this country have one responsibility solely and that is to take care of the membership. Unfortunately, often times, what we see, we may see departments and chiefs who want to old those relationships with community, but then you have an event occur in which an officer now has been involved in some incident that has evolved to everyones attention. Often times, what people see, that will see a union stand up for officers any field many people feel they should not serve and many officers are dismayed by the fact that some of its membership are being protected and guarded by unions and try to protect them when they commit very egregious acts. So unions are challenging because their goal is to protect their membership at all costs. We have to begin to look at within your state, particularly if you live in a unionized state. It is a lot of laws and policies are written into what their bill of rights are and that becomes even more challenging. Piece, buthallenging unions dont necessarily work in the interest of the community. They work in the interest of their membership. But i want to add one other thing in regards to the initiative i know the congressional back Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> is going to move forward in terms of trying to create reform throughout Police Department<\/a>s. There are a couple of things i , chairman jeffries and congresswoman jackson lee, we have to look at police certifications. Have been fired from one jurisdiction, they need note decertified so they do go to another agency and get a job stop we saw this in a case in cleveland with 12yearold tamir rice, the officer that shot and killed him had been problematic in another department, but as i understand it was hired and may be should not have ever been. We cannot allow bad Police Officer<\/a>s because good Police Officer<\/a>s dont want it either, 1 officers being passed from one department to another who have been problematic in one case. That is not right. It does not promote kelly it does not promote policing in the community whatsoever and those men and women who are out there doing their very best, trust me, they dont want them around either. I would be more than glad to work with you because i think there are some other things we need to explore in terms of those initiatives. Of course, how we hire is going to be hugely important. We need to look at how they are being trained and look at how they are being supervised and , what are the Accountability Measures<\/a> utilized to show officers progressing in their careers in terms of behavior, etc. There are a lot of things internally in organizations, police union organizations, that need to be challenged. Thank you. We have one last question and then well go to Closing Remarks<\/a>. This question is to tiffany. What is your suggestion with replacing the Police Presence<\/a> in schools . I support you and i am in full agreement. Tiffany i do not know if the person who asked is going to be excited about my answer because my job as a National Organizer<\/a> is to support folks on the ground in every School Across<\/a> the country is different. So the decision from the superintendent in portland, oregon, decided they wanted to break the relationship with Campus Safety<\/a> officers. I trust the people on the ground are able to make the smartest decision to keep their Community Safe<\/a> and come up with create of ways to support the implementation creative ways to support the implementation. Alvin he Universitys Albany<\/a> university is writing to say there have been Police Officer<\/a>s who have done terrible things and they want to hold them accountable including student voices. There system now is done without Student Input<\/a> and they want shared governance. So our toolkit is not calling for one solution, and the relationship with school boards, districts high schools or colleges. They are to be different. When i could to jackson, mississippi, at an elementary school, and students have to walk through a metal detector and have their backpacks searched, and have security on campus walking in the hallways and off campus police, that is a different experience from what kids get a new york citys im Walking Around<\/a> and students do not have to go through a metal detector. Or when im in southeast washington, d. C. And they do have to go through a metal detector, or my school and high score we had lockdowns every day because one student brought gone to campus. So there is not one solution we are calling for but we are asking people to do the hard work of answering questions we have in our toolkit. A good resource for folks, 8cantwait. Org my friends at Campaign Zero<\/a> have launched a campaign we are sharing with audience and members to understand the responsibility of protecting students at schools and protecting the community and what the police force is allowed to do. There are eight criteria and they have graded every Police Station<\/a> across the country. There are multiple ways to get involved in this campaign. It is not just from a student level. And it is not my job to say what every School Across<\/a> the country should do so im looking to the members are experts in the field to make those calls. Thank you. We will not go to Closing Remarks<\/a> from congresswoman Sheila Jackson<\/a> lee and then chairman hakeem jeffries. Rep. Jackson lee thank you very much. Let me express enormous appreciation for the Congressional Black Caucus<\/a>, 55 strong 57 members, and it will continue to grow. And to acknowledge that chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> for the vision of dealing with america where america is today which is in crisis. Thank you to congresswoman presley and congresswoman omar and congresswoman omar in the moment she is in history and the healing she is engaging in the fight she is engaging with her community for them to know she is standing by them. And to acknowledge april ryan for her visionary pioneering for the work she has to do. And acknowledging tony who presented a challenging statement that look forward to getting to know him more. And as well, thank you, tiffany, for bringing us together around action items, and leading in the naacp as the director for the youth and colleges division. That is a place of great history, and people i knew in those positions. I hope i said dr. Alexander. I started out reading from a host that has now Gone National<\/a> from houston, texas, who was able to spew hateful talk under the guise of freedom of speech. That really captured what our challenges are going to be. When we speak of White Privilege<\/a>, which is real, and we have the kind of hateful talk coming from a white person, who has no good intentions regarding anyone of color, any immigrant, status and on status, who has brutalized those of us who are africanamerican elected officials, and continues to spew hate on the nations airwaves, and that was the story of saying, are we supposed to be embarrassed because our families work . Our dads worked overtime . Our parents did not tell us to be in the street. We scraped up ourselves and we made a difference. Are we to be embarrassed . This is white person speaking in contrast that our dads do not work, our families do not Stay Together<\/a>. He indicated their family Stay Together<\/a> in good times and bad times. The tragedy of it is, he says that without anyone reprimanding or speaking from the Broader Community<\/a> in this nation. This is not to say we work every day with the best and most loving and caring members of congress and in our communities are loving and caring people. But by living lack in america we have to look at the many burdens we carry. And we must also engage the Larger Community<\/a> of white americans. I hope during this period of great outpouring of affection and love, as we begin to push legislation that may be controversial, as we look to ensuring and insisting on body cameras and having civilian review bars and establishing standards of ending Excessive Force<\/a>, and ensuring you have a duty to intervene at a duty to serve and save, to ensure you do not punish people because of the color of their skin, see going to neighborhoods and just stop African American<\/a>s for nothing, or you pull black College Students<\/a> from morehouse and spelman out of cars and you tase them or kill a 12 euro boy 12 year old boy. We are going to have to put hard legislation on the table and we are going to need our colleagues from across the nation, the United States<\/a> congress, who are of different backgrounds who are white and who are in the try caucus. Tricaucus. We are going to need to have the people dictate to the United States<\/a> senate, not mitch mcconnell. And we are going to have to have people who do not look like us on this afternoons messaging, to speak against a hateful speech that is coming about, through the killings of ahmed aubrey, Brionna Taylor<\/a> and the outright murder of george floyd. We are working on an enormous agenda and i look forward to that agenda being propelled. I close my remarks by indicating that it is never easy to go against the wind. The Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> from its founding went against the wind, the storms, we follow the words of my angelo, to show me who you are. That is who you are. For those who show you who they are in the course of wrongness for the Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> who have shown you who we are for decades, never faltering in the time of a storm. It takes the Congressional Black Caucus<\/a> to put forward legislation that immediately response is horrific hatefulness, critiquing and dislike. But i am grateful to say that 126 members of the Democratic Caucus<\/a> from all backgrounds, have signed on to hr 40. Hr 40 for 30 years has been the recipient of speech of dislike, and wondering what black people are thinking. Reparation . Is there ever a moment in history if there is ever a moment in history for this constructive legislation to be signed by the president of the United States<\/a> by a president of the United States<\/a> because when congress acts, the nation changes its laws. Maybe not its hard heart, 1964 for the Civil Rights Act<\/a> and in 1955 for the Voting Rights<\/a> act. They made a difference. When congress acts, a different can be made. The systemic response to racism in this nation starts with many legislative initiatives. It starts with reparations to cover the systemic response that we need. So i wish to close on that note. Frederick douglass saying, there is no power without struggle. And Sojourner Truth<\/a> who said, aint i a woman . I have borne 13 children and seen almost all sold into slavery. Aint i a woman . We take it as harmony, as family and is a victory for justice for all. I thank you for the opportunity to participate in this town hall meeting this afternoon. Thank you, mr. Chairman, for your leadership. Chair jeffries thank you, congresswoman Sheila Jackson<\/a> lee. I want to thank my other colleagues in government, their presence and their fierceness on the cause of justice has been a breath of fresh air. We are thank full for them. To tony and to tiffany and to dr. Alexander. We appreciate your presence and your thoughtfulness in the way you have laid things out as we move forward through this twin storm the Public Health<\/a> crisis of covid19 as well as the storm of injustice that continues to engulf our community. I want to think those of you who have joined this town hall meeting. There will be others as we move forward. This is a long march to justice. But we will not abandon course or change course. Until we are able to accomplish the mission. The twin pillars of our democracy are protest on the one hand and voting on the other. Protests, embodied in the constitution, our freedom of the speech, our freedom of assembly and our freedom of expression. The freedom to petition authority, is in the dna of the country. Then, of course, voting, as part of the principal of government of the people, by the people and for the people. We see that with attorney general keith ellison. Andre thankful he is there we will pursue justice on behalf of the family of george floyd, respect to the four officers who have now been charged. Continue to protest. Protest peacefully your voices are being heard. We stand with you. And continue to vote. Give us the ability to legislate change on your behalf. Thank you for joining us. God bless you. God bless the Congressional Black Caucus<\/a>. God bless the United States<\/a> of america. Have a safe weekend. This week, former president s jimmy carter, bill clinton, george w. Bush, and barack obama made statements surrounding the killing of george floyd in minneapolis. Here is what they had to say, from president carter dehumanizing people debases us all. Humanity is beautifully and almost infinitely diverse. The bonds are common amenity must overcome the divisiveness of our fear and president prejudices. President clinton remarked 57 years ago, dr. King remarked that his for little children would be judged by the not the color of their skin but the content of their character. Today, that dream seems out of reach and we will not reach it if we treat people of color with the assumption they are less than human. Bill clinton says this tragedy in a long series of tragedies raises a question how do we end systemic racism in our society . The only way to see ourselves and our true light is to hear the voices of those who are hurting and grieving. Those who set out to silence those voices do not understand the meaning of america or how it becomes a better place. President obama, who delivered his message on social media said it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or station, including the majority of men and women in Law Enforcement<\/a> who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every day, to Work Together<\/a> to create a new normal in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institution or our hearts. You can read the entire statements from the former president online at cspan. Org. Washington journal every day. We are taking your calls on the air on the news of the day and will discuss policy issues that impact you. Sunday morning, former member of the obama administrations task policing21st century discusses Reform Efforts<\/a> in the wake of George Floyds<\/a> death. Former Trump Administration<\/a> administrator talks about the human and financial cost of shutting down the u. S. Economy over coronavirus years. Livewashington journal at 7 00 eastern on sunday morning. Join the discussion with your phone calls, facebook comments, text messages, and tweets. Join the discussion. This week, the house and senate will hold hearings on the federal response to the coronavirus and Law Enforcement<\/a> accountability. Tuesday, at 2 30 p. M. , live on cspan, secretary of aber Eugene Scalia<\/a> testifies for the Senate Finance<\/a> committee on the cares act and the role of Unemployment Insurance<\/a> during the coronavirus pandemic. Wednesday, at 10 00 a. M. Eastern on cspan, the house Judiciary Committee<\/a> hearing on policing practices on Law Enforcement<\/a> and account ability. Also live on cspan3, the secretary of treasury testifies before the Senate Small Business<\/a> committee on the implementation of title i of the cares act. Watch this week live tuesday and ,ednesday on cspan and cspan3 online at cspan. Org or listen for free on the cspan radio app. Next, hearing on protecting Voting Rights<\/a> during the coronavirus pandemic. The house judiciary subcommittee on the constitution, civil rights, and Civil Liberties<\/a> heard from the fair fight action chair, stacey abrams, michigan secretary of state jocelyn benson, do Judicial Watch<\/a> member tom fenton and aclu Voting Rights<\/a> director, dale ho. This is to and a half hours. Start this session with a prayer. Ourselves infind very trying times in this country. Sick,ld ask those who are to heal them, those who have lost loved ones, you give them , forand faith and solace those who have lost their jobs , dont haveg nutrition or opportunities to take care of their families, we will get through this, times will be better","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"archive.org","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"800","height":"600","url":"\/\/ia803208.us.archive.org\/8\/items\/CSPAN_20200606_164600_Congressional_Black_Caucus_Holds_Town_Hall_on_Race\/CSPAN_20200606_164600_Congressional_Black_Caucus_Holds_Town_Hall_on_Race.thumbs\/CSPAN_20200606_164600_Congressional_Black_Caucus_Holds_Town_Hall_on_Race_000001.jpg"}},"autauthor":{"@type":"Organization"},"author":{"sameAs":"archive.org","name":"archive.org"}}],"coverageEndTime":"20240716T12:35:10+00:00"}

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