The deaths of these aforementioned black men and black women span 30 years – 30 years of grieving families, peaceful protests, riots, knees on football fields and pleas to lawmakers for change. Countless others from this period remain unnamed, yet their deaths still haunt our communities all the same. From the end of slavery in the 1860’s until the modern day, blacks in the United States continue to live in fear of racial violence and police brutality.
With the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, this volcano of racial angst exploded. For years this current of racial tension flowed just under the crust of the country. Small towns and megalopolises alike dealt with the consequences of police brutality and the murders of unarmed black citizenry in the streets and in their homes. The ashes from this eruption now cover every aspect of American life. Police precincts, stores and neighborhoods burn across our nation. The cries of the oppressed ring in the streets from city to city and town to town. Out of the shadows of subjugation the unheard now stand, heard.
Many Americans sit aghast at the current strife ripping through the country, but President Abraham Lincoln watched America tear itself apart during the U.S. Civil War. President Lincoln wisely noted “A house divided against itself, cannot stand,” and that our government could not “endure permanently half slave and half free”. Lincoln understood a secret regarding American success. He knew the strength of the country rested in the diversity of its population. Lincoln knew racial relations and the treatment of blacks tied inexorably with America’s trajectory. With the exception of Native Americans and black slaves brought to the New World, all demographic groups in this country emigrated from their homes here in search of a better life. Our combined contributions lifted skyscrapers and planted the American flag on the moon.
With police brutality now again steeping the country in a crisis of consciousness, how will you stand to unite our house? How will you speak for our murdered black men and women? How will you ensure not one more name etches into the morbid list of blacks killed through racial injustices and at the hands of the police?
Will you get INVOLVED?
Will you sign the PETITION?
Will you VOLUNTEER?
Will you DONATE?
What Will YOU Do?
- GO VOTE!
State Primary Dates*
June 2: New Mexico / Rhode Island / Pennsylvania / Maryland / South Dakota / Indiana / Montana / Washington, D.C.
June 9: West Virginia / Georgia / Nevada / South Carolina / North Dakota
June 23: New York / Kentucky / Mississippi / Virginia / North Carolina / Virginia
June 30: Colorado / Oklahoma / Utah
July 7: Delaware / New Jersey
July 11: Louisiana
July 14: Alabama / Maine / Texas
August 4: Arizona / Kansas / Michigan / Missouri / Washington /
August 6: Tennessee
August 8: Hawaii
August 11: Minnesota / Vermont / Wisconsin
August 18: Alaska / Florida / Wyoming
September 1: Massachusetts
September 8: New Hampshire
Federal & State Elections Date*: November 3
*See: National Conference of State Legislatures for a full listing: https://www.ncsl.org/ or https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/2020-state-primary-election-dates.aspx
- PRO BONO LEGAL RESOURCES FOR ARRESTED PROTESTERS
Atlanta – The Law Office of Lawrence J. Zimmerman – www.atlantanotguilty.com lawjzimm@gmail.com – (404) 351-3000
Georgia Justice Project (GJP) – (404) 827-0027
Fulton County Public Defender – (404) 612-5200 – www.fultoncountyga.gov
The Bruce Firm – www.brucefirmllc.com – 770.841.6589 – info@thebrucefirmllc.com
Cumberland Law Group LLC – Managing Attorney, Alex Mitchell – (678) 385-5953 – info@cumberlandlawatlanta.com
Austin – Kimbrough Legal, PLLC – (833) 553-4251 – www.kimbroughlegal.com – attorney@kimbroughlegal.com
Baltimore – Baltimore Action Legal Team – info@baltimoreactionlegal.org – www.baltimoreactionlegal.org
Charlotte – The Corbett Law Firm – (704) 401-5299
The Snow Legal Group – (704) 358-0026
Chicago – Henderson Banks Law – (312) 741-0981 www.hendersonbankslaw.com
Dallas – The Crockett Law Firm, PLLC – (469) 527-4100 or (870) 774-2989
Daytona Beach – Attorney, Arthur Huggins – (844) 484-4467
District of Columbia – LPJ Legal PLLC – info@lpjlegal.com 202-643-6211 – www.lpjlegal.com
The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia – (800) 341-2582
Jackson Legal Services – (240) 763-7529
Che C. Rogers, Attorney and Counselor at Law, PLLC – (703) 865-6353
Hasina Lewis, Attorney at law – (703) 596-5207
Denver – Colorado Legal Defense Group – Attorney Jason Ross – (303) 222-0333 – Jason@cldg.legal
Houston – The Dawson Thomas Law Group – joy@dawsonthomaslaw.com – www.dawsonthomaslaw.com
Jacksonville – Attorney Brittany Herdon – 904-290-3476
Kansas City – Attorney Natasha Scruggs – (816) 203-0732
Miami – Attorney Ariel Lett – (305) 912-LETT
Minneapolis – ACLU of Minnesota – (651) 529-1699
Ramsey Law Firm – www.ramsayresults.com (651) 604-000
Nashville – The Cochran Firm – Nashville, LLC – 1 (800) THE-FIRM
New Orleans – ACLU of Louisiana – (504) 522-0617
The Office of the Independent Police Monitor – (504) 309-9799 – policemonitor@nolaipm.gov – www.NolaIPM.gov
New York – Neighborhood Defender Service: (212) 876-5500 or 1-833-3-GOODCALL
Rouff Law Firm PLLC: (718) 650-3473 www.roufflaw.com
San Francisco/Bay Area – Bay Area Anti-Repression Committee – nlgsfhotline@protonmail.com www.antirepressionbayarea.com
- DONATIONS FOR PROTESTOR BAIL
Official George Floyd Memorial Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd
Minnesota Freedom Fund: www.minnesotafreedomfund.org
Until Freedom: www.untilfreedom.com
Action Pac: Donate at www.theactionpac.com
Their donations directly support these funds:
Minnesota Freedom Fund
Louisville Community Bail Fund
Brooklyn Community Bail Fund
Chicago Community Bond Fund
Los Angeles Action Bail Fund
Other Bail Funds:
National – www.actionnetwork.org
ATL – www.atlsolidarity.org
Baltimore – www.baltimoreactionlegall.org
Chicago – www.chicagobond.org
NYC – www.bronxfreedomfund.org
Philadelphia – www.phillybailout.com/donate
The Bail Project – www.bailproject.org
Toronto Canada Bail Fund – https://www.gofundme.com/f/toronto-protestor-bail-fund
- PETITIONS
Here are the two petitions to sign to make sure all officers in both Breonna and George cases are arrested (so far only 1 officer has been arrested):
Stand With Bre Petition: https://www.standwithbre.com
Justice for George Floyd Petition: https://www.justiceforbigfloyd.com
IL Bar Association Diversity Petition: https://www.change.org/p/illinois-attorneys-rules-of-professional-conduct-diversity-inclusion-and-equity-in-the-legal-profession
- VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
DC – Law 4 Black Lives DC – “Jail Support Training” (Link to training registration: https://bit.ly/2Xp7a5V) & “Legal Observer Training” http://www.law4blacklivesdc.com/
Baltimore – Baltimore Action Legal Team – info@baltimoreactionlegal.org www.baltimoreactionlegal.org
Dallas – Dallas Coalition for Community Police Oversight – https://tinyurl.com/CPOlegal
National Bar Association Police Brutality Task Force: Contact Chair Nick Austin at NickAustinESQ@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer.
- COMPLETE YOUR 2020 CENSUS
The Census Helps:
Ensure public services and funding for schools, hospitals, and fire departments.
Plan new homes and businesses and improve neighborhoods.
Determine how many seats your state is allocated in the House of Representatives.
FILL OUT YOUR CENSUS TODAY at: www.2020census.gov
- OTHER RESOURCES
Mothers Against Police Brutality: https://mothersagainstpolicebrutality.org/
Homeless Black Transgender Women Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/homeless-black-trans-women-fund
LGBTQ Fund: https://www.lgbtqfund.org/
National Lawyers Guild: www.nlg.org
Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative: www.knowyourrightscamp.com/legal
Southern Poverty Law Center: https://www.splcenter.org/
NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF): https://www.naacpldf.org/
Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatter.com/
National Bail Fund Network: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory
Campaign Zero: https://www.joincampaignzero.org/
Unicorn Riot: https://unicornriot.ninja/
Black Visions Collective: https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/
