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cyarskj1899 · 1 year

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Darnella Frazier Focuses on Healing After George Floyd's Death, Porsha Williams Shares Wedding Plans, and Vivica Fox Says Being 'Breadwinner' Contributed to Divorce

Porsha Williams gears up for a three-part wedding, Vivica Fox sheds light on what ended her brief marriage, Darnella Frazier reflects on the death of George Floyd, and more in The Daily Rundown.

Darnella Frazier Still 'Trying To Heal' In Wake Of George Floyd's Death

In a reflective post shared on the one-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder, Darnella Frazier, the teen who filmed his fatal arrest, said that her life has been changed forever. “It’s a little easier now, but I’m not who I used to be. A part of my childhood was taken from me," Frazier wrote in a Facebook post. "Having to up and leave because my home was no longer safe, waking up to reporters at my door, closing my eyes at night only to see a man who is brown like me, lifeless on the ground.” While many have dubbed her a hero for capturing the video, which played a key role in the conviction of Derek Chauvin, Frazier says that “behind the publicity, I’m a girl trying to heal from something I am reminded of every day.”

Kristen Clarke Confirmed As First Black Woman To Lead DOJ Civil Rights Division

Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Kristen Clarke making her the first Black woman to lead the Justice Department as the civil rights chief, USA Today reports. Clarke was confirmed in a 51-48 vote, with just one Republican, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, voting in favor of her confirmation.

Porsha Williams Shares Elaborate Wedding Plans

Porsha Williams intends to go all out for her upcoming wedding. In fact, the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star shared during a recent episode of Dish Nationthat she intends to have three weddings. One ceremony will be a traditional American wedding, one will be a native law and custom ceremony in Nigeria, and the other will take place at a home that her fiancé, Simon Guobadia, owns outside of the country. Williams announced her engagement to Guobadia earlier this month.

Vivica Fox Says Money Issues Contributed To Her Divorce

Actress Vivica A. Fox says that her short-lived marriage to Christopher Harvest ended in 2002 because she did not wish to be the "breadwinner" in the relationship. “He didn’t go out and then pursue things with the same drive that I had for my career,” Fox said in an interview with Vlad TV. “You know, a woman doesn’t like paying all the bills all the time. I can only ask for help so many times before I had to come to the conclusion that I didn’t want to be the breadwinner in this family. My mother didn’t raise me to take care of a man. And that was the deciding factor.”

Roxane Gay Launches Publishing Imprint

Roxane Gay wears many hats and the best-selling author, professor, and editor is about to add another title to her resume—publisher. According to the New York Times, the social commentator recently announced the launch of her new book imprint, Roxane Gay Books, through which she will release three titles per year. The imprint, which will focus on underrepresented voices, is in partnership with Grove Atlantic and will publish titles from other authors in the genres of fiction, nonfiction, and memoirs.

Sights, Sounds and Style at Afrochella 2022

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90363462 · 1 year

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NEWS

CIVIL RIGHTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE

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Home › Civil Rights & Social Justice › Race Matters

The Trauma Of Filming A Black Person Being Killed By The Police

Often forgotten in these far too common acts of police violence and fatal police-civilian encounters, involving unarmed Black people, is the dangerous, emotional and traumatic labor of bearing witness.

Written By Constantine Gidaris

Posted April 22, 2022

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Patrick Lyoya is shown on bodycam video shortly before an unidentified police officer shot him in the back of his head in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on April 4, 2022. | Source: City of Grand Rapids / City of Grand Rapids

On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner’s murder by NYPD officers was captured by Ramsey Orta on his mobile phone camera. Choked, handcuffed and pinned face down to the ground, Garner’s repeated calls for help, encapsulated by the phrase “I can’t breathe,” were ignored by the arresting officers.

Nearly six years later, the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Department officers was recorded by Darnella Frazier, a young Black woman who captured the final moments of Floyd’s life on her mobile phone. Her video shows Floyd handcuffed with his head pinned underneath the knee of a police officer, repeatedly yelling, “I can’t breathe.”

Like Orta’s video, the footage that Frazier uploaded to Facebook has since gone viral. Used by many media outlets, Frazier’s video has led to public outrage and ongoing mass protests. It also assisted in the decision to fire the four arresting police officers, and to subsequently charge one with second-degree murder and the other three with aiding and abetting.

Bearing direct and indirect witness to trauma

Following Garner’s death, Orta’s life took a drastic turn for the worse. From 2014 to 2016, Orta was arrested three times for a series of charges, which activists maintain stem from retaliatory set-ups by the NYPD for filming the video. Despite providing the footage that served as the catalyst for the “I can’t breathe” slogan and movement, Orta remains incarcerated to this day.

The day after Floyd’s death, Frazier returned to the scene of the killing, crying and emotionally distraught. In a video that has been viewed nearly 2.5 million times, Frazier pleads, “They killed this man. And I was right there! I was like five feet away! It is so traumatizing.”

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If the emotional and traumatic consequences of bearing witness to Floyd’s killing were not enough, Frazier has also encountered online harassment for recording and posting the video. In the comments section of the video Frazier uploaded to Facebook, some have chastised her for recording the footage without intervening. Frazier comes to her own defence, writing:

“I don’t expect anyone who wasn’t placed in my position to understand why and how I feel the way that I do. MIND YOU I am a minor! 17 years old, of course I’m not about to fight off a cop.”

Attempts to diminish the profound effects of bearing witness to traumatic events aim to dismiss the notion of shared trauma. As literary critic Shoshana Felman and psychoanalyst Dori Laub argue, the listener or, in this case, the viewer, becomes “a participant and co-owner of the traumatic event.” In this sense, viewing the deaths of Garner and Floyd behind a screen can be different but equally traumatic experiences for both the person recording and for the viewer.

The effects of bearing witness

Viewing race-based trauma can be particularly traumatic for Black people for whom police violence is a leading cause of death. This realization is intensified by the danger that the mere occupation of public space poses for Black lives.

In part, this stems from a refusal on behalf of white folks to recognize the extensive history of race-based policing in both the United States and in Canada. There is also a pressing need for white people to understand that policing itself is a form of harm, especially for people of colour. As writer and activist Desmond Cole reminds us, police violence committed against Black people is too often treated as a “one off.”

Some suggest that using mobile phone cameras to watch the police is a means of “prevent[ing] police violence from being used against other community members or oneself.” But given that Black men are far more likely to be killed by police than white men, bearing witness on camera as a form of cop-watching has not prevented further police violence from occurring. Instead, bearing witness involves race-based trauma that attempts to hold police accountable for the pain they have long inflicted against Black people and communities.

As writer Kia Gregory says, acts of police violence and deadly police-civilian encounters “are so pervasive, they inflict a unique harm on viewers, particularly African Americans, who see themselves and those they love in these fatal encounters.”

Patrick Lyoya’s parents Peter Lyoya (L) and Dorcas Lyoya pose for a portrait as they hold a photo of their son at their home on April 15, 2022, in Lansing, Michigan. | Source: The Washington Post / Getty

The trauma of bearing witness extends from the person experiencing, recording or witnessing violent or fatal police encounters, to those who subsequently view and witness the recording through a digital medium, and most often through social media platforms. Viewing such videos can induce stress, fear, frustration, anger and anxiety. There is medical evidence to suggest that viewing footage of race-based trauma can lead to a physical ailments, including eating and sleeping disorders, high blood pressure and heart problems.

Bearing witness to these acts of deadly police violence can be traumatizing for anyone. Keenly aware of the mental health toll that police violence and race-based trauma can take, a GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly US$500,000 for Darnella Frazier’s “peace and healing.”

For Black folks, in particular, the terrifying and everyday reality that they encounter at the hands of police is a trauma that endures long after the initial act of witnessing has occurred. It is a trauma that is relived and re-experienced not only in person but behind the screen.

Constantine Gidaris, PhD Candidate, English and Cultural Studies, McMaster University

This article is republished from The Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

SEE ALSO:

In ‘Bittersweet’ Moment, Darnella Frazier Wins Pulitzer Prize Citation For Recording George Floyd’s Murder

Former Cop Turned Arizona Legislator Wants People To Get Permission Before Filming Police

136 Black Men And Boys Killed By Police

134 PHOTOS

BLACK PEOPLE , NEWSLETTER , OP-ED , POLICE KILLING BLACK MEN , POLICE VIDEO , RECORDING POLICE

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normanthedove · 11 days

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TAMPA BAY PAIN DR. QING MCGAHA, MD., INDICTMENT AND CONVICTION RAISES ALARMING CONCERNS AND SUSPICIONS OF AUSA KENNETH POLITE's OPIOID TASK FORCE LEGITIMACY (THE AMA MUST GET INVOLVED)

“WE ARE NOT POWERLESS“ “HEAR OUR PRAYERS; GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO WIN THIS WAR AGAINST EVIL” “WE ARE NOT POWERLESS, AND THROUGH OUR VIDEOS, WRITINGS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS, WE WILL EXPOSE THE ABUSES AND TYRANNY OF DEA-DOJ, JUST AS THE VIDEO WAS RECORDED BY THE CELL PHONE CAMERA OF YOUNG DARNELLA FRAZIER, BORE WITNESS TO THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD THE BLOG youarewithinthenorms.com BARES WITNESS AND…

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captain-charles-micheaux-fan · 1 year

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One Woman makes a difference

“The time is always right to do what is right.” –Martin Luther King Jr. On May 25th 2020 17-year old Darnella Frazier walked to the Cups Food grocery store and before she could enter the store she saw a Minneapolis police officer retraining George Floyd on the ground. Twenty seconds later after she began filming from her cell phone she heard George Floyd plead, “I can’t breathe.” The other…

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mgirlinnovators · 1 year

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Black Lives Matter: Darnella Frazier, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor

What are your thoughts about Darnella Frazier's role as a bystander who chose to document a crime and became a brave citizen journalist in the process? What would you do in a similar situation?

I think Darnella Frazier’s role as a bystander who chose to document a crime showed an act of bravery and courage. She serves as a current role-model for bystanders against crime and injustice, especially towards Black Americans. But unfortunately, she shouldn’t have to be. Nonetheless, I acknowledge and see the strength it takes to bounce back from racial injustice- especially for Black women. In her statement, you can hear the reality in her words and how the experience changed her life- both positively and negatively. I hear Darnella, and although I can’t put myself in her shoes or fully understand what she is going through, I acknowledge her experience- because it is real. Afterwards, the event really opened her eyes into the reality of the current state of America and the police force. She says, “We shouldn’t have to walk around police officers who are supposed to protect and save.” What she witnessed changed her life, her family's lives, and others around her. She became a brave citizen journalist in the process, yet still has to carry the weight and the trauma she witnessed. It seemed almost like an instinct to document the experience- there seemed to be no weighing out the consequences. She knew without a thought that it was the right thing to do, no ifs, ands, or buts. Today, she still doesn’t perceive herself as a hero, “but just at the right place at the right time.”

Furthermore, in a similar situation before George Floyd’s arrest, I honestly would not have known what to do. After reading Darnella’s statement, I now know what to do as a bystander during an event of racial injustice. In reality I would be scared, but in the words of Rosa Parks herself, “you must never be fearful of what you are doing when it is right.”

Have you participated in Black Lives Matter marches and protests? Please share your experiences and your photographs in your post and in the thread below.

Unfortunately, I haven’t participated in a Black Lives Matter protest or march. But if there is one in the future I will definitely show and support the BIPOC community. Until then, I will continue to educate myself and find other ways to show support and advocacy.

Choose one of the following young women BLM leaders who began their activism as teenagers and write a one-paragraph bio about them. Post a one-line summary in the thread: Zee Thomas, Shayla Turner, Brianna Chandler, Tiana Day.

It was definitely hard to pick one of the young women above to write about because they all have made an incredible impact. I believe Zee Thomas, Shayla Turner, Brianna Chandler, and Tiana Day all have the power to make great change in this world and they already have. I will continue to stand and support them along the way.

I chose to write a bio about Tiana Day because although I did not experience what she went through, I feel connected to her story. I grew up in a predominately white town, I would straighten my hair everyday, wear colored contacts and dye my hair lighter. I suppressed my identity as an Asian American. I never even bothered to learn Tagalog because my dad is American and we didn’t speak it at home. I took who I was for granted as well as my mom who fought her way to be here. Throughout time, I am slowly learning to appreciate my Filipino heritage and love myself for who I am. I also thank my mom everyday because I know it hasn’t been easy and it won’t always be, but I appreciate her strength as it gives me strength as well. I know I cannot fully understand what Tiana Day went through as a Black woman, but I do hear her and respect her for opening up about her experience.

Furthermore, Tiana Day at the time, was only 17 years old when she led a BLM protest across the Golden Gate Bridge. Beforehand, she says she was never really an activist before and grew up around people who didn’t look like her. She wouldn’t tan and would straighten her hair daily. She felt sick at the thought of that and because she felt like she suppressed her identity and her culture. At the protest, she was so surprised by the outcome. Thousands of people stood behind her and her community for support and advocacy. Tiana says, “The movement lit a fire in me. I felt like I always had this boiling passion to make change in this world.” At the protest, Tiana truly lit her flame. She made change in her community, just like she thought she would.

Not only did she make change, but her family did too. Her dad and grandpa both were activists. Her Grandpa was a part of the Black Panther Movement and her dad was a part of the movement against police brutality after Rodney King. Tiana says, “I have so much Black history in my life.” No wonder why there was a fire brewing in her, it was a part of her, her family, and her history. Tiana did not know of her history beforehand, but after the protest her dad cried to her and said, “You remind me of myself. I was an activist at your age and so was your great grandfather.”

Along with Tiana, Zee Thomas, Shayla Turner, and Brianna Chandler have made an incredible impact as well. Not only did Tiana never lead a protest before, but Zee never led one as well. Zee Thomas was 15 at the time, from Nashville when she led a protest of around 10,000 people with the help of 5 other teenagers. She wondered why there were no protests in Nashville at the time and decided to do something about it. She says, “As teens, we feel like we cannot make a difference in this world, but we must.” Shayla Turner was an 18 year old from Chicago at the time, she had been campaigning to remove police from inside Chicago’s schools and been on the frontlines for her city’s protests as well as clean-up efforts. Beforehand, Shayla says she always had a fear of public speaking, but she proudly conquered her fear along with her teachers' help and inspiration. She says, “I had a choice to either keep my voice in or speak out and continue.” Briana Chandler who was 19 at the time from St. Louis continued her activism and advocacy. She is active in the Sunrise Movement which is a youth-led climate justice organization. Not only does she advocate for climate change, she advocates for racial justice as well. She says, “Climate change is racial justice. BLM isn’t just about eliminating police brutality, it is about dismantling all systems that endanger Black people.”

What is your assessment of Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and the ensuing exhibition held at the Speed Museum? Does it do her justice? (see video clip)

Although the portrait and the exhibition do not erase what happened to Breonna, I think the exhibition and the portrait does do her Justice. Especially because Allison Glenn, who was guest curator of the exhibition, gained the trust of Breonna’s mother Tamika Palmer. Without Tamika Palmer's blessing and trust, I feel like the exhibit would not have been as meaningful. But, that does not overlook the painting’s representation. Breonna’s image represents Black lives that were taken without justice. Her image puts a face to her name and her story. I think it is a lovely piece of art and showcases Breonna’s beauty and her story and that the tragedy does not define who she was- without forgetting what happened to her. She was a daughter, a family member, a friend, and a medical worker. She saved the life of others, yet the system failed to save her life. The portrait and the image open up an important and even long awaited conversation about racial justice. Toya Northington, who saw the museum’s community outreach said, “It’s heavy, the content is heavy, and it’s reflective and emotional, but at the same time when people come in from the community, they see themselves, or a piece of their experience.” The exhibition along with Breonna’s portrait truly showed, “promise, witness, and remembrance.”

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blacklifescience · 1 year

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Sousveillance: “acts of ‘observing and recording by an entity not in a position of power or authority over the subject of the veil lance,’ often done through the use of handheld or wearable cameras” (Simone Browne, Dark Matters pg. 19)

-MS

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girl-innovators-houda · 2 years

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Black Lives Matter: Darnella Frazier, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor

1. What are your thoughts about Darnella Frazier's role as a bystander who chose to document a crime and became a brave citizen journalist in the process? What would you do in a similar situation?

A store clerk suspected George Perry Floyd Jr. of buying cigarettes with a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill. He was arrested and later killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May 2020. Videos taken at the scene of Floyd's arrest show that Floyd was not acting violently and was already in distress. Floyd discloses that he is claustrophobic and tells the officers that he can't breathe. Darnella Frazier recorded Floyd lying face down on the pavement with four policemen standing around him. Three officers were applying pressure on his neck, torso, and legs. She also shows on her video that Darren Chauven (one of the police officers) kept Floyd pinned down for another seven minutes regardless of his calls for emergency assistance. The police officers violated several departmental policies. It's estimated that Floyd passed away around 9:25 p.m. on May 25, 2020, at a nearby hospital. Darnella Frazier chose to film George Floyd's murder, which was not necessary as a bystander, but it was the right and courageous thing to do. Once this video surfaced online, it started protests calling out police brutality. It is difficult to say if I would do the same thing because you don't know what will happen at the moment. I hope I would do the same thing and have the same courage.

2. Have you participated in Black Lives Matter marches and protests? Please share your experiences and your photographs in your post and in the thread below.

I could not participate in any Black Lives Matter protests because of where I am currently located. If I could participate, I definitely would.

3. Choose one of the following young women BLM leaders who began their activism as teenagers and write a one-paragraph bio about them. Post a one-line summary in the thread: Zee Thomas, Shayla Turner, Brianna Chandler, Tiana Day.

Zee Thomas started organizing a protest in Nashville two days after George Floyd was killed. Five days later, she and five other teenagers led a protest through the city, with approximately more than 10,000 attending. She created Teens 4 Equality in response to the lack of protests in Nashville after Floyd's death.

4. What is your assessment of Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and the ensuing exhibition held at the Speed Museum? Does it do her justice?

Despite its beauty, the portrait is powerful because it forces us to remember what happened to her. As she is at the story's center, she strikes a powerful pose that captures our attention. The exhibition's theme is violence and injustice, and the art is used to start a critical conversation.

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shedidthatgirlinnovators · 2 years

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YOUNG WOMEN WARRIORS

TIANA DAY DARNELLA FRAZIER AMY SHERALD are modern day young warriors changing the landscape in how we see advocacy, art and accountability in the justice system of the United States of America.

What are your thoughts about Darnella Frazier's role as a bystander who chose to document a crime and became a brave citizen journalist in the process? What would you do in a similar situation?

There is a societal debate on whether too much access to technology has us completely disconnected from one another or has it connected us? This era of technology that we're living in especially during the pandemic has been in a myriad of ways a detriment to many young people who have felt disconnected from the world even to the point of distressing mental illness and suicide and through the juxtaposition we have seen young people use technology in order to document their stories and the stories, especially several infamous ones that have come to the forefront of international attention and created a new revolution of an awakening to themes, ideas, and ideologies that have been hidden, long forgotten since the inception of the United States. Were it not for the cellphone video footage of the arrest and brutal murder of George Floyd by the now 18 year old Darnella Frazier, of the senior officer Derek Chauvin, he may not have been tried and convicted of 2nd and 3rd degree murder as well as 2nd degree manslaughter. Chauvin was sentenced to an unprecedented 22.5 years in prison.

This is unheard of for a american police officer with the protection of the infamous "blue wall". Her video as a bystander change the way we see crime, convictions, accountability and the role of the American police.

Chauvin made a choice as did Frazier and this brutal event opened our eyes to the inhumane treatment that millions of Black men have been speaking of for centuries at the hands of their perpetrators.

On the anniversary of his death, Frazier finally spoke out publicly: “Behind this smile, behind these awards, behind the publicity, I’m a girl trying to heal from something I am reminded of every day,” the now 18-year-old wrote in a Facebook post. If faced in a similar situation, knowing me, I know I would've risked my life trying to remove Chauvin from George. This is a difficult situation to imagine What would you do? I do know that Frazier had within her the where with all to know that, this particular moment needed to be captured, technology had to be used to document it and it is with us forever.

Tiana Day is another inspiring young woman who has found her mission in the advocacy of youth just like her. In recognizing that young people have a power and strength and outlook on life can be a power unmatched, she has tapped into that by offering a space for youth to discover their talents, their voice and their own mission. In researching her background and watching her work, you can see that she has a genuine interest in elevating the role of her generation. It is so inspiring to see young women like this use their power to uplift others.

Another trailblazer in this realm of advocacy is artist Amy Sherald who also created the portrait of the former First Lady Michelle Obama. Her work in my opinion is distinctive and synonymous to her gaze on the black woman. She emphasizes the subjects, beauty with simplicity in her portrait. I think she created an image of Breonna that is simply beautiful. A portrait to remind us that what was taken from this earth was not just a name but a complete and full individual whose right was to live and in her portrait she will live on.

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jaymarlowgirlinnovators · 2 years

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Black Lives Matter: Darnella Frazier, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor

1. What are your thoughts about Darnella Frazier's role as a bystander who chose to document a crime and became a brave citizen journalist in the process? What would you do in a similar situation?

I want to think that I would do the same but I don’t know if anyone knows this until they are put in that situation. I think what she did was extremely important and incredibly brave. As a black man, I felt that this video illuminated the prejudice that we experience every single day and the violence that can come from it. I feel that this has shown our non black neighbors the real trauma that we face on a day to day and has allowed them to shift their mindset and spring into action if they felt passionately enough. I think her attitude after the video went viral and news outlets across the country were requesting a comment is really telling of the kind of person that she is. We all watched this unfold on the news, but to be the person who held the camera and stayed there throughout the experience must have been extremely tough. I commend her on this act because if this didn’t happen, it would have been just another death of a black man that the police sweeps under the rug and the country ultimately forgets.

2. Have you participated in Black Lives Matter marches and protests? Please share your experiences and your photographs in your post and in the thread below.

This is a tough subject for me and many. I have participated in protests, but ultimately, my charge at the time was to share my experiences with my then boyfriend (now husband) who happens to be white. I had retreated into myself and found many quiet moments during this time. This was one of the first times in my life where I found myself frozen, afraid and deeply emotional. I lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn at the time and I’ll never be able to forget the screaming and the chants outside my window. I’ll be honest when I say that I did not participate in social media activism and it's 100% within my rights to not. I think that there were many occasions where individuals felt that posting a photo was enough where there were many others who felt that going to a rally was enough. I found many moments of conflict and the solution for me was to stay off the internet.

I had many “friends” approach me and send me DM’s condemning me because as a black man, I have to feel a certain way and their version of feeling a certain way was getting up, snapping a photo and posting it. That has never been me and since I wasn’t “going live” at a protest, or posting a black square on my feed, I wasn’t a real black man. My husband experienced the same thing, he received condemning messages because he’s married to a black man, and how can he not be posting or going live or anything like that. What I found interesting is that there were many who did not ask how I felt about what was going on, but it was more important for them to see something on my feed.

Tiana Day was 17 years old when she saw a post from Mimi Zoila on instagram that called for a member of the black community to lead a protest across the Golden Gate Bridge. The protest would be in response to George Floyd’s murder and Tiana jumped to the challenge. In an interview with The New York Times, Tiana states “For me, I was never really an activist before. But this movement lit a fire in me.” Growing up in California, she always felt out of place and would go out of her way to look like her non black counterparts. There was an amazing turnout at the Golden Gate protest and the positive responses inspired her to lead more protests across the area and eventually inspired her to start the non profit organization “Youth Advocates for Change” which aimed to inspire other young people to share their experiences in their communities and be the next pioneers for change.

4. What is your assessment of Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and the ensuing exhibition held at the Speed Museum? Does it do her justice? (see video clip)

I think the portrait is gorgeous, strong, poised and reflects the person that she was and not the state in which her life ended. Her mother being involved is extremely important and the timeline of her life highlights the work that she has done. She died a brutal death and she shouldn’t be forgotten. I appreciate the “Say Her Name” campaign because it forces the world to recognize the fact that she had a promising future and now that has been taken away. This exhibition is important because being able to witness the truth of the black experience allows visitors to really connect and not just be a spectator.

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girlqueens · 2 years

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Week 6

1. What are your thoughts about Darnella Frazier's role as a bystander who chose to document a crime and became a brave citizen journalist in the process? What would you do in a similar situation?

I think Darnella Frazier is a hero. Too often do we see people who turn a blind eye to the crimes that are going on around us in everyday life. Darnella realized that the damage that could be done to a whole population of people was was worse than the damage that could be done to her if she spoke up. Fear did not stop her from doing the right thing. This event, reminds us how important bystanders are how much of a difference we can really make. Our country is supposed to be a democracy, the people are supposed to monitor and speak up about the wrong doings of the government and its officials. If I were in Darnella's position or a similar one I wouldn't have done anything different. It's important to capture proof of these wrong doings and possibly interject in them to stop them from happening again.

2. Have you participated in Black Lives Matter marches and protests? Please share your experiences and your photographs in your post and in the thread below.

I have not participated in any BLM marches or protests due to the height of them being during covid lockdown, which hindered me from being able to participate but I did do everything I could to participate online. I reposted videos documenting injustices, spoke about them on social media platforms, I provided links and names/addresses of Black owned and led businesses and foundations for people to support. To this day, I still try and support as many black owned businesses as I can. Here is a list of Black owned businesses and black led-foundations you can support:

Tiana Day, was just a normal teenage girl who had never been involved in any type of protest before and didn't consider herself an activist until she saw the George Floyd video. She then went on to organize many protests including the first ever Black Lives Matter protest on the Golden Gate Bridge. She also discovered that she came from a long line of activists within her family that were also apart of the fight against racial injustice and police brutality. In her quest for more youth to join her in the fight for racial equality, she went on to create a nonprofit, "Youth Advocates for Change", who's mission is to encourage and normalize youth voices and to help inspire youth to take action on different social injustice issues. Since, the organization's creation there are now more than 150 chapter members all throughout the U.S.

4. What is your assessement of Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and the ensuing exhibition held at the Speed Museum? Does it do her justice? (see video clip)

I found Sherald's portrait of Breonna to be extremely thought provoking and inspiring. It is a reminder of Breonna's story and that she would want us to keep fighting for what is right. The look in her eyes in the painting stares right into your soul. I find her eyes to be extremely uplifting, in a way saying "you know what you need to do now." The ensuing exhibition was also incredible. Watching that video clip brought tears to my eyes. You could feel the emotion of the space through the screen. It perfectly depicted how long this fight has been going on and makes whoever views it wonder when enough will finally be enough. When will the injustice be over? This space absolutely does her justice, I felt the emotion of the space and I wasn't even in the space.

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girl-innovators2022 · 2 years

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Post 6

1. What are your thoughts about Darnella Frazier's role as a bystander who chose to document a crime and became a brave citizen journalist in the process? What would you do in a similar situation?

Darnella Frazier is an incredibly brave girl who’s quick decision to film the murder of George Floyd brought on arguably one of the largest Black Lives Matter protests around the world. Though many had happened in the past, this specific instance of police brutality and murder outraged the world more so than before. For more than 8 minutes, the world watched as Derek Chauvin callously snuffed out the life of George Floyd despite his pleas and the screams from bystanders. This video made many confront, head on, the injustices many black people face on a daily basis across the United States. The video is not only heartbreaking but incredibly aggravating. Watching the video is painful because there is nothing you can do. These disgusting police officers didn’t even care that they were being filmed. It shows how little they cared for the life of George Floyd, and how secure they felt in the fact that they believed they wouldn’t suffer any consequences.

Many people outside of the US who didn’t know the extent of the racism here, were shocked to see how vicious the police truly can be towards black individuals. Frazier, at only 17, could not have prevented the murder of George Floyd, but she did help put away his killers. Time and time again, we see how police officers are able to kill and get away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist and some paid time off.Thanks to Darnella Frazier, we actually got to see justice for once.

If I was in a similar situation, I believe I would have done the same as Darnella. As much as we want to help and stop someone from losing their life, there isn’t much we can do. If we attempt to interfere with what the police are doing, it’s more likely we would either be detained or end up in a very similar situation. I’m sure many of us would want to pull them off, but that could make the situation much worse or get someone else killed as well. Documenting the situation is one of the best, if not only, things we as civilians can actually do. Since the police have a habit of lying, we can help bring the truth.

2. Have you participated in Black Lives Matter marches and protests? Please share your experiences and your photographs in your post and in the thread below.

I’ve attended a fair number of Black Lives Matter marches and protests since around 2014 when I first moved to NYC. While most were fairly easy and peaceful, there were some instances in which the police escalated the situation and many got hurt or arrested. Back in 2015, myself and some friends from Pace University joined a march that went over the Brooklyn Bridge. We were met by many police who ended up arresting a good number of protestors, including friends of mine. Having looked up the articles from then, I found it quite disgusting how they referred to us as a mob who attacked the police. We were peaceful, we did not attack. My first ever march in 2014 began in the Financial District and ended in Times Square. Apart from a few annoyed drivers, most were on our side and the police left us mostly alone. Over the last 8 years I’ve lived in NYC, I’ve seen the transformation of protesting. Police have gotten much more violent towards us. They believe we are incapable of being peaceful and will set up in riot gear even before a march will start.

15 year old Zee Thomas was so moved by the massive protests around the United States in response to the murder of George Floyd that she herself wondered why Nashville wasn’t doing the same. Instead of waiting for her city to join in, she reached out to other young students online (14-16 years old), and decided they themselves would make one happen. Launching Teens 4 Equality, this group of 6 girls helped spearhead the largest BLM protest in Nashville. Zee Thomas gave a speech that began the protest which moved through Nashville, with upwards of 10,000 people joining in support of Black Lives Matter and denouncing the horrendous murder of George Floyd.

4. What is your assessment of Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and the ensuing exhibition held at the Speed Museum? Does it do her justice? (see video clip)

I personally think the portrait is not only beautifully made, but also quite powerful. It showcases Breonna Taylor alone, front and center. You have to focus on her and her story. You cannot hide from what happened to her. The pose is striking, as it gives off power and knowing. She knows, and you should too. The exhibition takes themes of violence and injustice and makes you confront them head on. It uses art to begin a dialogue that desperately needs to be had. Working together with Breonna’s mother shows that the museum truly cares about her story. They wanted to do her justice in the proper way, and use her story to educate people. Having her portrait as a focal point of the exhibit forces you to remember, not only her, but what has happened to many before and after.

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eloisegirlinnovators · 2 years

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WEEK SIX--GIRL INNOVATORS Black Lives Matter

1. What are your thoughts about Darnella Frazier's role as a bystander who chose to document a crime and became a brave citizen journalist in the process? What would you do in a similar situation?

I think that Darnella Fraziers role is a tricky one when it comes to this situation. What frazier did was what any 17 year old would do, take a video but not physically step in. Me personally I would definitely be shocked in this situation and might freeze, so I give Frazier credit for acting fast and beginning to record. I understand the perspective of one thinking that she shouldve done more to deescalte and stop the situation, but the reality of it is that even if she had tried im unsure how much that wouldve changed the outcome. These police offices that killed George Floyd were not going to stop beating on him whether a girl tried to step in or not. I do think that Frazier deserves to be recognized for documenting this moment because there was an uprising in communities after seeing the brutal acts that were done to Floyd.

2. Have you participated in Black Lives Matter marches and protests? Please share your experiences and your photographs in your post and in the thread below.

Yes I have. I went to various Black Lives Matter protests throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area. While I did not take any pictures during the events as that was not my priority I had many amazing experiences during them. To see almost every face in my town come together with roads blocked off was an incredible experience. Although we still have so much progress to make, seeing large groups of people come together for a cause was a special moment for me.

Tiana Day is a young activist who is well known for leading the first Black Lives Matter protest on the Golden Gate Bridge. With that being the first protest she ever led, there was an amazing number of people attending. Tiana Day is from the Bay Area and has now started organizations to permit change on various social justice issues. This inspiring young woman continues to protest and march in order to spread awareness and improve certain issues.

4. What is your assessment of Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and the ensuing exhibition held at the Speed Museum? Does it do her justice? (see video clip)

I think that Amy Sheralds's portrait of Breonna Taylor is very beautiful. I believe that Breonna Taylor deserved more justice. The portrait of Taylor is in a museum surrounded by other important pieces that speak loud volumes along with this portrait. I think that the placement of this portrait does her justice in a couple of ways. It is in a space with other pieces of work that portray various injustices communities and people have endured. There is a level of power that it holds being surrounded by other paintings fighting for social justice, and leaves a continuous reminder of what happened to Breonna Taylor and many others.

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annamaxwell-girlinnovators · 2 years

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Week 6

1. What are your thoughts about Darnella Frazier's role as a bystander who chose to document a crime and became a brave citizen journalist in the process? What would you do in a similar situation?

Darnella Frazier is a brave young woman who was able to document a crime many would have deemed "not their issue" and walked away from the situation. Police officer Derek Chauvin pinned George Floyd down for seven minutes as Floyd repeatedly screamed he could not breathe. Chauvin's knee in the back of Floyd's chest resulted in his unjust death. Floyd was apprehended for suspicion of using a counterfeit bill - a nonviolent crime, followed by nonviolent behavior from Floyd as police cuffed and harassed him. George Floyd was a victim of racial police profiling, a crime that goes unpunished and overlooked daily in the United States. Darnella Frazier captured this cruel behavior and exposed it to the world to understand how police brutality runs rampant and is taking lives - especially those of Black and POC men. As a bystander, it is easy to stop, stare and walk on without taking any action - however, as Darnella saw this racist attack, she took the most action she could by recording this police officer murdering a Black man. While other people were recording this tragedy, Darnella was the one to post the video to Facebook, which grabbed the nation's attention. Her bravery in speaking out about George Floyd's death sharpened global focus on a policing system infected with violence, which has devalued and destroyed Black lives and has imposed its heavy hand on millions of people. As her video was shared in honor of George Floyd, large-scale protests against systemic racism began in the United States and globally. As a result of the demonstrations, numerous changes for racial equality emerged - police reforms, removal of controversial forms of symbolism, equal employment practices, and a tectonic shift in public sentiment about race. Without Darnella Frazier's hand in bringing police brutality to the public view, tragically, it is easy to conclude that the nation's new chapter in our necessary, nationwide conversation about race would not have happened.

Since May 2020, Darnella has even stated, "she wishes she had done more for George Floyd at that moment"; however, there was nothing more she could have done. Darnella was 17 at the time and a Black woman herself - in the face of racist governing entities such as the United States police force, intervening could have resulted in her injury or death - even intervening by documenting the moment is a display of true courage. In a similar situation, I would hope to do so as Darnella did, especially as a white woman who was 19 at the time; however, I am not sure I could have been as fearless. Darnella Frazier brought to light how impactful sharing such acts of violence are and has given the nation the courage to use our social media as a tool. Before her, I do not think documenting the situation would have been a reaction evoked in me. My interactions with police range from them letting me off with a warning from speeding tickets to politely waving me across the street. My whiteness exempts me from cruel racial profiling, yet, silver badges and blue uniforms still made me feel intimidated - a feeling I am sure so much more intense for Darnella; she stood tall against that intimidation. Watching how a young Black girl could have the determination to be so brave has taught me to face these intimidating powers at play when seeing acts of injustice. Darnella Frazier is a symbol of courage; because of her, an entire nation now knows how to be just as courageous.

2. Have you participated in Black Lives Matter marches and protests? Please share your experiences and your photographs in your post and in the thread below.

My first Black Lives Matter protest was in June 2020. I live in a tiny, predominantly white town in Connecticut, where the protest was held. I was deeply excited there was such support in a place where blackness wasn't commonly represented; however, it was an interesting dynamic - a protest demanding the elevation of Black voices without many of those voices present. As the protest began, the streets were piled with my neighbors, teachers, and even people from towns over and a few from out of state. At other protests I have attended, chants began, and leaders would start a march; however, at this protest, we stood in the streets with signs, petitions, and informative literature and began a discourse with local electives and each other. Being a majority white group, it felt inappropriate to take the lead on slogans and marches, as this was a time for the Black community to be at the forefront of this pursuit. Instead, it was a powerful examination of our community - why was there a lack of Black representation in our town? How can we work to make this a more inclusive place for POC communities? How can we shift the public discourse? This discourse needed to be sustained outside of the moment of "virality" the BLM movement had in the wake of George Floyd's death. A continuous work towards understanding the systemic racism created by this white community had to remain amplified. This protest was an enormous leap towards that goal as it led to local politicians and members of the community genuinely understanding BLM's vision of social change and the dissemination of antiracist ideas as local organizations for awareness were created, the high school started an education center, and our community began holding people accountable for their actions - past and present. I have been to protests in Chicago, New York, and more in Connecticut; however, my first BLM protest was an essential experience for my community and me as a white person. As an outspoken activist for social change, it feels natural for me to take charge of many ventures in my advocacy, but this was a time to show support and not speak but just listen. Taking this "backseat" as a white person allows for understanding, reflection, and conversation, as well as a willingness to examine the often uncomfortable topic of racism, even within oneself. This position taught me a lot about how to participate in discourse about racial inequality, which I have carried throughout the other BLM protests I have attended and especially in conversation with POC friends and peers - to amplify marginalized voices; you cannot just give them a "shout out," you need to hand them the mic.

(Poster a peer created for the protest)

(I had no photos, but a video of the protest - I uploaded it as a GIF)

Shayla Turner is a now 20-year-old, who uses the pronouns she and they, and has been at the forefront of protests in Chicago for Black lives and climate action since they were a teen. Her activism started in high school - protesting for climate justice and speaking out at a youth climate action in her junior year in front of thousands of people. In 2020, Shayla was a senior in high school as national attention was focused on the racist police brutality that caused George Floyd's death. Shayla and her peers had long advocated for more resources and fewer police officers in their schools, and Floyd's death compelled them to take to the streets and demand their voices be heard. She began protesting on the front lines of the Black Lives Matter movement and participated in cleanup efforts in neighborhoods devastated by looting and riots. She believed in using nonviolent resistance as her constitutionally protected form of expression. Unfortunately, Shayla Turner was not met with the same respect from the police at these protests as they threw tear gas and pushed a metal gate onto the crowd, resulting in a leg injury for Shayla. Although their advocacy was trying to be suppressed, she was not deterred. They continued to protest and even spent their high school graduation week campaigning to remove police from inside Chicago's public schools. They continue to be a powerful force in the Black Lives Matter movement.

4. What is your assessment of Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor and the ensuing exhibition held at the Speed Museum? Does it do her justice? (see video clip)

Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor memorializes her strong, beautiful spirit and demands a confrontation of a life that was brutality taken too young. Sherald paints Breonna striking a powerful pose with an impenetrable glare and a fierce hand on her hip. There is no fear on her face. Wrapped in a rusted copper-colored dress, similar to The Statue of Liberty, Breonna Taylor, too, represents the virtue of justice and liberation. Her dress melts into the aquamarine background, and the monochromatic colors allow you to focus on her face. The whole painting becomes about her powerful being as she stands as a goddess would. A woman powerless in the face of lethal force is endowed with the higher power of dignity and self-possession. Sherald does a fantastic job in this portrait, as it does not memorialize Breonna Taylor's death but instead, her life. That being said, this is a life we are forced to understand is no longer here due to racial violence. Detailed on her left hand is the engagement ring Taylor would never get to wear - an acknowledgment of Taylor's future and how her life was taken from her.

The Speed Museum's exhibit "Promise, Witness, Remembrance" is thoughtful, moving, and deeply unsettling as it reflects on the life of Breonna Taylor and those lives lost to police brutality. It drives its audiences to reckon with the corrupt founding of the United States and the inefficacies of our system that are inherently indebted to that founding with the other pieces curated alongside Sherald's work. Unarmed (2018), a sculpture by Nick Cave, is found in the exhibition, which is a reflection of the persistent and unjust violence against Black, Brown, and Indigenous people in America.

Also in the collection is Nari Wards, We The People (2011) - a piece that imitates the constitution's phrase and writing with hung-up shoelaces. While a colorful piece, there is a very mournful quality to it, with the common memorial association of throwing shoes–via the shoelace, dangling over telephone lines–in urban areas to mark the passing of life at that spot.

Among these and other pieces, Amy Sherald's portrait of Breonna Taylor is the exhibition's centerpiece. It is a masterful example of preserving a legacy and sustaining a robust discourse.

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