But also great excitement from the community at-large, due to the leaders that will be aggregated to not only provide expertise, but to listen to concerns and demands.
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Over the last three years, I’ve organized a handful of events in Philadelphia, including the Trayvon Martin Brotherly Love Candlelight Vigil, which attracted nearly a thousand people to Love Park; a town hall meeting for teen stop-and-frisk victim, Mr. Darrin Manning, which, despite the frigid temperatures, was well attended; and Drum Duel, a drum competition held in the courtyard of City Hall where the winner was decided by ballot.
All those events were considered high profile in their own respect and certainly hold a special place in my memory bank. However, to-date, no event that I’ve organized has been more locally relevant and widely accepted than Philly After Ferguson: a (town hall) meeting to discuss policing, politics and perceptions, hosted by Catalyst for Change Church.
Undeniably, tension surrounds this Wednesday’s 6-7:30pm gathering in University City, mainly because Deputy Philadelphia Police Commissioner, Mr. Kevin Bethel, will be attending and a good number of concerned Philadelphians wants him to reveal the name of the officer who shot Brandon Tate-Brown in the back of the head during a traffic stop last December.
But there’s also great excitement from the community at large, due to the leaders that will be aggregated to not only provide expertise, but to listen to concerns and demands.
Not to mention, for the first time since Mr. Tate-Brown was murdered, his mother, Ms. Tanya Brown-Dickerson, will address police leadership and they will be forced to hear her pain, trauma and recommendations, which includes re-training officers to not shot for center mass, a measure which Mr. Kelvyn Anderson, Executive Director, Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission, who’ll also be attending Philly After Ferguson, says is being analyzed and considered by other cities.
Additionally, Philly After Ferguson will provide Mr. Brian Muldenburg, the newly hired attorney representing the Tate-Brown family, his first platform to address both the media and the community. As expected, critics have sounded off on the event, questioning its sincerity and news value, the latter hinging on whether Mr. Tate-Brown’s killer will be revealed.
In my opinion, some of the critique is warranted, when you considered how much bullsh*t is slung around this town and how often things are done simply for the cameras. So for that reason, I won’t condemn critics, nor will I ask them to soften their tone, I will, however, suggest that they consider the bigger picture.
Philadelphia is a city where 1.5 million reside. It’s the fourth largest media market in the country. And the head of the Philadelphia Police Department has the ear of the President of the United States.
So while Philly After Ferguson is open to all groups who have their own individual agenda, the hour and half block is intended to begin carving out a framework that will ensure the portrayal all citizens accurately – which is why Mr. Mike Days, Editor, Philadelphia Daily News, is attending – the policing of all neighborhoods fairly – which is why, in addition to Commissioner Bethel and Mr. Anderson, Mr. Thomas Nestel, Chief, Transit Police, will be present – and the participation of all citizens in the political process, hint the reason for the invite to City Commissioner, Ms. Stephanie Singer.
The outline for this new direction can only be drafted if everyone acknowledges each other’s humanity and dignity, and comes to the table with a spirit of contribution, instead of disruption. The appropriate response to the perceived criminalization of the entire black community is not to criminalize the entire law enforcement community.
If we do that, where does that get us beside a stalemate or a police state? I’m just as angry as anyone else by the seemingly growing police violence in my city and country, but I’m also angry that my city has a habitually low voter turnout rate and an uncomfortably high homicide rate – we all have work to do, and we can assist each other in accomplishing the tasks, as long as we perceive the work as “us” and not “us versus them.”
Philly After Ferguson is just as much an event as it is a state of mind. Philly After Ferguson represents a movement towards a cognitive surplus, which means pulling together brain power and experiences to solve tough problems and give birth to innovations at the boundaries of disciplines.
What’s next for one of America’s greatest city? What does Philly look and act like, politically, after Ferguson? That’s not for me to decide. Nor is it for you, the next Mayor, the police commissioner or the even the Governor of Pennsylvania to decide. It’s a question that WE THE PEOPLE – all the people, from the ones who wear badges to the ones who wear book bags – should answer, together.
Thanks for reading. Until next time, I’m Flood the Drummer® & I’m Drumming for JUSTICE!™