Telling a Story With Our Hands Raised - The Photos and History of #DontShoot

Courtesy of Curtis Sails #DontShoot

Curtis Sails, with a heavy heart and holding back tears, explains the origins of #DontShoot and shares some breathtaking photos.

My message to you :

It is with a heavy heart and holding back tears, that I craft this message to you this you. As you probably heard, this past weekend in Ferguson, a city located in St. Louis County, Missouri, another one of our young black boys was stripped from our grasp. Michael (Mike) Brown, a 18 year-old young man, was shot numerous times by a local law enforcement official. While the full details of the story are yet to be determined, what we do know is that Mike Brown was unarmed and shot from 35 feet away while the police officer remained in his vehicle. We know that without trial or sentencing, he laid there face-first in the street, while blood dripped from his body after being executed in broad daylight.

I write this not as a detailed account of the incident, because I was not there, and am in no way shape or form involved in the investigation. I write this as a Black man growing up in America today, who is also a parent, educator, and advocate for black children and people in this nation. I write this as a citizen, who is sick and tired of seeing the lives of our young men and women taken from them because of the lack of value that this country places on black lives and liberties.

#DontShoot because I am a Mother of Two #blackchildren and a victim of police brutality! I stand with my hands up so that they won’t have to! #MikeBrown #Ferguson @lotusflowerbomb0912

I write this as a mourner and a grief stricken individual, who is praying for this young man’s family and loved ones, for I know myself what it’s like to lose a brother before he had an opportunity to live out the full potential of his life here on earth. I write this enraged and infuriated that there are still individuals in this country who don’t see this is an issue of police brutality and an infringement upon our basic human rights, but rather focus on criminalizing this young man, and crucifying a grieving town for the loss of one of their beloved brothers.

#DontShoot because my only weapons are my phone and my mind #MikeBrown #Ferguson @instagraminmo

The idea behind the #DontShoot Campaign:

I got the idea for creating the Photo Campaign came from watching the gut wrenching videos that local Ferguson citizens were posting to social media in the wake of the killing of 18 year old Micheal Brown. Given the vitriolic language/reactions by local police forces and media outlets in their coverage of the protest I felt that it was only right to present the world with a counter narrative, explaining why our lives are valuable, necessary, and deserve the rights, freedoms and liberties afforded to every other person who lives in this nation.

#DontShoot because black fathers are needed in their communities. #MikeBrown #Ferguson @rlynk12

As for the hashtag, Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) a good friend of mine filmed a video of a group of students chanting #DontShoot standing face to face with the Ferguson police. In the descriptor for the video she asked that we keep Ferguson in our hearts and on social media. Her words were “don’t let them forget about my city.” That’s when I went to work, contacting everyone I knew and asked them to send me pictures of themselves with their hands up and a statement finishing the sentence “#DontShoot because…” From there the project caught fire, and people from all corners of social media joined in and participated.

#DontShoot because my liberation is bound to yours, my life is sacred, and my Creator is your Creator #MikeBrown #Ferguson @Alex.Kautza

This entire project was designed as a way for us to hopefully show the world that we stand in solidarity with Mike Brown, his family, the city for Ferguson, and the millions of other black and brown children who are unjustly targeted because of the color of their skin. This is our opportunity to say to the world that being born into Black skin should not be a death sentence in this country.

#DontShoot because I love the men in my family and community and don’t want to have to fear for their lives #MikeBrown #Ferguson @clintel_salita

How To Join the #DontShoot Because Campaign:

It’s Simple! To join the “#DontShoot Because Campaign” please just have someone snap a picture of you with your hands up and post it to a social media sight like Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. In the caption of the post, finish this sentence using the hashtag #DontShoot because… If you tag me in it (@curtissails) I will repost it to the growing wall of citizens who have already joined the #DontShoot movement.

#DontShoot because I am a Queen built to live out my dreams & my Lord & savior has provided me the means! My skin is my shield I AM worthy of it all, not your field, not your grave & not your prison walls. #MikeBrown #Ferguson @sheritawallsktgmmk

Also read: #DontShoot – and Don’t Look Away, America

#DontShoot because of the way I choose to express myself through clothing. #MikeBrown #Ferguson @Cualliyolotl_89
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#DontShoot because Black life is worth just as much as everyone else’s! #MikeBrown #Ferguson Let’s get the #DontShoot Campaign going! Take a photo of your hands up and caption it #DontShoot because… Let’s show the world that our lives are valuable and necessary! Do it now! Don’t let another minute pass. Once you do it, get 5 friends to do one too! Let’s go!

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