ISSUE NO. 1
ABOUT TalkAboutIt was first birthed in 2015 to be a space for adolescent girls to talk about what affects them and how they can create solutions and be a support to each other. I have always wanted to encourage other people and allow them to voice their feelings free of judgment or condemnation. TalkAboutIt not only allows me to do this through topics of Faith, Fashion, and Life experiences but brings together a community of people to share their POV on these things as well. I am looking forward to chatting with you, Let’s Talk.
SPEC IAL than ks I would like to give a special thanks to God for placing this vision in me many years ago and never letting me lose sight of it no matter how much it has changed. I want to thank my daddy for pushing me to get started when I was fearful of all the possible outcomes. I want to thank my friends Chelsea, Cheyney and Vj for always being a great help and support to my success and endeavors. I want to thank Naida who has encouraged me and always given me anything I needed asking nothing in return. I lastly want to thank Skylar and T’andre for helping me express myself through their beautiful artwork. Thank you to all who will support! Let’s Talk.
Black Life Blue Home
By Tayja Strickland
Skylar Verduzco “Black Life, Blue Home” 2020 Illustrations Intsagram: @misnamedplants
It is important to note that this is a very heavy topic that can often turn into heated conversations. I encourage you to share your thoughts about what I have written but not in a disrespectful or ill-mannered way. Let’s Talk About it.
2020
has presented a grand amount of highs
and lows for this country. Unfortunately, racial tension and police brutality have made their presence known within the new decade. As a black woman growing up in a law enforcement family, working in law enforcement for ten months I have felt a varying amount of emotions. We live in a culture where condemning anybody has become entertaining so when we can do it to a group of people we feel deserve it we go all out, stripping them of their humanity. This should not be the case. I want to share my point of view with you and some optimistic solutions that will heal the relationship between the public and the police.
Throughout my entire life, law enforcement has been present.
Within my immediate family, my stepfather has worked 22 years in law enforcement working in various areas such as swat, narcotics, and patrol. My mother has worked as a victim’s advocate for 22 years starting her career in Georgia in the year 98’. So I had always felt a sense of security around police officers. The familiarity of the uniform always made me feel safe and protected. I can remember the joy of getting out of school and getting picked up to go to my mom’s office to give all the officers-- white, black, and brown--high fives and hearing them reassure me on how much of a good kid I was. I can remember being able to ride in the back of the police car for the parades knowing that I was with the “good guys” that serve the community. Every summer I got to attend the Sheriff’s camp growing up with fellow police kids being surrounded by individuals who we all thought were heroes.
I say all of this to say police in the earlier stages of my life were
never a threat. I solely believe this is because I was a child and most importantly a child of fellow policemen.
Photography By Valdez O’neal
In my teen years I began to comprehend a little bit more about
racism--how it has been a intricate part of our society. I mean of course we were taught about it in school but I began to understand it on a more personal level. More importantly, how big of a part it played in early policing and continues in modern day policing.
As I have gotten older I am aware of how many people may view me
as a black woman and all the negative stereotypes that come with the name. BITCHY. AGGRESSIVE. HOSTILE. And those are few to say the least. But if you know me, I fall under none of these titles.--unless provoked. Needless to say these preconceived thoughts do not go over well with many police that don’t know or don’t look like you. So as I began to understand certain things about police culture my very childlike idea of them began to fall apart. It wasn’t until 2012 where much of the confidence or security I had in great policemen would completely crash and burn.
I remember when the 2012 tragic shooting of Trayvon Martin
happened and how tense my house became. I was a freshman in high school and this was really the first popularized and globally viewed killing of a black man in my generation. I remember being furious and frightened. Some of my peers and I were mind-boggled by the fact that a simple hoodie and black skin makes you criminal. We never knew that what happened to Martin would act as a catalyst for the next 8 years further destroying the relationship and trust between police and black and brown communities (as if there was even one, to begin with). Although we know Martin was killed by a neighborhood watchman and not the police, the department and the court system was condemned by the black community for handling the case poorly and letting Martin’s killer walk free. As similar stories to Martin’s continued, we the public had become justifiably angry with how departments had continued to let the racism and abuse of the badge go unchecked. It was apparent that many officers were participating in the Blue Wall of Silence.
What is the Blue Wall of Silence you ask?
By Google’s definition, it is a term used in the United States to
denote the informal code of silence among police officers not to report on a colleague’s errors, misconducts, or crimes, including police brutality. Many years passed but it took a man crying out for his mother taking his very last breath for many officers and departments to break the code.
Fast-forwarding to 2020 in the wake of the tragic killings--back
to back--I’m sure shakes more than just me to the core. Seeing George Floyd, a man who got a little drunk, went to the local corner store and tried to use a fake bill to buy something. Or reading about Breonna Taylor, an EMT who was sleeping when officers burst in on a no-knock warrant shooting her 8 times leaving her without medical attention for 5 minutes. And being able to hear the fear coming from Elijah Mcclain who was walking home after a day of work with a ski mask on because he tended to get cold at night. He was a victim of excessive force being pulled to the ground and put in a choke hold and injected with a sedative with a dosage for a person twice his size. With so many stories like this, I see, feel and understand the rage of my community. I can understand the stance of wanting nothing to do with the police and I also understand why there is a push for serious police reform. I think a lot of good can come out of what the peaceful protesters are asking and I do not completely condemn the rioters.
Because of my familiarity with the negatives of police culture,
I always thought I would stay clear of any law enforcement career, let’s just say God had different plans. Being on the opposite side of the fence changes your perspective on certain things. I can understand the many frustrations that some law enforcement officers have when being portrayed negatively in the media. It can be a lot of added pressure when faced with the scrutiny of knowing you have become responsible for something that didn’t happen in your department. It can be frustrating facing years of generalized statements. And for many black officers it can be frustrating and disappointing to be shunned by your community especially when you enter a corrupt system to be the change that it so desperately needed.
T’andre turner “Black Life, Blue Home” 2020 Illustrations Instagram: @tandres_art
Being on the other side of the fence has allowed m
are not just public problems but everybody’s problems. I
-police and the public--people only see and comprehend w
a different perspective and try to gain understanding to
of police and law enforcement departments rarely mak
because of the recent tragic even
I have six major solutions that I think would help heal
most of the issues that the public has with the police
ACCOU
me to see that the problems that the public are angry about
I learned this through listening and hearing from both sides-
what they want to. Only a few will take the time to listen to
o move forward. For example, the Good Ole Boys club culture
ke room for someone to speak up about change. Fortunately
nts, this has to change and is changing.
l the relationship between the police and the public. I think
e are summed up into three words. TRUST, TRANSPARENCY and
UNTABILITY.
6 Major Solutions to
Between the Publ
1
2
To create a foundation of trust
To create a foundation of trust
between those sworn to protect
between those sworn to protect
and those living in the US, I think
and those living in the US, I also
there
see
must
screening
be
detailed
benefits
of
requiring
higher academic requirements. The
officers. The responsibility of being
Academies across the nation should
a police officer is GREAT and any and
require higher education standards
everybody even with a clean record
in studies in related fields such
should be checked for the mental
as a bachelors or associates in
stability to handle the job. These
criminal justice or psychology. I
screenings should be normalized and
believe this will give departments
routine across police departments.
the opportunity to pick candidates
Routine mental health screenings
who are well-versed in the justice
allow you to see how an officer
system or human behavior. This gives
performs before or after a traumatic
the people greater confidence in
high energy experience. This gives
the departments to pick and keep
the people greater confidence in
officers that are knowledgeable in
the departments to pick and keep
their field.
that
are
on
the
police
officers
procedures
mental
first
mentally stable.
of
all
Help the Relationship
lic and The Police
3
4
Make it a mandated rule that when
Increase
performing an arrest or during a
police conduct by creating stricter
traffic stop, that when asked by a
consequences. There is absolutely
civilian the reason for being detained
no reason that a person should still
or pulled over, the officer must
work and advance in the department
respond honestly and concisely. A
if they have multiple reports of
lot of frustration is caused by lack
misconduct issues on their record.
of understanding and communication
When a misconduct report is received,
between the people and police in day
that person should automatically
to day interactions. So I am asking
be put on careful observation until
officers
you
further notice. If the misconduct is
are a human too. If you were being
of high degree such as a fatality or
detained for a reason unbeknownst
serious bodily injury, they should be
to you, you would be a little upset
fired ,charged and never to work in
wouldn’t you? Talk to the people
law enforcement again.
to
remember
that
you are interacting with and if the situation
does
not
de-escalate
know it wasn’t because you didn’t communicate your purpose. .
the
accountability
of
cont.
5 . Normalize calling out misconduct and racial injustices in the workplace. When you don’t speak up for what is right within your department, you will never speak up for what is right on the street.
6 Have diverse teams. This will ensure there will be no bias and possible abuse of power.
I cannot continue my writing without letting you in on an
officer’s perspective. From talking to my step-father who is coming up on his retirement soon, one of his biggest frustrations had to do with the constant generalization of cops. When you make generalized statements about any group of people you make those who don’t fall into that category feel underrepresented and in this case unappreciated. The amount of officers leaving law enforcement has been great in the past month. I fear that the ones that are actually corrupt will be the only ones left. It is not right to condemn everyone for one man’s doing if you condemn anything and condemn the system that allows those bad seeds to get away with it. He and I both feel that the media has done a bad job representing law enforcement in its totality only showing the bad and never the good that officers do everyday. I truly believe there are good policemen still out there, however ,they have a great responsibility to confront the racist systems of policing because they are working in it everyday. All of this should be a team effort. So instead of putting all cops under one umbrella, encourage the ones that do the job with dignity and honor to speak up for the justice that we all need, want and deserve.
The heaviness of the conversation can’t simply be done in one blog
post. I don’t believe my 6 solutions will solve every issue that the system has but I do think it’s a start. My purpose of this post was simply to give a very important POV and offer some possible solution to help us in the future. I would love to have a conversation with you all to see what you think needs to be done. Thank you for reading and Let’s talk.
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