A Rising Phoenix

Speak Up

A speaker and advocate for the advancement of Black life and black culture, the Sandra Bland/Robbie Tolan Award was created for the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race & Justice to honor those working on criminal justice reform.

TOLAN has spent the past decade challenging institutional racism as well as fighting for the rights of black victims seeking justice when dealing with police officers and the judicial system. His law-making case, Tolan v. Cotton, has set the precedent in the way judges are allowed to grant police officers qualified immunity. Since its ruling in 2014, Tolan’s case has been cited in and helped thousands of court cases involving police brutality.

YES and AMEN

Tolan is a man of resilience that is committed to a purpose driven life. Tolan states “God saved me for a much greater purpose and to have a greater impact than just playing baseball.” Tolan’s foundation, Project 1231, provides education and aid to victims and families of racial and police injustice. Tolan is dedicated to making sure that victims of police brutality get the support they need.

Producing Overflow

In addition to being an author and script writer (TV and film), Tolan has launched a publishing company for aspiring authors of color looking to share their voice and publish their books. For collaborations, publishing and bookings, Tolan can be reached @Robbie_Tolan on Instagram.

Tolan has been a youth baseball coach since his playing career ended in 2011. He hopes to one day return to his alma mater, Prairie View, as the head baseball coach and increase the awareness and presence of HBCU baseball in the NCAA and develop a new generation of black baseball players.

United States vs. Billie Holiday

Harry Anslinger, the Chief of the US Federal Bureau of Narcotics, in an effort to justify his budget, was known for planting evidence and unjustly targeting practitioners of jazz, which he referred to as Black man’s music. In partnership with the FBI, Anslinger became incensed when Billy Holiday, regarded as the greatest female jazz musician, started performing the song, Strange Fruit, which outraged the establishment because it referred directly to the lynching of African-Americans in the South. Holiday was burdened with unimaginable childhood trauma. Tormented and denied a peaceful death, Billie Holiday was was handcuffed to her deathbed and arrested.

TV, Film and Podcast Guide

Knowledge is power. Take a stand against injustice with the Innocence Project’s wrongful conviction guides. Watch The Innocence Files on Netflix as The Innocence Project unravels missteps and deceit in a series of wrongful convictions, exposing the injustice inflicted on victims and the accused.

Restoration

Many people feel hopeless about the broken prison systems. Prison Fellowship International is dedicated to restoring prisoners’ lives, help their families, and integrate them back into the community—for good! pfi.org

Title 8 (NYCHRL)

The NYC Human Rights Law is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The Law also protects against discriminatory lending practices, retaliation, discriminatory harassment, and bias-based profiling by law enforcement.