On June 19th, 2015 the Austin NAACP will present the 9th Annual Captain Louie White Celebration/Commemoration. The theme this year is "Tennessee vs. Garner" (A uniform standard for law enforcement on use of force Policies).
1pm June 19th, 2015 Millennium Youth Entertainment Center 1156 Hargrave Street, Austin, Texas. The issue of police misconduct has been the most important civil rights issue in the nation over the past year. Incidents in Ferguson, New York City, Albuquerque, Cleveland, and many other cities around the nation, have exposed the need for a uniform standard of law enforcement policies and tactics. The Austin NAACP has led the nation in developing policies and guidelines to ensure that law enforcement implement the best practices to reduce deaths across the nation. The branch Title VI complaint, filed on June 19th, 2004, established an active data base on police shootings and also called for the Federal government to withhold funding from departments that had racial disparities in deaths and racial profiling. The branch has also called for school districts, and all law enforcement agencies to adopt best practices including prohibiting the use of Tasers in schools across the Central Texas region. The branch is currently working on a state data base that will report and monitor all police shootings across the state of Texas. The branch has championed community policing since 2001 as a basis for increasing communication and promoting cultural competency. Captain Louie White was a quintessential servant in the Austin Community for over 30 years. His work with the Austin Police Department paved the way for community policing. His commitment to developing youths and adults in the African American community is unprecedented and unparalleled. Juneteenth was selected as a commemoration to encourage the community to use the holiday to focus on character development and community empowerment. The program will commence at 1:00pm at the Millennium Youth Entertainment Center located at 1156 Hargrave Street, Austin, Texas. Sponsorship opportunities are available for this program and are listed below: Silver - $2500 Includes prominent acknowledgment in the program and the event Bronze - $1000 Includes acknowledgment in the program brochures For more information about this program, please contact Nelson Linder at 512-476-6230 or email the Austin branch at [email protected]
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A Walk for Justice, May 30 (media release)MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release: May 19, 2015 Contact: Destiney Sanders, sister to Nathaniel Sanders, II, 512-###### A Walk for Justice Saturday, May 30, 2015 9:00am: Meet in Givens Park (3811 E. 12th St.); speakers: Destiney Sanders; LaKiza Jackson; Byron Carter, Sr. 10:00am: March 2.6 miles to Walnut Creek Apartments (site of Sanders' death: 6409 Springdale; transportation available for those not able to walk that distance) A gathering in memory of Nathaniel Sanders, II - on what would be his birthday: May 30th.May 30th, 2011, happens to be the date of Byron Carter, Jr.'s death by APD's hands.Larry E. Jackson, Jr.'s July, 2013 death, the most recent of APD's MOST egregious killings, still weighs heavy on our community as court proceedings move forward. There are many more: Ahmede Jabbar Bradley, Devin Contreras, Kevin Brown, Daniel Rocha, Michael Clark, Jessie Lee Owens, Joel Hernandez, Steven Bernard Scott, Erick McDonald, Rodney Wickware...back to Evans Eikye and Gril Couch, all men of color, most unarmed - or where armed, either not pointing the gun at anyone/threw it on the ground before being shot/begged for their life before being killed/or allegedly on the seat next to the sleeping Sanders. There are other unjust killings including Sophia King, who if police had done their job right, there never would have been a need for any force, much less the excessive deadly shooting v. shooting to disable or using less lethal force - Coffey was close enough to do so (APD commonly said she was a "300 pound woman with a butcher knife" when, in fact, she was 200 pounds with a common kitchen knife). These events in Austin, as they are nationwide, are not anomalies. They are part of a systematic failure of justice; and work to undermine the very essence of public safety. The deaths by the hands of police have ALL been wrongly portrayed as truths seep out sometimes years after the fact. Even when truths are revealed, no corrections or apologies are made. The Keystone Report (following the Sander's death) should have resulted in firings, starting with those who covered up the truth, and at least one conviction. The lies exposed in the civil case around Carter's death (the officer's injury "at the scene" was, in fact, weeks earlier/a witness testified they did not announce themselves, etc.) should have changed the story, despite the case's outcome due to perverse state law protections of officers who may kill based on subjective "fear." The medical examiner's report on Jackson should be raising eyebrows nationwide, but has yet to do so: "...two fractured ribs with overlaying contusions...tear and contusion of the colon...(and) scattered abrasions, contusions and small lacerations..." and the gun went off "accidentally" - in the back of the neck? Perhaps the fact that EIGHT victims since 2003 were shot in the back or in the back of the head or neck should be enough for us to say there is a SERIOUS problem in Austin, TX. One that reflects concerns across the nation; we are not "better" than anywhere else on this issue despite APD's claims. Our police are unaccountable; our justice system is flawed, so we shall Walk...and continue to work hard for a better day when young men of color aren't scared of police. A Walk for Justice is a walk for all who have wrongly died or injured, physically or otherwise, at the hands of APD. ###Destiney Sanders and guests will be on KAZI Radio, 88.7 FM, Tuesday, May 26th, 7:15-7:45am and on KOOP Radio, 91.7 FM, People United, Friday, May 29th, 1pm Community Appreciation Reception for NAACP Austin Branch President Nelson Linder: May 3, 20155/4/2015 "Congratulations Mr. Nelson Linder on your countless hours & numerous years serving Austin and the Central Texas community. Thankful for your tenacity to make life better for the disinfranchised and falsely accused. May GOD continue to Bless you and your work." -LaTonya Pegues |
For frequent updates, visit the Facebook page of Austin NAACP President Nelson Linder!
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