Kadiatou, Amadou Diallo’s mother, shown with Rev. Sharpton, spoke at the Washington march
#Justice4All: More than a Hashtag, It’s About Action
On behalf of the National Urban League, I strongly condemn the recent killing of two New York City Police Department officers. The brutal shooting of Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos in Brooklyn, N.Y. is heinous and reprehensible. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of both officers.
In Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ever-relevant words, “If we do an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we will be a blind and toothless nation.” Hate in speech and action threatens the very fabric of the United States of America and has no place here, particularly as we work toward peace and justice. We cannot fulfill our nation’s promise of justice for all if we continue to be driven by hatred and resentment. We must honor the legacies of Officers Liu and Ramos by maintaining our respect for police officials who day after day risk their lives for the sake of citizen peace and safety. We are eternally grateful for that immense sacrifice.
Last Saturday’s Justice for All march in our nation’s capital was a powerful day of solidarity and a meaningful call for change. I walked away with a renewed sense of confidence in the purpose of our mission – which is rooted in working together toward attaining justice, prosperity, and equality for all.
We were joined by an energetic group of National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP), who came out in full force – galvanized, ready to march and raising their voices. The Urban League Movement was well represented as affiliates from near and far supported the march and focused on advancing our 10-Point Plan for Police Reform and Accountability.
The march drew tens of thousands of people from diverse backgrounds, ages, races and identities, united by the common goal of justice. Among the sea of crowds were generations ranging from small, school-aged children to a 99-year-old lifetime advocate for social justice and civil rights.
The families of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, John Crawford, Tamir Rice, Amadou Diallo, Trayvon Martin, and so many others witnessed this massive outpouring of support for the sons, husbands, and fathers they lost and the many others who are named and unnamed to the public. It is clear that many Americans have been deeply impacted by the pain and heartache of these families, and on Saturday, we were honored to join them in taking the next step – transforming that pain into unified action.
Our work continues long past this weekend, and as I’ve previously stated, a movement cannot be sustained without concrete objectives and goals. Join us in doing the hard work for the long haul.
10-POINT JUSTICE PLAN: National Urban League Police Reform and Accountability Recommendations
1. Widespread Use of Body Cameras and Dashboard Cameras
2. Broken Windows Reform and Implementation of 21st Century Community Policing Model
3. Review and Revision of Police Use of Deadly Force Policies
4. Comprehensive Retraining of All Police Officers
5. Comprehensive Review and Strengthening of Police Hiring Standards
6. Appointment of Special Prosecutors to Investigate Police Misconduct
7. Mandatory, Uniform FBI Reporting and Audit of Lethal Force Incidents Involving All Law Enforcement
8. Creation and Audit of National Database of Citizen Complaints against Police
9. Revision of National Police Accreditation System for Mandatory Use by Law Enforcement To Be Eligible for Federal Funds
10. National Comprehensive Anti-Racial Profiling Law
