An Overdue Reckoning of Structural and Systemic Racism in Policing
Session Type(s): Featured Panel, Streamed Session
Starts: Saturday, Jul. 15 1:00 PM (Central)
Ends: Saturday, Jul. 15 2:15 PM (Central)
Room: Continental A
Black lives matter. I Can’t Breathe. Hands Up Don’t Shoot. No Justice, No Peace. These powerful phrases are rallying cries for fair-minded Americans seeking to live up to one of this country’s core principles: equal justice under the law. Since this nation’s founding, Black Americans have struggled, fought and died for the right to be free and equal citizens. At a powder keg moment in American policing history, Black fathers from the frontlines will share a fly-on-the-wall look deep inside their intimate personal state as they struggle to confront structural and systemic racism in abusive policing that led to the murder of their children. Nowhere else will you have the opportunity to hear and witness the power of their experiences.
Moderator
Rashad Timmons
Rashad Arman Timmons is a community builder, keyboardist, writer, and Black feminist educator from Detroit. A beloved child of factory workers, urban gardeners, prayer warriors, and musicians, Rashad is a lifelong student of the ways Black folk manipulate and adorn the built environment to envision freedom.
Rashad is completing his Ph.D. in African Diaspora Studies and New Media Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. His research explores how the built environment around us shapes our experience of race and vice versa. Specifically, he writes about how Black people use, disrupt, and appropriate urban infrastructure to reimagine space, honor ancestors, and defend Black life.
Panelists
Michael Brown
On August 9, 2014, in Ferguson, MO, an unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown, Jr. was shot and killed by white police officer Darren Wilson. Michael had just graduated from high school and was scheduled to begin vocational training classes just two days later. After his graduation, he told his father Michael Brown, Sr. “One day, the world is gonna’ know my name. I’ll probably have to go away for a while, but I’m coming back to save my city.”
Unfortunately, those words came true for the Brown family. Mike Brown, Sr. chose to turn the pain of losing his son into an opportunity for change. The “Chosen for Change Foundation” was born in loving memory of Michael Brown, Jr. It’s an organization whose purpose is to empower youth by helping them realize their potential for greatness.
Cephus "Uncle Bobby" Johnson
Cephus “Uncle Bobby X” Johnson, attended San Francisco State University as an undergraduate studying Ethic Studies and Black Studies. He is currently a computer systems engineer in Silicon Valley and is a U.S. military veteran.
He is a social justice activist at the forefront of ending police violence in America. After his nephew Oscar Grant was murdered by a BART officer in 2009, Cephus founded four grassroots social justice organizations—Love Not Blood Campaign, the Oscar Grant Foundation, California Families United 4 Justice, and the National Families United 4 Justice Network, a growing nationwide collective of 600 families impacted by police violence.
Cephus has received many awards for his social justice police accountability work. In 2019, he received The Black Panther Party Community Award; Oakland City Council Commendation Award; Oakland City Council Resolution for innovation Social Justice Award; and Frontline Warriors Keepers Award. He has served as an expert on the creation of the National Impacted Families Movement of Police Accountability work and has appeared on Katie Couric’s “Race in America,” MSNBC’s “Caught on Tape”, and others.
Currently the Love Not Blood Campaign, through its Families United For4 Justice Campaign, has a network membership of over 600 impacted families nationally. He considers ending police violence and supporting families who have been impacted by police his life’s work.
Other sessions: Friday Keynote featuring TN State Rep. Justin Jones, Bridging the Gap Between Impacted Families and Community Activists
Andrew Joseph
Andrew Joseph, Jr. is a native of New Orleans and current resident of Tampa, FL after Hurricane Katrina. Mr. Joseph is a victim advocate and co-founder of The Andrew Joseph Foundation.org. He is the father of a deceased 14-year-old child named Andrew Joseph, III. His work in community organizing, advocacy and empowerment began with adjudicated youths within the school system and juvenile justice system 21 years ago.
Andrew Joseph, Jr. graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Grambling State University, Grambling, Louisiana. After receiving his education, he interned with legal groups at varied law firms and judicial arenas supporting the rights of youth and families in rural Louisiana to navigate the system toward freedom and equality. In his efforts he was inspired with the vision, strength and character to make the difference in the lives of children and many of his client’s families.
In February, 2014, the unimaginable occurred when his child was negated by the very system that he interfaced with daily. Since his son’s death, the quest for accountability and amplification of civil and human rights for youth and children has been at the forefront of his increased advocacy in helping young people around the world live, grow and be nurtured within communities that love and support them.
Kevin Tarver
As a servant of God and Ambassador of the Kingdom, Kevin has dedicated his life to serve and help others over the last 20 years. Kevin has had a diverse background in many areas of criminal justice, sales, marketing, insurance, financial services, team building and ministry.
After serving under his father’s ministry for over 38 years as a musician as well as serving as assistant pastor, God charged him to take a leap of faith and establish his own ministry in 2014. Since that time, God has challenged, trained and prepared him to become a strong voice in his community as well as aa leader.
Kevin currently serves as pastor of New Resurrection Christian Ministries & Outreach, chaplain for McKinney Police Department and Peer Support, City of McKinney Chief of Police Advisory Council, Chaplain of Crisis Response Ministry, Director of DJT Justice Network, and owner of Tarver & Associates.