Over 1,000 people march down University Ave in St. Paul for the Mothers March on July 12, 2020. Chris Juhn/MSR News 
Mothers that lost family to police ride on the back of a pickup truck as the vehicle leads the way during the Mothers March in St. Paul on July 12, 2020. Chris Juhn/MSR News 
11: Standing on top of a statue platform at the steps of the State Capitol building in St. Paul, a family who lost a loved one to police records speakers of the Mothers March on July 12, 2020/Chris Juhn/MSR News 
Mothers and family that lost loved ones to police from around the country stand on the steps of the State Capitol building in St. Paul during the Mothers March on July 12, 2020. Chris Juhn/MSR News 
Vehicles get into place before the start of the Mothers March in St. Paul on July 12, 2020. Chris Juhn/MSR News 
Attendees pose before the start of the march. Chris Juhn/MSR News 
A protester watches and listens to speakers before the start of the Mothers March in St. Paul on July 12, 2020. Chris Juhn/MSR News 
Protesters dance in the streets as they approach the destination for the march at the State Capitol building in St. Paul during the Mothers March on July 12, 2020. Chris Juhn/MSR News 
Tyrone Carter, a retired 2 time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers walks down to the State Capitol building in St. Paul. Chris Juhn/MSR News 
Ashley Dubose sings on the steps of the State Capitol building in St. Paul during the Mothers March on July 12, 2020. Chris Juhn 
Family and friends of Paul Castaway who was killed by Denver police talk to the crowd on the steps of the State Capitol building in St. Paul. Paul was killed exactly 5 years ago on July 12, 2015 on July 12, 2020. Chris Juhn/MSR News 
Former NBA star Royce White speaks to the crowd of protesters that came to to support the mothers who lost family to police on the steps of the State Capitol building on July 12, 2020. Chris Juhn/MSR News
Only justice can ease the pain
Many families have lost loved ones to police violence. Many times their voices go unheard. Of the hundreds of families experiencing such losses, a handful get to tell their stories to the world. Their passionate protests, court appointments and demands for justice may then get lost amongst the protests of the people. Community voices sometimes take precedence over the voices of the actual family members.
Protests, phone calls and hashtags that honor victims soon fade away, leaving family members with only memories and frustrations with police departments, government agencies, and the criminal justice systems.
To give these families support, agencies including MN Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence, the Justice Squad, and other groupings of families and anti-police violence organizations from around the country came together under the umbrella of Take A Knee Nation. The “National March for Mothers” held July 11-12 provided workshops to help families and community members heal from the trauma that comes with police violence.
Saturday’s events consisted of an early morning press conference followed by a welcome from Olivia House, who stressed the importance of listening to the voices of women of color, especially Black women. Fazayah Augusta spoke on “ways to deal with stress and trauma.” Four workshops helped attendees learn ways of coping, organizing, telling their stories, and understanding the history and role of the police.
One workshop was presented by Sisters of the Movement, an organization founded by the sisters of people who have died at the hands of police: Allisa Findley (for Botham Jean), Amber and Ashley Carr (for Atatiana Jefferson), and Victoria Davis (for Delrawn Small).
K.C. Fox, a social activist and crisis strategist, was also present to support the sisters. Unable to attend were Tiffany Crutcher (Terrance Crutcher), Shante Needham (Sandra Bland), and Natasha Duncan (Shantel Davis).
Ashley Carr, sister of Atatiana Jefferson, told attendees, “A lot of people are just in this movement for the fame. They just want attention on themselves. Some of the people who claim to support us have never even contacted us.
“If you really want to help… contact the families. Wait about a month and then contact the families,” Carr said. “Even if you do not get a response right away, contact the families.”
Her sister Amber (who is 11 months older than Jefferson) added, “Because the phone calls do stop.” Findley chimed in, “But the pain never ends.”
Angelique Negroni-Kearse, wife of Andrew Kearse, spoke passionately about her experiences after her husband died from a heart attack while pleading for help in the back of a Schenectady, New York, police car.
“I miss my husband,” she said. “I miss him being a father to our children. I miss the one person that I knew would always be there for me.”
Negroni-Kearse succeeded in getting the Andrew Kearse Act passed by Congress. It will hold police officers in New York accountable for denying medical care to people in police custody.
Saturday’s events convened with a dinner featuring the tastes of Minnesota, a discussion of the groups’ demands, and concluding resolutions from the panelists. Attendees were also able to visit the South Minneapolis site honoring victims of police violence.
Sunday’s activities featured breakfast for community members and a march to the Minnesota State Capital from Dale and University Ave. in St. Paul, which honored all the victims and families affected by police violence.
Sisters of the Movement welcomes volunteers and membership donations. Contact them at www.sistersofthemovement.org.
Brandi Phillips is a contributing writer at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.