Speaker 0 00:00:00 Angry. Like, don't you think you said enough? Huh? Well, it's freaking tough cuz I'm being loud and the people are not playing with you now. Yeah. You can burn a whole thing down. Yeah. Yeah. I don't care. If you are uncomfortable, we can burn a whole thing down. You can burn a whole thing down. Couldn't care about another zone. You can burn a whole bang down it down. Y'all don't really care about a brother till we burn our whole thing down it down, down, down. Y'all we about to go to work? Yeah, we had it burn.
Speaker 1 00:00:31 Come on the young end. What? I'm focused on. I'm so old than go then. I ain't know you was talking about Pokemon, but I'm more like me and nerdy next to a burndown system with a handful of gas and a handful of matches. And no, we ain't miss some fame. Not my mission. Legs be so complicity watching all the leaders, leading banking, no name minions, but we torture enough to take us. And we give into survivors, city liars, making black people compliant. Rapids. Who are you asking? I'm proof survive. The boom bad trick, bro. Ethics got me laughing at your message. And in black lives matter, you would not get so defensive. We got cops and THS and robberies and gas liters. We adopt the same. We on the scene, we pass typing cuz y'all care about us. And we ain't come to ask. We just mind our business and people be so suck and mad. So pass the gun and mask and pass the Athena y'all can really kill us for anything. Y'all just bend the laws. The same performance art, the same performative, saving the racist head of normative. You
Speaker 0 00:01:29 Can burn the whole
Speaker 1 00:01:30 Thing down
Speaker 0 00:01:31 Burn. I don't care if you are uncomfortable, we can a whole thing down. You can burn it, burn it, burn it down. Couldn't care about it. Not a zone. You can a whole thing down, down. Y'all don't really care about it brother, till we burn all thing down. Yeah. We about to go to work.
Speaker 3 00:02:19 All right. Boots on the ground. Boots
Speaker 4 00:02:23 On the, where whoa. View from the damn ground
Speaker 3 00:02:26 Boots on the ground views views from the ground. Oh yeah. <laugh> I just, I was, I was watching y'all at the protest. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:02:36 Okay.
Speaker 3 00:02:36 Okay. Views from the ground views
Speaker 4 00:02:38 From the damn ground
Speaker 3 00:02:39 Views from the ground
Speaker 4 00:02:40 Views from the damn ground
Speaker 3 00:02:42 Views from the ground
Speaker 4 00:02:43 Views from the damn ground.
Speaker 3 00:02:44 And that's on that, on that, on that
Speaker 4 00:02:47 We got there. We got
Speaker 3 00:02:49 There. Yes. This is uh, your host DJ here. Um, I use day them pronouns.
Speaker 4 00:02:55 All right. And then my name's Jaylen. I use SheHer pronouns
Speaker 5 00:02:58 And I am Brandon. I use he him pronouns.
Speaker 3 00:03:01 Yeah. So we are gonna get right onto
Speaker 5 00:03:03 The new and what's the name of the show
Speaker 3 00:03:06 Views from the ground
Speaker 5 00:03:07 Views from the damn ground. There we go. Just had to
Speaker 4 00:03:09 Double check just yeah, just to make sure. Okay. There's new listeners. It's views from the ground. <laugh> all right. So today, um, we're gonna start, um, with talking about Jaylen Walker, um, Jaylen Walker, uh, was a 25 year old black man, um, who was killed last Monday by police officers in Akron, Ohio. Um, his case, I mean it is, you know, something that on the ground we see, but this case I think is especially, I don't know, hurts is kind of weird because they all hurt. But like over 60 rounds, 60 plus rounds, um, were shot into him and he was unarmed at the time. Um, he was killed after fleeing the police or supposedly fleeing the police after being stopped for a taillight being out or broken or something. I don't know. It's those traffic stops that I'm just like, how did this escalate like this?
Speaker 4 00:04:02 Um, at the news conference Sunday, the police, uh, did release body cam footage, um, of the pursuit. And for those that can watch it, Ken I, um, myself am a little bit past that. Um, so I haven't really been able to get a view of it. Um, so there were over eight officers, uh, that shot at him of the 60 plus rounds. Um, those eight officers are, have been placed on administrative leave, um, following the release of the video, hundreds of protestors marched in downtown, um, and the family, um, was with them in that. And they've been there been a few arrests and the family members from my understanding have, um, some of them have been part of that. Um, and yeah, like,
Speaker 5 00:04:50 Yeah, when we say 60 rounds, they shot 90 and, and 60 rounds hit his body. So they shot like over 90 times and 60 of the bullets actually hit him. So if you can imagine, um, what that poor boy's body looked like after taking 60 gunshots to his body.
Speaker 4 00:05:12 Yeah. Um, it, I mean exactly what Brandon just said. Um, it is being contested. Um, if he shot or he had a gun, there was, they found alleged the gun alleged. Yes. Allegedly. I mean, yes. Allegedly had the gun, they have a picture of it on the passenger side next to a magazine in casings, but no bullets loaded is my current understanding of the situation. So it's something that, um, is yeah. Going to be a big factor in this. Um, and it's just really unfortunate because like, apparently a couple months ago his, uh, girlfriend was killed in a really bad car accident. Uh, and so it's like this family is just experiencing these deaths kind of back to back with people, um, that are close. Um, so the Ohio bureau of criminal investigation is conducting an inquiry, um, which is their like state like an outside probe that usually doesn't go like that.
Speaker 4 00:06:14 Uh, so we'll see what their independent investigation, uh, says. Um, so yeah, it, my first thoughts with this is that this is the same state that Tamir rice was killed in, um, within seconds of officers arriving. And it's, um, they're just really quick out there. They don't waste no time. The deescalation seems, uh, very lacking in the state of Ohio and, uh, some talked about how it used to be a really big headquarters for the KU Klux Klan and how that culture, like, as we know, is embedded in police departments, but, um, still pretty high for a city like Akron mm-hmm
Speaker 5 00:06:58 <affirmative> dude. I mean, I did watch the video and of those 60 shots that he took, he was running away at first, he was shot. Then he hit the ground. Then all you hear is like continuous gunfire into a person who's already laying on the ground. So at what?
Speaker 4 00:07:15 And they handcuffed him.
Speaker 5 00:07:16 Yeah. And then after he's dead, then he was brought to the coroner, his office in handcuffs. So I don't know what threat, a young black man poses to you after being shot 60 times that you still need to cuff him, but that's what they feel the need to do. Um, and I don't know what threat to you as an officer, a black man poses when he's being shot at, by multiple other officers that you also feel you need to unload your weapon into his body. Who's laying on the ground with no gun, even by him. Like, and the video that they did show was from the cop who was like the furthest away. Um, so you can hardly even see, uh, Jaylen during it. And it's yeah, here we, here we are, again, now they continuous protests and they've like Jaylen said arrested family members of him who are rightfully protesting for his justice. Um, it's just ugly. It's just really ugly.
Speaker 4 00:08:14 Um, this is why we call them lynchings. It's like what, like 60 rounds, 60 plus rounds, if that's not, you know, you're to be made an example out of, don't try this again, like the feed, the terror, and like it in flicks and instills is just very much the same. Like I said, of Tamir, rice of Emmett till of George Floyd. Um, and it's been used as a means to, uh, control our communities and keeps them, I think, stuck in a way. And I just, yeah, just keep thinking like, this is why we, these are lynchings, um, is my opinion. Um, I'm curious if they'll look at, uh, things like they did in Brooklyn center, cuz it was a, a traffic violation or equipment violation or something that in my opinion definitely did not need to be pulled over for. Um, so after Dante Wright was murdered, uh, the city of Brooklyn center, uh, implemented a different process where, um, they wouldn't be pulling over for traffic violations, but would like send tickets in the mail or something like that.
Speaker 4 00:09:20 I believe so. I think, I mean of the small little reforms to happen. I hope, I guess it's one of those. Um, and I just want people to examine why, uh, the police think that they get to be judged jury and executioner, um, as many white men as they bring in safely too. So it's like y'all can do it, but for a very select, uh, few. Um, so the, the decision of whether to charge the officers, um, involved will be determined by the prosecutors. Um, but we, as we know, uh, charges like that have rarely been filed in similar cases. Um, so I know that, um, TC for J is kind of waiting on the next, uh, development to mobilize folks. And so please keep your ear close to the ground to see what's gonna happen next with that, um, to move on to something equally sad, just a weekend or just, yeah, our, our vibes this year have not been joyous.
Speaker 4 00:10:22 Um, on, uh, the 4th of July, at least seven people were killed when a gunman open fire, um, at the 4th of July parade in Highland park, Illinois, um, more than two dozen people, um, were taken to hospitals with injuries. Um, some of the victims included, um, one child in critical condition. Um, some parents, I think most notably, um, two parents were murdered and their two year old child was just walking around after kind of aimlessly. And that's just one that sticks with me. Um, the assess, uh, the gunman's name is, um, Robert Bobby Crio. I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing that way, but that's okay. Um, and he was arrested around nine hours after the shooting. Um, his vehicle was spotted and there was a brief pursuit and they safely brought him in which like just the stark differences of what we were just talking about to how they were able to bring in someone.
Speaker 4 00:11:23 Um, like that is just, just frustrating beyond like, I don't even know what to say. Um, the, uh, they're saying that he acted alone and appears to be shoot the people that he shot were like random, so not a targeted group. Um, but that's what they're saying right now. Um, the mayor of, um, Highland park, Nancy roter, I'm gonna roter, maybe <laugh> um, said that, um, criminal breach, local laws, um, bringing the weapons into the city. So apparently in 2013, um, Highland park became one of the first like local cities to ban, uh, to put, to pass a ban on semiautomatic rifles, which it was, I believe in a 15 was the one use. So he did this in one of the few places that, um, these weapons are banned, uh, which I hadn't even known that there were like small cities that banned them.
Speaker 4 00:12:21 So that was something that I learned. Um, it's this one's, I mean, this is what I just learned a few hours ago is apparently he's had some past, um, of, um, he has like threatened his life and others and the cops got involved and like they took his guns away, but then the dad said that they were his guns. So I mean, not guns, excuse me, knives, I apologize, knives away. And then the, uh, dad said that they were his knives, uh, and got them back. And the, the process you have to pass like four different background checks. And the father was one of the like sponsored people on the, um, form that kind of allowed him to get this weapon. So a lot of people are looking into that of how much the dad enabled this position. Um, and he, I mean, we'll see what happens as that, uh, develops. I, I mean, did you guys wanna say anything on it?
Speaker 5 00:13:18 Yeah. The, the one thing that I found interesting, or, um, I mean, in light of the tragedy, you, you talked briefly about how they can arrest someone who just killed seven people and, um, murdered two dozen more, or sorry, killed seven people and injured two dozen more, uh, they can arrest them with little to no harm done, but, uh, when a black man is fleeing because he's fearful of his life, you fire 90 shots hitting him with 60 bullets. And, um, thing that was interesting was the Highland park shooter shot 70 rounds total. So 70 rounds total and was taken alive, but the, uh, police in Akron, Ohio shot 90 rounds at one person and killed him. So they shot more bullets at one person than a mass shooter did during a mass shooting. So like really, what are we doing here? What, what type of picture does that paint for you?
Speaker 4 00:14:24 Yeah, something is very, very, very wrong. So, um, so I just wanted to, you know, say rest in peace to those that per and everyone's lives, who are affected by that, um, event. Um, like it was very fun day that turned very tragic and it's becoming a weekly thing, uh, for the United States, but I just wanna lift up, um, everybody there, um, for our last topic, uh, we're gonna talk about how the Supreme court, um, Marshall, um, has asked Maryland Virginia officials to enforce, um, Antip picketing or protesting laws, um, outside the justices house. Uh, so the Supreme court Marshall is a like chief security officer, um, and he sent in letters, uh, Friday, um, that and wrote about how there's threatening activity that has been increased at Justice's home since may, when the, um, initial draft of the, uh, Roe V Wade overturn was leaked.
Speaker 4 00:15:30 Um, apparently there's been con constant protests at, um, the various different justices houses. Like they'll go to one justice house for 30 minutes, make some noise, go to a March to another, uh, for another 30, 45 come back and just have been, um, constant. And it's just like, I don't know. It's really cool to hear when you can keep protests going like that. Um, and I appreciate that. That is the energy cuz you know, I think sometimes we see these big, um, demonstrations and then it goes away really quickly, but to be able to sustain, sustain that, um, is really cool. Um, and there is this court marshal, um, who is asking them to enforce these laws that have been there. And so they're directly asking them to crack down, um, and you know, Infor and infringe on freedom of speech. And I think, um, you know, we've experienced this closer to home, um, with the Kim Potter case. Um, it's, I'm not surprised, uh, that they're willing to, uh, do that and I'm imagine they're gonna go to extremes and uh, there's gonna be some legislation going to be, um, kind of following a domino effect, uh, after those things are enforced.
Speaker 3 00:16:49 Hmm. Yeah. They, they really don't like people coming to their house, even if it's peaceful.
Speaker 4 00:16:55 Yeah. Like it's, I appreciate that. We've I think in the movement have developed a real, um, consensus that, you know, if our elected officials aren't doing what they need to do right by us, we, we get to disrupt their piece because they are disrupting our lives. I remember when we went up to Bob Kroll's house, that was one of the coolest things ever <laugh> and it's like, they, I think the city of Hugo banned, um, protests outside of people's homes, like right after that immediately. Yes. So, I mean, it's pretty cool doing it, but can't go back. <laugh>
Speaker 3 00:17:34 It's actually, um, real interesting cuz um, last year when I had that whole situation with Jenkins, that's what, um, she actually ended up blowing up on my face about was cuz I told her, well, if you're not gonna do the right thing, I guess I'll just show up to your house with a peaceful protest. And that's when you jumped in my face, <laugh>
Speaker 4 00:17:53 Got the wrong thing to say to Ms. Jenkins. And
Speaker 3 00:17:56 Uh, yeah. So yeah, so yeah, people, yeah. These politicians love to do their, their crappy things, but they don't like taking accountability or for people to come to their houses and
Speaker 4 00:18:06 Cute. It's just like the, uh, definition of a peaceful, uh, protest is like going to change very rapidly. And I just want to know like, is what's gonna be acceptable, like the very permitted or, you know, you need a permit. It can only be during like business hours. Like I, I don't know why that, like I just, of course that's what they want to do to call our voices. Uh, and I'm like, dang, is this ever gonna fit outside of y'all's definition of protest? <laugh> <laugh> no, we're just gonna keep changing it. Um, so yeah, I think that's just something we should be keeping an eye on, uh, cuz yeah, it will develop. And these, these officials don't like it at all the Supreme court, I imagine it'll go straight to the Supreme court if it is contested in laws, uh, and really upset that they'll be making that decision. Cuz I think we already know what they're gonna say. Yeah. But that's all I have for this week.
Speaker 3 00:19:05 All right. Well thank you so much. I extremely appreciated. Um, moving on on, we're gonna go to our next segment, which are words of freedom.
Speaker 5 00:19:14 Yeah. And this week for uh, words of freedom, we are actually going to have our local poet introduced theself
Speaker 3 00:19:22 All right.
Speaker 6 00:19:27 Originally from Minnesota spoken war poet been doing poetry for at least like seven years plus. So it's a grateful opportunity for me being able to share my poems, my ideas and my vision. So I'm a creative guy. I always willing to support my people, anybody in general when it comes to music, art, fashion, anything. So I'm always an optimistic guy willing to grow myself. Thank you.
Speaker 5 00:19:56 So yes, that was Zach. That was Zach Russell. If you didn't hear his name at the beginning, that is Zach Russell, who is our poet, uh, for the month. That was his little intro. We're gonna listen to a little bit of his work here today. So the first piece we will listen to is titled invisible fear,
Speaker 6 00:20:14 Invisible fear, a process. Let me process digest. Let me, can I breathe at a young age? I had low self-esteem afraid, afraid of the world, afraid of talking to girls, afraid of rejection, afraid of heading in the wrong direction. Just afraid. Just a story of my life like Mary Day. But fear kept me away away from speaking my mind away from showing up on time, full transparency, accustomed to holding my emotions as a young black man, I could've even express how I would feel. Deep, deep, deep like black street, deep negative thoughts led to depression seeking temptation. When all I needed to do was debrief for progression. Speaking from a perspective with fear on his mind when a cop pulls to side, his mind starts racing and know this ain't a cry for help, no desperation. I just want you to know what it feels like.
Speaker 6 00:21:21 I want you to know what it feels like. I want you to know what fear feels like for me. King's eyes a son's eyes, a brother's eyes from me. You see, I had to break it down. You see fear is false evidence appearing real. So what I was creating was fake and I hope what I say. People can relate. As we walk through life. As we walk through life, we make mistakes. This poem is not meant to glorify fear. I don't want to become another man in society, not making an impact in reality flaws and imperfections flaws and imperfections flaws and imperfections. I've noticed that value of self love has drifted away. We post for temporary validation. So our best life for the sensation like who you really fooling, just keep it real. I too am full of flaws. Like when someone tells me they got a new job, I'm like, congrats. I'm that small journey. Or when I say I'd be there at 7:00 PM. When I really mean seven 30, sometimes I have to restrict the blackness I have within myself to not be perceived as an animal. I said, sometimes I have to restrict the blackness I have within myself to not be perceived as an animal.
Speaker 6 00:22:50 My best assets are intangible. I hope you realize a king standing in front of your eyes is not meant to harm you. This man has been born. This man has been born. This man has been born with multiple stereotypes to shade of a skin, made strange his blood temperatures rise. I can't even look him in his eyes, but please respect him. The fear he had against the world is equivalent to the fear of the world had against him between the world and me in America. It is tradition to destroy the black body. It is heritage in America. It is tradition to destroy the black body. It is heritage unbelievable to comprehend black slaves, beaten, tortured, raped outside of physical enslavement, still poverty, murder and mass incarceration through the history of it all. We just want respect. We just want justice. We just want to be, but please just let us speak so you can hear our words, invisible fear,
Speaker 5 00:24:12 And next we will hear the piece titled elevation,
Speaker 6 00:24:18 Elevation. Catch me at the top. Envisioning success. Nothing but the best. And yes, I'm a man of authority. My history is my story. So I put the pen to the pad, making peace. I be yearning for greatness. I know the devil hates this, this great man. I became looking in my past like man, I'm amazed, wasted times with no intentions ruined in my mindset. I can tell I'm growing. Showing signs of a leader are out to Malcolm X entrepreneurship. I envision making decisions, realizing my true worth as a king. I plan to make an impact as a fact, cant be average. Black is a color of my true love skin, but do I fear none? My spirit goes daily influenced by hip hop is how the most, how it made me elevation.
Speaker 5 00:25:18 Hmm. Y'all hit. Come on now. Y'all get that man. Some snaps, all the snap, all the snaps. That is uh, my boy, Zach Russell. Uh, we're gonna be listening to his poetry all month and we'll end the month with an interview in studio. Uh, so make sure y'all are around for that. If y'all want to follow him on Instagram, that is Z underscore R you S S. And that is Zach Russell. And thank y'all for tuning in to this week's segment. Words of freedom.
Speaker 3 00:25:45 All right. Um, coming up next year, we're gonna do the nerdy spotlight. And so take it away. A nerdy.
Speaker 0 00:25:52 Hello, everybody out there in Radioland. It's your boy nerdy. It's July. I'm feeling fine. And now it's time for the artist's spotlight. We here at views from the ground. Love to take this time to give artists from our community, their roses while they're here. And this month, ain't nothing different because we're rocking with bio. If you think the summer heat is something. Let me tell you. It's got nothing on bio who has been burning up stages all around the twin cities. When I tell you this, music's gonna make you want to get up and dance. Trust me. You're gonna find out in a second, cuz we are about to play the song called strength. Get that strength of people. Woo.
Speaker 2 00:26:40 They got time.
Speaker 8 00:26:44 No, I ain't got time. Ain't got ground time or got time to
Speaker 8 00:27:37 This. Y'all mouth. This stretching missing the negative God. He said he got me his blessing as evidence I've been putting, working to make all the ass click. I got all my friends with. We go get the dang list where I talk to God. He be talking back. Put that on my mom. I know he got my back said I talking to God. He be talking back. Put that on my mom. I know he got my back. I know he got my back. Take out your Honda and lift him up. Take out your Honda, lift his name, take out your Honda and lift him up, bend down and lift his name. Take out your, and lift him up. Take out your hand and lift his name. Take out your, and lift him up, bend down and lift his name on my, it got time being on my ground and I got, get me some time to fix his smile on my face
Speaker 8 00:28:49 Strand. I lost now had to step away from crowds in order to find a crown father, the center sun down. Just let us all out. Get it with me now. Get it with me now. However, remember I was down bad, lost. Now I had to step with crowds in order to find crown father, the center sun down. Just let us all out. Get it with me now. Get it with me now. Shout, ah, take out Hyundai and lift up. Take out Hyundai and lift this name. Take out your hand, lift him up, bend down and lift his name. Take out your, lift him up. Take out hand, lift his name, take out your hand and lift him up down. Lift his name time fix.
Speaker 3 00:30:24 All right. Thank you so much. Um, for bringing such talent on the show. Now we're gonna have a quick break. Before we start our interview.
Speaker 9 00:30:36 The 16th annual Bayfront reggae and world music festival takes place Saturday, July 16th from noon to 11:00 PM at Bayfront festival park in Duluth, Minnesota headliners include terrace Riley, Afro B Han Cecil with Caroline Naomi NA indica and DJ sound of Fu Jean. All ages welcome children 11 and under are free. Check out this premier world music festival on beautiful lake superior with international food artisans and more tickets and more info are available
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Speaker 10 00:31:21 Tune into power perspectives on 90.3 FM K a I Fridays at 1:00 PM where we talk about policy art, building power and life in Minneapolis streaming
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Speaker 11 00:31:41 Programming is supported by NorthPoint health and wellness center located at Penn and Plymouth in north Minneapolis. This summer NorthPoint reminds you that if you feel sick, check for COVID symptoms, start wearing your mask, get tested and stay home. If you test positive and remember to get your COVID vaccine north point health and wellness center is now vaccinating children's six months and older against COVID 19. For more information, please visit NorthPoint health.org
Speaker 12 00:32:13 In Ramsey county. Recycling is for everyone it's for helpers learning how to recycle plastic bottles, cans, and cardboard boxes while watching their parents do the same it's for do it yourselfers dropping off leftover paint and other household hazardous waste. After finishing a home improvement project, Ramsey county offers ways to recycle household goods, household hazardous waste, food scraps, and yard waste for free learn what to recycle and how you can recycle
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Speaker 3 00:32:47 All right. Um, are you there Ms. Kim? Hello, Ms. Kim. All right, so we, yes. Give us a second here while we, um, get Ms. Kim on the line. We are gonna, we are gonna play a little bit something here, so, Hmm. Today we're gonna be doing an interview with card, um, with Ms. Kim, who is the mother of Cardell handy. So
Speaker 5 00:33:33 Cardell handy was, uh, shot and killed by, um, St. Paul police in 2017. Um, he was suffering from some mental health crisis, uh, was going through some things. Um, if you read up on the case, you'll see that the police had information that could have, um, prevented them from killing him, but they still didn't feel safe. Um, and so they took, uh, Cordell's life by shooting him, um, for no real good reason. And, uh, Ms. Kim, um, you've probably heard her voice seen her face. Um, if heard her chance heard her, I was just about to say that kind of ruin my, my flow. Sorry, if you had, you had heard her chance for sure. I'm not
Speaker 3 00:34:20 The artist
Speaker 5 00:34:21 <laugh> I gotta put no that I'm just messing with. Yeah. Uh, but yeah, so she is really a staple, um, in our community and does a lot of good work for, um, many, many families all over the country who have lost, um, loved ones to police violence. Um, so we will, we will have her and shortly we're just kinda working through some technical difficulties trying to get this phone interview set up. So please just bear with us for a little while longer.
Speaker 3 00:34:56 All right. In the meantime, we are gonna listen to a little James Brown here.
Speaker 13 00:35:14 Did you hear me say hello? I said, we won, said we got what we deserve. We've and we we've been good. You just, you has a tattoo two eyes to make a P brother. We can't quit until
Speaker 3 00:35:35 We get our shit. All right. Are you there Ms. Kim?
Speaker 15 00:35:40 Yes. Can
Speaker 3 00:35:40 Hear. Yes. I uh, yes, we can hear you, so.
Speaker 15 00:35:44 Oh, great.
Speaker 3 00:35:45 All right. There we go. So first of all, I just wanna wish you a happy birthday. Happy birthday, Ms. Kim birthday.
Speaker 15 00:35:55 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm feeling 16 again.
Speaker 3 00:35:59 <laugh> 16 again. <laugh> yeah. So I'm just, uh, so excited to have you on the program, um, and that you could take time outta your, um, birthday to come and talk with us here. So, so yeah. Um, really just wanted to talk about like, you know, uh, your son Cardell and just kinda like tell us some like heartwarming stories about Cardell.
Speaker 15 00:36:25 Oh, Cardell was a, let me just say Ray sunshine, a giver, a lover of life. Uh, I actually went into labor with Cordell
Speaker 15 00:36:38 30 well, 34 years ago on my birthday. Hmm. And so I ended up having Cordell the very next day. So as you all know, tomorrow, be Cordell's birthday. It would be his, uh, 35th birthday. And, uh, he, I mean, he just had a smile when he'd walk in the room, he would, he would just light it up and he just loved people. Loved conversation. He'd take a shirt off his back and give it to you. And I remember, uh, I worked two jobs. So for many years, and I remember vying him and my oldest son, they used to like the Jordans that's when Jordans had first came out, the patent leather ones, see the ones you see today, actually. And every time a pair would come out, I would give him and his brother the next pair. And I never will forget one day I come home and he's giving this young man the Jordans that he had previous to the new ones I had bought him.
Speaker 15 00:37:44 And I said, Cordell, what are you doing? I said, I go to work and I work hard. Those Jordans don't come cheap. And he said, ma, he said he really don't have nothing. And the kids at school, he was in grade school at this time, maybe the eighth grade, he said the kids be laughing at his gym shoes. And he said he don't have, uh, nothing. And I just don't like to see him being made fun of. So I figured I got the new pair. I I'd give him this pair. And you know, I just, I kissed him on the forehead and I said, you are right. You're absolutely right. And I began to just be grateful because it was at that point that I realized, you know what, that's what you want them to be. You want them to be able to give and to be able to great people, no matter what their position is or their status is in life, you want them to always be able to help others.
Speaker 15 00:38:39 So I thought, wow, this is a, it was a great reflection of in teaching them and the work that they seen me do because I, I worked in the school community and I often would buy kids lunch like that. So that was just a, a Testament of what I was teaching my children. And, uh, I'd never forget the teacher called my mom one day and, uh, I was at work. So she wasn't able to get in touch with me right away. So my mother was the next in, uh, line to be called for emergency contact. And she called my mom and she says, miss handy. She said, this is Mrs. So, and so she said, uh, Cordell just blurted out in class, uh, to me that, uh, he says, I'm a very freaky girl. The kind you don't take home to mama. I said, oh my God, he was singing
Speaker 1 00:39:39 Rick James.
Speaker 15 00:39:42 I love that. I said, boy, have you lost your mind? And he was like, well, my, the son cause his father love Rick James. So he would hear it all the time. And, and as a little boy, he used to, like, I used to sing, uh, play this back then it was cassette tapes. You know, it wasn't quite as savvy as it is now with CDs, but I would play this song, uh, called shower me with your love. And he couldn't have been no more than maybe two and a half, three. And he would be back there singing flower me with your love. But he loved that song. And I remember on his like 20th birthday, I called him and I said, listen to this. I found the old cassette tape and I played it. And he was like, ma you know, I used to love that son. You still got that cassette tape. I said, I still got that cassette tape. And of course, Cordell style, he started singing it right away. I said, but what happened to flower me? He said, that's before I, I, I knew the words, but this showered me. And so, yeah, he was just, I mean, uh, all round guy and, you know, uh,
Speaker 15 00:40:52 Just a big absence to our, to our family and you know, lots of memories. I don't know if you all, uh, remember the movie with Beyonce, any Cadillac record
Speaker 17 00:41:04 Mm-hmm <affirmative>
Speaker 15 00:41:06 And so, oh, I can't think of his name. Was it, uh, oh, I can't think of his name, but he was talking to his wife and he said, this is a fine meal. You cooking me and Cordell would come in the kitchen and tell me that all the time, this is a fine meal. You cooking me. And just, he was a mama's boy. You know, I don't, I don't care at the beginning of the day. And at the end of the night, he was gonna always come and check in with me. I threw out all the throughout the day. And so he was always the first to call me on my birthday mother's day. I don't care what holiday it was. And you know, every July 6th it's missed, it's missed. And actually my son was the one that called and told me about Fernando Castile.
Speaker 15 00:41:51 He called to wish me happy birthday. But he told me my, he says, go look up the name. And he said, oh my God, he people here, Minnesota getting it. And I went and up the name, but the reason he called me is to wish me happy, but got killed on my birthday. So in 2016, so I didn't know then that God had a plan for my life because in 2017, I lost my son. I lost Cordell, March 15th, 2017 to, uh, St. Paul policeman, Nico Norman and Nick, Samuel yachts. And, uh, they both shot my son at the same time, eight bullets. And I was on the phone when they killed my son. He had called me. And I mean, like I said, he was a mama's boy. So whenever things went wrong or he just needed advice, he was gonna call me or just call me to just say, Hey, ma how you doing? I love you. Uh, yeah. And I heard my son say, mama, if something happens to me, you know what it is, and there I heard, so. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:43:08 Yeah. And yeah, that's really tough. And, and, but it's just nice to hear that connection that you had with your son. It was such a loving and Karen relationship. And just like, always, like you're saying like a mama's boy, just being there and, and, um, hitting you up and calling and talking with you. So that's such a, like a valuable relationship to have,
Speaker 15 00:43:39 You know, that's the thing, you know, your kids get grown and you know, you still, as a mother, as father, you still want to have that, that bond, you know, just cause they get grown don't mean that they don't still need their advice and the love and the nurturing from, from, uh, the mother and father, they still need that. You know, I, and I, and I just, I, I do, I miss him. I really miss him. And it's just like, this is a hard, really hard must for me, you know, because I lost my husband March 20 age, 2015 to his, to battle with cancer. And he had, uh, succumb to that. And then 13 days shy of two of him being on two years, I lost Cordell. So, you know, March is hard for me, July cuz it's I the sixth. And then Cardell's the seventh, my anniversary, the 17th and my husband's birthday was the 20th. So I always say a month that brought me so much joy brings me so much pain, but God is still good today. He, he gave me two blessings, he opened up both my eyes. I still have breath in me. I still have my life and guess what? I still have my boots and they will be on the ground
Speaker 3 00:45:01 To that. Amen of that. Yeah. Um, so let's um, let's talk about, uh, your foundation, right? Um, mm-hmm <affirmative> can we talk about the F the work that your foundation does?
Speaker 15 00:45:16 Yes. So my foundation, uh, gives headstones to families who could not afford them, who had lost their children to, of police brutality or community violence. And so I just want to say this to you, uh, BJA, Brendan, that I knew that I wanted a foundation. I just didn't know what I wanted. You know, I see a lot of college scholarships, you know, a lot of feeds the children and I'm out there one day crying. I'm cleaning off headstones. And my husband, my grandmother, my mother, and I get to Cordell and I'm just weeping uncontrollably. And it just looked like God just whispered in my ear and said, you know what? This is what you could do. You could give away headstones. This could be what your foundation does. And of Cordell always, he would talk to me in this way. I could hear him saying, make that happen, baby. And so I got up from there after I was done cleaning his headstone and I immediately got into my car and I started things to, uh, unfold, you know, into the few issue that God had given me. So in and into the vision, and a lot of people that I asked, you know, are like, I wanna do this. You know, I was just steadfast on the vision because that what was given to me. And so they said, wow, that seems like too big, because headstones are costly. Right?
Speaker 3 00:46:50 Mm-hmm <affirmative>
Speaker 15 00:46:52 I said, huh, I got that one. Yes. From God. So them all them knows mean nothing to men. Thank God. This will be the fifth year. This will be the fifth year that it's been, you know, that we've been having our, the banquet and giving out headstones and, you know, meeting. And I also travel and, you know, I, I meet families. I bring families together. I travel, I go to different events and, uh, I do rallies and protesters, wherever I'm at, wherever, wherever my, my, my boots lead me. That's where I'm at. That's where you'll find me. And so the banquet is, is that self care and self love on each other alone with activists and the community that, that supports us. And so, you know, even with that being said, we still March rallying protests that day on that Friday. And then in the morning, come there day, we have a beautiful, what I call list.
Speaker 15 00:47:57 Every voice it's a, a grief and healing session. And so last year I did something different. I started doing the, the healing and grief, the grief and healing session for the siblings and the children of the, the stolen lies along with the parents. So we have the, the siblings and the, the children in, in one space. And then the parents is in another space. And we have therapists there in the morning to, uh, get us through our grief and our healing, get us on the way, you know, because that's the thing. I want them to be able to come to the banquet Saturday afternoon or evening and start off fresh, you know, feeling good. So let's just, let's, let's just get some of that out of us. You know, let's not get in that, in that happy space and it may not be long, but it's long enough, you know, so that's why we do that.
Speaker 15 00:49:06 And then stuff. Then we go on with the banquet and it's there that we have entertainment, food, music, surrounded by families, community, activists, other organizations. And it's from it's families from around the world that comes to the banquet. And, you know, I give it in Minnesota because that's where my son life was stolen in St. Paul, Minnesota. But you know, something, what I, I asked God, when he, when, when Cordell died, why would you take my date? And he said to me, Cordell was where I needed you to be. And you know what, that's where I am. And that's where it keeps happening for me and keeps happening to me. So I am, you know, I am blessed because those officers, I tell you, they took life from me, but it was people like you, all that breathed it right back into me. And so that I am very grateful.
Speaker 15 00:50:07 And I tell you that bank would, uh, shit. And, and, and this is something too, you guys mm-hmm <affirmative> to see the way we took that fight in for George Floyd and come through, like we came through, let me tell you, I've never met a family. I don't care where I go in these 50 states, Minnesota, Minnesota. Oh yeah. We wanna go to Minnesota and I tell you, they like the work, the boots on the ground work that you all put in and I've had so many families say, well, we come there and we got this from you guys activism. And we got that. And you know, we're gonna take this home and apply it. So I, I, I shout out to Minnesota. Mm-hmm, <affirmative> my, my, uh, where I'm an alumni there, shout out to them and that's home. And, and to the family there in Minnesota that love me and I so dearly love because you know, something that you all are teaching people, and then you wanna teach one. And so that's, what's happening. That's what's happening. Every this happens, that's what's happening. People wanna know.
Speaker 3 00:51:24 Yeah. And, and, uh, and we feel so thankful for you because you do so much here too. I mean, living all the way near Chicago, but like seeing you up here all the time, like 24 7, just showing up, putting your boots on the ground and, you know, cuz cuz we can always depend on you to come and chant and bring the energy. And that's just like also amazing feeling to have. So
Speaker 5 00:51:50 Yeah. It's like every time Ms. Kim is in town, we gonna know <laugh> like, we are going to know that Ms. Kim is in town,
Speaker 15 00:51:57 You know, it's a beautiful thing to be, oh gosh, I think, you know, last year the families love I'm up there. Uh, chicken lived in, in chaning and busting out bars with you and uh, Brandon andan and oh my God, the families, you love it. They was like, what you know about that? And I'm like, look, you got to understand I'm got kids these young age and so older. And so I, you know, it just applies to, I remember rap and I was like, every time I turn around Marcus, you get us this CD and this is what CD first start coming this CD. And I never will forget.
Speaker 15 00:52:40 And Cordell said, ma we want that PAC CD. And I'm thinking PAC. So I go to the record store and I go get this PAC CD and oh my God, I ended up for that. That's probably one of my favorite CDs of all times. And, and my favorite song, believe it or not was, I ain't mad at you because I like the music in it. And I like dear mama. And then I, I, you know, California love mm-hmm <affirmative> I would, you know, I think they, sorry that they had introduced me to that because every day I would request that they play that several times a day and they was like, mama. Yeah. Can we play something else? I
Speaker 3 00:53:24 Wanna hear that. Yeah. And
Speaker 5 00:53:27 Uh, so going back to, uh, your foundation and the work that they have done, I'm just curious, do you have like a number like, uh, uh, or, or like an estimated number of how many headstones do you think you've given out to families over the last however many years?
Speaker 15 00:53:43 See, the first, the first year I gave away two, the second year I gave away seven and I think the wow, third year we gave away 10 last year we gave away 15 and I believe that's what we are giving away this year 15. Cause I try hard not to turn no, no family away. And you know, a, I tell you, you know, because you know what, all, this is a fact it's a 5 0 1 C three non-for-profit organization and it's all by donations, but you know, we've been blessed. Mm-hmm, <affirmative>, we've been blessed to be able to do that. And I've just, you know, I'm just praying that we continue to be blessed because you know, through that blessing, I want we as a, as a, or as a foundation and as board members, you wanna be able to bless somebody. So every time I get blessed and the foundation get blessed, we wanna bless somebody. We wanna be blessed to be a blessing.
Speaker 3 00:54:41 Mm-hmm <affirmative> yeah. So my last question is gonna be like, what made you become an activist? Cause, cause you know, we, we see you could, because when your loved one gets, um, taken you from you from, um, police brutality, um, you know, we see a lot of people like, you know, not want to come out, you know, kind of say to themselves, what has put you out and got you to inspired you to store this foundation and uh, you know, you travel all across America, going to different conferences and educating people on this topic. So what really inspires you to do that type of activism?
Speaker 15 00:55:21 Well, you know, when my son, you know, I like I, okay. I could go back to Sandra Glenn, Eric Gardner, all those cases. And so many others that were gun down by, uh, law enforcement before my son. And I just can remember my God, you know, hurting for the parents and the family of those, uh, beautiful young lives that were stolen. And um, I just remember saying, gosh, I, I don't know if I could handle that. And so when it happened to me, I got knocked flat down on my back. Right. And so I just remember that because my son was there in Minnesota. So I had to fly him back home and, you know, arrange for a funeral. And, and I'll never forget my aunt said to me, because at that point, you know, as a little point in my life and I, you know, I've, I've, I've taken losses before, you know, mother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, husband.
Speaker 15 00:56:35 But gosh, I tell you, it, it hits really different when it's your, your child, someone you carry for nine months, you die giving birth and live again and you've raised and you know, yeah. That was just, it hit me really different and that's, oh my God, that's a lost flag, no other, because I'm thinking my son and my children will bury me. I won't bury any of them. So when it happened, we, you know, I come home from the funeral and the REPA and my aunt she's there in the kitchen. Um, and she says to me, so Kim, what are you gonna do? And I remember telling her, I'm getting ready to kick off these heels and putting my boots on the ground. That's what I told her. And I think she knew from that point, it was on wasn't no stopping me because I'm gonna tell you something.
Speaker 15 00:57:37 When you mess with the Cubs, you might, you have just now woke mama bear up. So I knew then I, you know what, that old Kim, she dead in golf. She died in March 15th, 2017. She ain't ever coming back this way ever. And I have been so activated and acclimated in what I'm doing to, you know, I, I have to tell you guys, I don't even remember what the old Kim used to be like, she's lost, she's gone. She's no more. But I knew then, and what I kept doing, I remember after the, uh, funeral, I remember it wasn't even a week and I showed up to, uh, it's a parade you all have down there in, uh, Minnesota where you have bands and it's a long parade and you all March. Hmm. I can't think of the name of it. Is it Mayday?
Speaker 3 00:58:35 Oh yeah. The Mayday parade. Yeah. Yeah. Like
Speaker 15 00:58:37 What time of the year? I, I, I never will forget it. I came like within the, the first week after he got killed and I just kept coming back and then I ended up at the Mayday parade and MOS do is a sister of mine who I love to death and Naima levy Armstrong, who I love to death, Chantel Allen, you know, Raha, Aisha. Yeah. Uh, Satara strong. Just, just all of 'em SA Williams. So I would see them and I just kept coming back. So yeah, I would just find myself at, in, in, in, in the twin cities every week, it seemed. Yeah. But, and then, or every other week, every time you all gave something, I just kept coming back. Every time they killed child, I just kept coming back and I kept coming back.
Speaker 3 00:59:25 Yes. And I must. And so, and all,
Speaker 15 00:59:27 It was just that relentless fight. I, I couldn't stop.
Speaker 3 00:59:31 Yes. And, and I just wanna say from everyone in Minnesota, we appreciate that you keep coming back. Um, and we, and, uh, we're happy that we're gonna get to see you this weekend with that. We are out of time. So I am gonna, uh, have to end the show, but thank y'all for coming on and helping out. So I appreciate it.
