[00:00:00] Speaker A: I liked it better when, like, nerdy was all fun and stuff. This is really angry. Like, don't you think you said enough? Well, it's fricking tough. Cause I'm being loud and the people are not playing with you now. Yeah, you can burn the whole thing down? Yeah, yeah? I don't care if you're 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 thing down? Burn it down, down? Y'all don't really care about a brother till we burn our own thing down, down?
[00:00:31] Speaker B: Yeah, we bout to go to work? Yeah, we about to let it burn?
[00:00:34] Speaker C: Pokemon, the youngin's what I'm focused on? I'm so old and golden? I ain't know you was talking about Pokemon. But I'm more like me and nerdy next to a burnt down system with a can full of gas and a handful of matches? I know we ain't miss them. Fame is not my mission? Lames be so complicit watching all the leaders leading banking on they minions? But we torching up the takers and we giving to survivors? City of liars, making black people compliant coon rapids? Who are you asking? I'm proof survive the boom baptist, bro. Ethics got me laughing at your message. And if black lives matter, you would not get so defensive? We got cops and thieves and robberies and gaslighters? We are not the same? We on the scene, we pass typing cause y'all don't care about us and we ain't come to ask. We just mind our business and then people be so sucking mad? So pass the gun and mask and pass the ethanol? Y'all can really kill us for anything. Y'all just bend the laws? This ain't performance art, this ain't performative. Saving the racist, heteronormative?
[00:01:32] Speaker D: You can burn the whole thing down?
[00:01:36] Speaker A: I don't care if you're uncomfortable? We can burn our whole thing down?
[00:01:40] Speaker B: You can burn it, burn it, burn it down?
[00:01:42] Speaker A: Couldn't care about an autozone? You can burn a whole thing down?
Y'all don't really care about a brother till we burn the whole thing down?
[00:01:52] Speaker B: Burn it down. Yeah, we about to go to work.
[00:01:55] Speaker A: Yeah, we about to let it burn.
[00:02:22] Speaker E: All right.
Boots on the ground?
[00:02:27] Speaker F: Views from the damn ground?
[00:02:29] Speaker E: Boots on the ground, views, views from the ground. Oh, yeah.
I just. I was. I was watching y'all at the protest.
[00:02:38] Speaker F: Yeah, okay.
[00:02:40] Speaker E: Views from the ground?
[00:02:41] Speaker F: Views from the damn ground?
[00:02:42] Speaker E: Views from the ground?
[00:02:43] Speaker F: Views from the damn ground.
[00:02:45] Speaker E: Views from the ground.
[00:02:46] Speaker F: Views from the damn ground.
[00:02:47] Speaker E: And that's on that. On that. On that.
[00:02:51] Speaker F: We got there. We got there.
[00:02:52] Speaker E: Yes. This is your host dj here.
I use they them pronouns.
[00:02:58] Speaker F: Right. And then my name's Jaylin. I use she her pronouns.
[00:03:01] Speaker G: And I am Brandon. I use he him pronouns.
[00:03:04] Speaker E: Yeah. So we are gonna get right on to the.
[00:03:07] Speaker G: And what's the name of the show?
[00:03:09] Speaker E: Views from the ground.
[00:03:10] Speaker G: Views from the damn ground. There we go. Just have to double check.
[00:03:13] Speaker F: Just. Yeah, just to make sure. Okay, so there's new listeners. It's views from the ground.
All right, so today we're gonna start with talking about Jalen Walker. Jaylen Walker was a 25 year old black man who was killed last Monday by police officers in Akron, Ohio.
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 were shot into him, and he was unarmed at the time.
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?
At the news conference Sunday, the police did release body cam footage of the pursuit. And for those that can watch it, they can. I myself am a little bit past that, so I haven't really been able to get a view of it. So there were over eight officers that shot at him. Of the 60 plus rounds, those eight officers have been placed on administrative leave following the release of the video. Hundreds of protesters marched in downtown, and the family was with them in that. And they've been a few arrests, and the family members, from my understanding, have.
Some of them have been part of that.
And, yeah, like, yeah, when we say.
[00:04:54] Speaker G: 60 rounds, they shot 90, 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 what that poor boy's body looked like after taking 60 gunshots to his body.
[00:05:15] Speaker F: Yeah, it's. I mean, exactly what Brandon just said.
It is being contested if he shot or he had a gun. There was. They found the gun? 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 is, yeah, going to be a big factor in this.
And it's just really unfortunate because, like, apparently, a couple months ago, his girlfriend was killed in a really bad car accident. And so it's like this family is just experiencing these deaths kind of back to back with people that are close. So the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is conducting an inquiry, which is their, like, state, like, an outside probe that usually doesn't go like that. So we'll see what their independent investigation says.
So, yeah, my first thoughts with this is that this is the same state that Tamir Rice was killed in, within seconds of officers arriving. And it's.
They're just really quick out there. They don't waste no time. The de escalation seems very lacking in the state of Ohio. And some talked about how it used to be a really big headquarters for the Ku Klux Klan and how that culture, as we know, is embedded in police departments, but still pretty high for a city like Akron.
[00:07:01] Speaker G: Yeah, 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?
[00:07:18] Speaker F: And they handcuffed him?
[00:07:19] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:07:20] Speaker G: And then after he's dead, then he was brought to the coroner's office in handcuffs. So I don't know what threaten 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.
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.
So you can hardly even see Jalen during it. And it's.
Yeah, here we. Here we are again. And now they're continuous protests, and they've, like Jalen said, arrested family members of him who are rightfully protesting for his justice.
It's just ugly. It's just really ugly.
[00:08:18] Speaker F: This is why we call them lynchings. It's like, what? Like 60 rounds? 60 plus rounds. If that's not, you know, to be made an example out of. Don't try this again. Like, the terror and like it inflicts and instills is just very much the same. Like I said, of Tamir Rice, of Emmett till, of George Floyd, and it's been used as a means to control our communities and keep them, I think, stuck in a way.
I just. Yeah, just keep thinking like, this is why we. These are lynchings, is my opinion.
I'm curious if they'll look at things like they did in Brooklyn center because it was a traffic violation or equipment violation or something that, in my opinion, definitely did not need to be pulled over for. Until after Daunte Wright was murdered. The city of Brooklyn center implemented a different process where they wouldn't be pulling over for traffic violations, but would, like, send tickets in the mail or something like that, I believe so. I think. I mean, of the small little reforms to happen, I hope. I guess it's one of those.
And I just want people to examine why the police think that they get to be judged or an executioner, as many white men as they bring in safely, too. So it's like, y'all can do it, but for a very select few.
So the decision of whether to charge the officers involved will be determined by the prosecutors. But as we know, charges like that have rarely been filed in similar cases. So I know that TC four j is kind of waiting on the next development to mobilize folks. And please keep your ear close to the ground to see what's going to happen next with that, to move on to something equally sad. Just a weekend or just. Yeah. Our vibes this year have not been joyous.
On the 4 July, at least seven people were killed when a gunman opened fire at the 4 July parade in Highland Park, Illinois. More than two dozen people were taken to hospitals with injuries.
Some of the victims included one child in critical condition. Some parents, I think most notably 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.
The gunman's name is Robert Bobby Cremel. I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing that right, but that's okay.
And he was arrested around 9 hours after the shooting.
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 like that is just frustrating beyond, like, I don't even know what to say.
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, but that's what they're saying right now.
The mayor of Highland Park, Nancy Rotieri, I'm gonna. Rotiring maybe, said that criminal breached local laws bringing the weapons into the city. So apparently, in 2013, Highland park became one of the first local cities to pass a ban on semi automatic rifles, which it was. I believe an AR 15 was the one used. So he did this in one of the few places that these weapons are banned, which I hadn't even known that there were, like, small cities that banned them. So that was something that I learned.
I mean, this is what I just learned a few hours ago is apparently he's had some past of.
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. I mean, not guns. Excuse me. Knives. I apologize. Knives away. And then the dad said that they were his knives and got them back. And the process, you have to pass, like, four different background checks. And the father was one of the sponsored people on the 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.
And he. I mean, we'll see what happens as that develops. I mean, did you guys want to say anything on it?
[00:13:21] Speaker G: Yeah. The one thing that I found interesting, or, I mean, in light of the tragedy, you. You talked briefly about how they can arrest someone who just killed seven people and murdered two dozen more, or, sorry. Killed seven people and injured two dozen more. They can arrest them with little to no harm done. But when a black man is fleeing because he's fearful of his life, you fire 90 shots, hitting him with 60 bullets. And thing that was interesting was the Highland park shooter shot 70 rounds total. So 70 rounds total, and was taken alive. But the police in Akron, Ohio, shot 90 rounds of, 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?
[00:14:27] Speaker F: Yeah, something is very, very, very wrong.
So.
So I just wanted to say a rest in peace to those that perish and everyone's lives who are affected by that event. Like, it was a very fun day that turned very tragic, and it's becoming a weekly thing for the United States. But I just want to lift up everybody there for our last topic. We're going to talk about how the Supreme Court marshal has asked Maryland, Virginia officials to enforce anti picketing or protesting laws outside the justice's house. So the Supreme Court marshal is a, like, chief security officer, and he sent in letters Friday that, and wrote about how there's threatening activity that has been increased at justices home since May, when the initial draft of the Roe v. Wade overturn was leaked. Apparently, there's been constant protests at the various different justices houses. Like, they'll go to one justice house for 30 minutes, make some noise, go to and march to another for another 30, 45, come back, and just have been constant. And it's just like. I don't know, it's really cool to hear when you can keep protests going like that. And I appreciate that that is the energy, because I think sometimes we see these big demonstrations and then it goes away really quickly. But to be able to sustain that is really cool.
And there is this court martial who is asking them to enforce these laws that have been there, and so they're directly asking them to crack down and, you know, infringe on freedom of speech. And I think, you know, we've experienced this closer to home with the Kim Potter case.
I'm not surprised that they're willing to do that. And I imagine they're going to go to extremes and there's going to be some legislation going to be kind of following a domino effect after those things are enforced.
[00:16:52] Speaker E: Hmm.
Yeah, they really don't like people coming to their house, even if it's peaceful.
[00:16:58] Speaker F: Yeah.
Like, it's. I appreciate that we've. I think, in the movement have developed a real 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 peace 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. And it's like they. I think the city of Hugo banned protests outside of people's homes, like, right after that.
Yeah. So, I mean, it's pretty cool doing it, but can't go back.
[00:17:37] Speaker E: It's actually real interesting. Cause last year, when I had that whole situation with Jenkins, that's what she actually ended up blowing up in my face about was because 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 she jumped in my face.
[00:17:57] Speaker F: Wrong things to say to miss Jenkins.
[00:18:02] Speaker E: These politicians love to do their crappy things, but they don't like taking accountability or for people to come to their houses.
[00:18:10] Speaker F: Yeah, it's just like, the definition of a peaceful protest is going to change very rapidly. And I just want to know, like, is what's going to be acceptable? Like, the very permitted or, you know, you need a permit. It can only be during, like, business hours. Like, I don't know why that. Like, I just. Of course that's what they want to do to quell our voices. And I'm like, dang, is this ever going to fit outside of y'all's definition of protest?
No, we're just going to keep changing it.
So, yeah, I think that that's just something we should be keeping an eye on because, yeah, it will develop, and 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 and really upset that they'll be making that decision, because I think we already know what they're going to say.
But that's all I have for this week.
[00:19:08] Speaker E: All right, well, thank you so much. I extremely appreciate it. Moving on, on, we're gonna go to our next segment, which are words of freedom.
[00:19:17] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:19:18] Speaker G: And this week, for words of freedom, we are actually going to have our local poet introduce themselves.
[00:19:30] Speaker H: Originally from Minnesota, spoken word 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, 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.
[00:19:55] Speaker G: Thank you.
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 for the month. That was his little intro. We're going to listen to a little bit of his work here today. So the first piece we will listen to is titled invisible fear.
[00:20:17] Speaker H: 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 J. But fear kept me away. Away from speaking my mind, away from showing up on time for transparency.
Accustomed to holding my emotions as a young black man, I couldn't even express how I would feel.
Deep, deep, deep like Blackstreet. 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 his side, his mind starts racing.
And no, this ain't a cry for help. No desperation. I just want you to know what it feels like. I want you to know what it feels like I want you to know what fear feels like from a 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, 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 a value of self love has drifted away. We post for temporary validation so our best lives from 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 not small journey.
Or when I say I'd be there at 07:00 p.m. when I really mean 730 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.
My best assets are intangible. I hope you realize the 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 the shade of a skin made strangers 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 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.
[00:24:15] Speaker G: And next we will hear the piece titled elevation.
[00:24:21] Speaker H: 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 at my past like man I'm amazed wasted times with no intentions ruining my mindset I can tell I'm growing showing signs of a leader shout out to Malcolm X.
Entrepreneurship. I envision making decisions, realizing my true worth as a king, I plan to make an impact. Fact can't be average. Black is a color of my true love skin. What do I fear? None. My spirit grows daily. Influenced by hip hop is how the most high made me elevation.
[00:25:22] Speaker G: Y'all come on now. Y'all get that man some snaps.
That is my boy Zach Russell. We're gonna be listening to his poetry all month, and we'll end the month with an interview in studio, so make sure y'all are around for that. If y'all want to follow him on instagram, that is Z underscore Russ. And that is Zach Russell. And thank y'all for tuning in to this week's segment, words of freedom.
[00:25:47] Speaker E: All right, coming up next here, we're gonna do the nerdy spotlight and so take it away. Nerdy.
[00:25:56] Speaker A: Hello, everybody out there in radio land. It's your boy, nerdy. It's July, I'm feeling fine. And now it's time for the artist 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 is going to make you want to get up and dance? Trust me, you're going to find out in a second because we are about to play the song called strength. Get that strength up, people.
[00:26:43] Speaker B: Ain't got time no, no I ain't got time no ain't got time been on my grime and I got faith give me some time to fix the smile that's on my face Olufumi. Strength, dear Olufu. Me strength.
Allua for me strength.
Allua for me strength.
Ain't got time been on my grandma give me some time to fix the smile that's on my face Allua for me strengthen all the way through me strength ain't got time been on my grind when I got faith give me some time to fix this smile.
[00:27:43] Speaker D: I've.
[00:27:43] Speaker B: Been on stress in the negative God he said he got me his blessing is evidence I've been putting work in to make all the ads click I got all my friends with we gon get this thing list where I talk to God, he be talking back put that on my mom I know he got my back said I talk 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 hand and lift him up take out your hand and lift his name take out your hand and lift him up bend down and lift his name take out your hand and lift him up take out your hand and lift his name take out your hand and lift him up bend down I lift his name give me some time to fix his smile that's on my face strength period all the strength period alluafu me strengthen on my grandma lost now I had to step away from crowds in order to find my crown father send his son down just to let us all out of with me now get it with me now I remember I was down bad lost now fine had to step away from crowds in order to find my crown father send the sun down just let us all out get it with me now get it with me now take out your hand and lift him up take out your hand and lift his name take out your hand and lift him up bend down and lift his name take out your hand and lift him up take out your hand I lift his name take out your hand and lift lift him up bend down I lift his leg I've been on my ground and I got faith give me some time to fix his smile ain't got time and on my grandma I got faith give me some time to fix this matter.
[00:30:27] Speaker E: All right thank you so much for bringing such talent on the show. Now we're going to have a quick break before we start our interview.
[00:30:39] Speaker F: The 16th annual Bayfront Reggae and World Music Festival takes place Saturday, July 16 from noon to 11:00 p.m. at Bayfront Festival park in Duluth, Minnesota. Headliners include Terrace Riley, Afro B, Gypshawn, Cecile with Caroline, Naomi, Nary, Indica and DJ Sound of Fujian. All ages welcome. Children eleven 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
[email protected].
tune in to power perspectives on 90.3 FM KFAI Fridays at 01:00 p.m. where we talk about policy, art, building power and life in Minneapolis. Streaming
[email protected]. dot brought to you courtesy of KRSM.
[00:31:42] Speaker B: Radio programming is supported by North Point 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. Northpoint Health and Wellness center is now vaccinating children six months and older against Covid-19 for more information, please visit northpointhealth.org dot.
[00:32:16] Speaker D: 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
[email protected]. dot.
[00:32:50] Speaker E: All right.
Are you there, Miss Kim?
Hello, Miss Kim?
All right, so we, yes, give us a second here while we get Miss Kim on the line.
We are gonna, we are gonna play a little bit something here.
So today we're gonna be doing an interview with Corda, with Miss Kim, who is the mother of Cordell Handy.
[00:33:35] Speaker G: So Cordell Handy was shot and killed by St. Paul police in 2017.
He was suffering from some mental health crisis, was going through some things.
If you read up on the case, you'll see that the police had information that could have prevented them from killing him, but they still didn't feel safe. And so they took Cordell's life by shooting him for no real good reason. And Miss Kim, you've probably heard her voice, seen her face, heard her chant, heard her. I was just about to say that kind of ruined my flow. And if you hadn't, you had heard her chance, for sure.
[00:34:23] Speaker F: I'm not the artist.
[00:34:25] Speaker G: No, I'm just messing with you.
She is really a staple in our community and does a lot of good work for many, many families all over the country who have lost loved ones to police violence.
So we will, we will have her and shortly. We're just kind of working through some technical difficulties trying to get this phone interview set up. So please just bear with us for a little while longer.
[00:34:59] Speaker E: All right. In the meantime, we are going to listen to a little James Brown here.
[00:35:17] Speaker D: Did you hear me say hello?
[00:35:39] Speaker E: All right. Are you there, Miss Kim?
Yes. Yes, we can hear you. So.
[00:35:47] Speaker D: Oh, great.
[00:35:48] Speaker E: All right. There we go.
So first of all, I just want to wish you a happy birthday.
[00:35:56] Speaker G: Happy birthday, Miss Kim.
[00:35:57] Speaker F: Birthday.
[00:35:58] Speaker D: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm feeling 16 again.
[00:36:05] Speaker E: Yeah. So I'm just so excited to have you on the program and that you could take time out of your birthday to come and talk with us here. So, so yeah, really just wanted to talk about, like, you know, your son Cordell, and just kind of, like, tell us some, like, heartwarming stories about Cordell.
[00:36:28] Speaker D: Oh, Cordell was a, let me just say, array of sunshine, a giver, a lover of life. I actually went into labor with Cornell 30, well, 34 years ago on my birthday.
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 35th birthday. And he. I mean, he just had a smile when he walked in the room. He would even just light it up. And he just loved people, love conversation. He takes a shirt off his back and give it to you. And I remember I worked two jobs, so for many years, and I remember buying him and my oldest son. They used to like the Jordans. That's when Jordans had first came out, the patent leather ones, 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 given this young man the Jordans that he had previous to the new ones I bought him. And I said, cornell, 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 8th grade, he said, the kids be laughing at his gym shoes. And he said, he don't have nothing. And I just don't like to see him being made fun of. So I figured I got the new pair, I'd give him this pair. And, you know, I just. I kissed him on the forehead, and I said, you're right. You're absolutely right. And I began to just be grateful, because it was at that point that I realize, 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. So I thought, wow, this is a. It was a great reflection of teaching them and the work that they seen me do, because I worked in the school community, and I often would buy kids lunch like that. So that was just a testament of what I was teaching my children. And I never will forget, the teacher called my mom one day, and I was at work, so she wasn't able to get in touch with me right away. So my mother was the next in line to be called for emergency contact.
And she called my mom, and she says, miss handy, she said, this is misses so and so. She said, cordell just blurted out in class to me that 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 Rick James.
I said, boy, have you lost your mind? And he was like, what am I, the son? Because his father loved Rick James, so he would hear it all the time.
And as a little boy, he used to, like, I used to sing, play this song. Back then, it was cassette tapes. You know, it wasn't quite as savvy as it is now with BDS, but I would play this song 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, my, you know, I used to love that song. You still got that cassette tape? I said, I still got that cassette tape. And, of course, Cornell style, he started singing right away.
I said, but what happened to flower me? He saw, that's before I knew the words. But they showered me. And so, yeah, he was just, I mean, all round guy, and, you know, just a big absence to up to our family and, you know, lots of memories. I don't know if you all remember the movie with Beyonce in a Cadillac record.
[00:41:07] Speaker E: Mm hmm.
[00:41:09] Speaker D: And so I can't think of his name. Was it. 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 will 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 care. At the beginning of the day and at the end of the night, he was going to always come and check in with me just throughout, 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 6 is missed. It's missed. And actually, my son was the one that called and told me about Fernando Castile. 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 said, these people down here in Minnesota getting it in. And I did. I went and looked up the name, but the reason he called me is to wish me happy birthday. But Philando, I 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 15, 2020 17 to St. Paul policemen Nico Norman and Nathaniel Yonks, and 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 going to 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 from there, I heard bullets.
[00:43:08] Speaker E: So, yeah, 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 caring relationship. And just like always, like you're saying, like a mama's boy just being there and hitting you up and calling and talking with you. So that's such a. Like, a valuable relationship to have.
[00:43:42] Speaker D: You know, that's the thing. You know, your kids get grown, and, you know, you still, as a mother or father, you still want to have that. That bond, you know, just because they get grown don't mean that they don't still need the advice and the love and the nurturing from. From the mother and father. They still need that, you know? And I. And I just. I do. I miss them.
I really miss them. And it's just like, this is a hard, really hard month for me, you know, because I lost my husband March 2020, age 2015, to his battle with cancer, and he succumbed 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, because I was the 6th, and then Cordell's the 7th. My anniversary is 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 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.
[00:45:03] Speaker F: Amen to that.
[00:45:04] Speaker E: Amenity up. So let's. Let's talk about your foundation, right?
Can we talk about the work that your foundation does.
[00:45:18] Speaker D: Yes. So my foundation gives headstones to families who could not afford them, who had lost their children to either police brutality or community violence. And so I just want to say this to you, BJ, and 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 of children, and I'm out there one day, crying. I'm cleaning off headstones, and 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 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 gathered into my car, and I started things to unfold, you know, into the fusion that God had given me, so into the vision. And a lot of people that I asked, you know, I'm like, I want to 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?
[00:46:53] Speaker E: Mm hmm.
[00:46:55] Speaker D: I said, huh, I got that one. Yes. From God. So them all the nos mean nothing to me. And 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 the banquet and giving out headstones and, you know, meeting. And I also travel. And, you know, I meet families. I bring families together. I travel. I go to different events, and I do rallies and protests. Wherever I'm at, wherever my boots leave me, that's where I'm at. That's where you'll find me. And so the banquet is that self care and self love on each other, along with activists and the community that supports us. And so, you know, even with that being said, we still march, rally, and protest that day, on that Friday, and then in the morning, come Saturday, we have a beautiful, what I call list every voice. It's a grief and healing session. And so last year, I did something different.
I started doing the grease and healing session for the siblings and the children of the stolen lies, along with the parents. So we have the siblings and the children in one space, and then the parents is in another space, and we have therapists there. In the morning to 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 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. And 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 its families from around the world that come 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?
[00:49:37] Speaker E: What?
[00:49:38] Speaker D: 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 for that, I am very grateful. And I tell you, that banquet, gosh, and this is something to you guys 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 want to 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 got this from you guys, activism, and we got that. And, you know, we're going to take this home and apply it. So I shout out to Minnesota, my alumni there shout out to them, and that's home. And to the family there in Minnesota that love me and I so dearly love. Because you know something? You all are teaching people, and then you want to teach one. And so that's what's happening. That's what's happening. Every. This banquet happens. That's what's happening. People want to know.
[00:51:27] Speaker E: Yeah. And, and, 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, because we can always depend on you to come and chant and bring the energy, and that's just like, also amazing feeling to have.
[00:51:53] Speaker G: So it's like, every time Miss Kim is in town, we gonna know, like, we are going to know that Miss Kim is in town.
[00:52:00] Speaker D: You know, it's a beautiful thing to be. Oh, gosh, I think, you know, last year, the families loved. I'm up there, chicken lived in enchanting, busting out bars with you and Brandon and to son and, oh, my God, the families love it. They was like, what you know about that? I'm like, look, you have to understand, I've got kids these younger age and some older, and so I, you know, it just applies to. I remember, oh, rap.
And I was like, every time I turn around, Mark, could you get us this CD? And this is cds first, not coming out. Can you get this CD? And I never will forget Juwan and Cordell said, ma, we want that Tupac CD. And I'm thinking, tupac. So I go to the record store and I go get this Tupac CD, and, oh, my God, I ended up. That's probably one of my favorite cds of all time, and my favorite song, believe it or not. Was I mad at you? Because I like the music in it, and I like dear mama. And then I, you know, California love, I would, you know, I think they. Sorry that they had introduced me to that, because every day, I will request that they play that several times a day. And they was like, mama, can we play something else?
[00:53:28] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:53:29] Speaker G: And so going back to your foundation and the work that they have done, I'm just curious, do. Do you have, like, a number? Like. Or like, an estimated number of how many headstones do you think you've given out to families over the last, however many years?
[00:53:46] Speaker D: See, the first year, I gave away two. The second year, I gave away seven.
And I think the third year, we gave away ten. Last year, we gave away 15. And I believe that's what we're giving away this year, 15, because I try hard not to turn no, no family away. And, you know, hey, I tell you, you know, because, you know what? All this is a 501 C three non for profit organization, and it's all by donation.
But, you know, we've been blessed.
We've been blessed to be able to do that. And I'm just, you know, I'm just praying that we continue to be blessed, because, you know, through that blessing, I want. We is a.
As a foundation and as board members, you want to be able to bless somebody. So every time I get blessed and the foundation get blessed, we want to bless somebody, we want to be blessed to be a blessing.
[00:54:45] Speaker E: Yeah. So my last question is going to be like, what made you become an activist?
Because. Because, you know, we see you could. Because when your loved one gets taken from you, from police brutality, you know, we see a lot of people, like, you know, not want to come out, you know, kind of stay to themselves. What has put you out and got you to inspired you to start this foundation? And, you know, you travel all across America going to different conferences and educating people on this topic.
[00:55:20] Speaker D: So.
[00:55:20] Speaker E: So what really inspires you to do that type of activism?
[00:55:24] Speaker D: Well, you know, when my son, you know, okay, I could go back to Sandra Bland, Eric Gardner, all those cases and so many others that were gunned down by law enforcement before my son. And I just can remember, my God, you know, hurting for the parents and the family of those beautiful young lives that were stolen.
And I just remember saying, gosh, 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, 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, it was a little point in my life, and I, you know, I've taken losses before, you know, mother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, husband. But, gosh, I tell you, it hits really different when it's 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 loss like no other, because I'm thinking, my son and my children will bury me. I won't bear any of them.
So when it happened, we, you know, I come home from the funeral and the repass, and my aunt, she's there in the kitchen, and she says to me, so, Kim, what are you gonna do?
And I remember telling her, I'm getting ready to kick off DC a and putting my boots on the ground. That's what I told her. And I think she knew from that point, it was on what? No stopping me. Because I'm gonna tell you something.
When you mess with the cubs, you might. You have just now woken mama bear up.
So I knew then I, you know what? That old Kim, she dead and gone. She died March 15, 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 have to tell you guys, I don't 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 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 Minnesota, where you have bands, and it's a long parade, and you all march.
I can't think of the name of it.
Is it mayday?
[00:58:38] Speaker E: Oh, yeah, the mayday parade.
[00:58:40] Speaker G: Yeah.
[00:58:42] Speaker D: I never will forget it. I came, like, within the first week after he got killed, and I just kept coming back. And then I ended up at the mayday parade. And Monique colors doty. There's a sister of mine who I love to death, and Nakima Levy Armstrong, who I love to death. Chantelle Allen, you know, Raisha, satire, strong. Just. Just all of why you saw Williams. So I would see them, and I just kept coming back. So I would just find myself in the Twin Cities every week, it seemed, and then, or every other week, every time you all gave something, I just kept coming back. Every time they killed another child, I just kept coming back. And I kept coming back.
[00:59:28] Speaker E: Yes.
[00:59:30] Speaker D: It was just that relentless fight. I couldn't stop.
[00:59:34] Speaker E: Yes. And I just want to say from everyone in Minnesota, we appreciate that you keep coming back, and we're happy that we're going to get to see you this weekend. With that, we are out of time, so I am going to have to end the show. But thank you all for coming on and helping out. So I appreciate it.
[00:59:52] Speaker G: And Friday, there will be a protest for Cordale Handy. You can go to the Cordell Handy foundation, get more information.
