Celebrating the life of Emmett "Bobo" Till, on what would have been his 78th birthday. We chose to highlight the vibrancy of the life he lived before his death and have some facts about his childhood, hobbies, and interests in the thread below. #RestInPower
He grew up in a thriving, middle-class black neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. The neighborhood was a haven for black-owned businesses, and the streets he roamed as a child were lined with black-owned insurance companies, pharmacies, and beauty salons.
Emmett enjoyed being the center of attention and making jokes that lifted the spirits of his family and friends.
Diagnosed with Polio at age 5, he managed to make a full recovery, save for a slight stutter that remained with him for the rest of his life.
He enjoyed cooking for his mother and was a part of his school's singing group with his friends.
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"Many cities are experiencing a rise in shootings, but it would be a grave mistake to attribute their rise to efforts to defund the police. 1/3" commonjustice.org/to_produce_saf…
"COVID-19 exacerbated many of the root causes of violence like poverty, unemployment, and healthcare inequality. 2/4"
"Our elected officials abdicated their responsibility to address those inequalities, despite consistent evidence that initiatives that address those root causes of violence cost less to maintain and make us safer. 3/4"
Prisons have never been in the service of public health. For activists who have been fighting the HIV epidemic in the United States, COVID-19 is a case of déjá vu, especially for those advocating as and for incarcerated people. 1/4 truthout.org/articles/hiv-p…
We've been here before. Through the 80's, 90's, to even the 2010's Black and Brown incarcerated people have had to fight for life-saving changes to keep those living with HIV in care. The fight is continuing both for people living with HIV and those most at risk for #COVID19. 2/4
The injustices of the COVID-19 pandemic is hitting Black and Brown people in similar ways the HIV epidemic still does. And it’s affecting the lives of incarcerated loved ones in many of the same ways. 3/4
@MylesMill@NBCNewYork, as advocates for survivors of violence, we want to share our perspective. 1/6
We are heartbroken by the tragic death of Maria Fuertes, a beloved grandmother and member of the community. We offer our condolences to the Fuertes family and loved ones. 2/6
We are also very disturbed to see the Trump administration exploit this tragedy. ICE is distorting the truth, demonizing all immigrants, and trying to divide communities against each other. 3/6
Survivors know this. In fact, many survivors of violence, when offered the choice, opt for non-prison options when looking for accountability from the person responsible for their harm. 3/4 storage.googleapis.com/vera-web-asset…
Celebrating the 157th birthday of Ida B. Wells #OnThisDay. A pioneer of data journalism, she substantiated accounts of lynchings happening to Black people in her time. In honor of her legacy, see our thread below for compelling examples of how her efforts inform our work today.
Because of over-policing and racial inequity in our justice system, young Black women born in 2001 are more likely to be incarcerated sometime in their life than their white peers.
As a result of our criminal justice system not centering the needs of violent crime survivors, only 10% of those who have experienced violence in 2016 received victim related services and care.