Congressional Black Caucus Requests Meeting with President Biden on Police Reform

Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04), Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, released the following statement on behalf of the Members of the caucus:

"The Congressional Black Caucus takes its role to advocate for the safety and protection of the people in our communities very seriously.

"To that end, CBC is requesting a meeting with the President this week to push for negotiations on much needed national reforms to our justice system - specifically, the actions and conduct of our law enforcement.

"No one in our nation should fear interacting with the police officers who serve our diverse communities, large and small. We all want to be safe.

"Many Black and brown people, however, and many young people in general, are justifiably afraid to interact with law enforcement officials.

"We are calling on our colleagues in the House and Senate to jumpstart negotiations now and work with us to address the public health epidemic of police violence that disproportionately affects many of our communities.

"The brutal beating of Tyre Nichols was murder and is a grim reminder that we still have a long way to go in solving systemic police violence in America."

Sen. Cory Booker statement on Tyre Nichols and renewing efforts to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on the death of Tyre Nichols and renewing efforts to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act:

“The videos bearing witness to the brutal killing of Tyre Nichols evoke feelings of pain, horror, and terror that are tragically familiar to so many Americans. Tyre Nichols is now part of a group whose names we know -- like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery -- and whose names we don’t.

“Tyre Nichols should be alive today. My heart aches for his family, friends, and loved ones, who are dealing with an unimaginable loss. His death is a grave injustice. Those responsible must be held accountable, and we can’t stop there.

“In recent years I’ve worked with families, civil rights leaders, local mayors, activists, law enforcement leaders and union members and many more who all share the same understanding that we can raise the levels of transparency, accountability, and professionalism in American policing. Doing so will not only help prevent tragedies like this one, it will help us achieve higher levels of public safety. We can do better, we must do better, and this moment demands again that we muster the collective political will to act.

“Although Senate action on policing reform has proven difficult, from the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to more targeted reforms, I will never stop working to build a broad coalition to enact the changes that will make our nation safer, stronger, and more just.

“In the coming days as this new Congress is beginning, I will be renewing my legislative efforts to advance the reform we need and that Americans are demanding.”

Bills' Damar Hamlin says thank you to everyone

Bills safety Damar Hamlin shared his first public comments since suffering cardiac arrest on Jan. 2 by posting a nearly six-minute video to his Instagram account on Saturday night thanking everyone for the continued support and well wishes over the past month.

Watch that video below:

A special message from our guy @HamlinIsland. ❤️💙#LoveForDamar | #ForDamar pic.twitter.com/YF28bzeLJA

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 28, 2023

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Receives Inaugural Marion Barry Jr. Award

The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) awarded AAMA Board Trustee and Mayor of Washington, DC, Muriel Bowser, as the inaugural recipient of the Mayor Marion Barry Jr. Award for Public Service. The award, named in honor of the last D.C. Mayor elected to a third term, was established to recognize leaders who have carried on the legacy of service and leadership to the community through sustained commitment to local government.

“I am honored to receive this award, named in honor of our Mayor for Life, Marion Barry, whose footsteps I followed on January 2 when I took the oath of office for a third time,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. “A third term is a special opportunity because I have a mandate from the people to be bold, to think big, to push the envelope, and above all else, to win for Washington, DC. Now, the work continues to ensure every Washingtonian gets a fair shot.”

Mayor Muriel Bowser was selected due to her historic re-election for a third term to lead our nation’s capital. As the first Black woman elected to a third mayoral term of any large American city, Mayor Bowser has led her city through once-in-a-generation crises and challenges with masterful skill and unwavering grace.

“Mayor Bowser is a friend, a colleague, and a role model for young girls and women throughout our nation,” said AAMA President and Mayor of Little Rock, Frank Scott, Jr. “In recognition of her historic re-election to a third term, we proudly celebrate her long-standing leadership and incredible achievements. This award is a testament to dedicated public service and Mayor Bowser is well-deserving.”

Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Statement on the Murder of Tyre Nichols

D’Zhane Parker, a Board member for the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation released the following statement regarding the video footage released of the brutal murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of the Memphis Police Department:

“Tyre should be alive today. He mattered to everyone except those upholding state-sanctioned violence and a dangerous cycle of white supremacy. Tyre was overwhelmingly loved by his community, family, and friends. He’s described as a Mama’s boy who looked forward to his Mama’s homemade chicken with sesame seeds. He loved skating since he was 6, and used photography as a creative outlet. Experiencing sunsets was a major part of what he adored about experiencing life.

Today, our community is grieving another beautiful Black life stolen by state-sanctioned violence. There continues to be a consistent failure of our current public safety model to protect Black lives and communities. We are tired of traffic stops becoming death sentences. We deserve a system that prioritizes holistic, health-centered, community-driven approaches that will help advance true public safety. We continue to be devastated by the current system that prioritizes punishment, harm, and criminalization.

Five police officers brutally beat Tyre to death. Although the media has spent a great amount of time drawing attention to the fact that the police officers are Black, as if that is important, let us be clear: ALL police represent the interest of capitalism and impel state-sanctioned violence. Anyone who works within a system that perpetuates state-sanctioned violence is complicit in upholding white supremacy. Assimilation into a system that is anti-Black is one of the most dangerous weapons stemming from white supremacy.

This moment affirms what we’ve known all along: Reform doesn’t work. Incremental progress is too slow. Diversifying a police department will not work. No police department, no matter how diverse, can ever overcome the reality that it is a direct descendant of slave patrols. Police will never keep our communities safe. Our call to defund the police includes ending traffic stops for minor traffic violations and removing police from traffic interactions.

We are in solidarity with Tyre’s family as they seek accountability and uplift their demand that the city of Memphis disband the “special” crime unit that murdered their loved one. Black Lives Matter will continue to push for an abolitionist approach to public safety that moves us swiftly towards community-driven approaches that work.”