Moses LeNoir

July 5, 2016: Sterling was fatally shot

While selling CDs in front of a Triple S Food Mart in Baton Rouge, Sterling was fatally shot by police. Numerous onlookers managed to capture the entire scene on video, some of which were picked up by both local and national news sources.

July 6, 2016: Officials released the names of the officers

Baton Rouge police officials released the names of officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake, who held down and shot Sterling. During this press briefing, the Department of Justice announced it would investigate the shooting.

July 7, 2016: Protests erupted across the nation; celebrities and more reacted

After the video of Sterling’s death went viral, protests erupted across the country and several black celebrities and influencers weighed in on the epidemic of police brutality. Drake wrote an open letter, comedian Larry Wilmore covered it in a segment on The Nightly Show, and Issa Rae started a GoFundMe for Sterling’s children, raising over $200,000 in nine hours.

July 10-11, 2016: Protests gained nationwide attention

This photo made by Jonathan Bachman of Reuters from the protests in Baton Rouge is incredible.

In the week following Sterling’s death, protests across Baton Rouge led to dozens of arrests. The above image of Leshia Evans, a mother to a 5-year-old son, became an iconic image of protest that summer.

July 13, 2016: Sterling’s son, Cameron, spoke out

Cameron Sterling, who was 15 at the time, spoke out during a press conference organized by the family’s attorney. “I feel that everyone, yes, you can protest,” he said. “But I want everyone to protest the right way. Protest in peace — not guns, not drugs, not alcohol, not violence. Everyone needs to protest the right way. With peace, no violence. None whatsoever.”

Aug. 23, 2016: Obama met with the family

Over a month after Sterling’s death, then-President Barack Obama met privately with members of the Sterling family. After seven years in office, this was the first time he met and consoled a black family whose loved one was fatally shot by police.

May 2, 2017: The DOJ decided not to charge the officers

Ten months after the DOJ announced it would investigate Sterling’s death, it decided not to charge either of the officers involved in the shooting. Baton Rouge residents protested the decision outside of the police department headquarters, the Advocate reported.

June 27, 2017: Sterling’s children sued Baton Rouge

Sterling’s children are suing the city of Baton Rouge, the police department and the officer who fired the shot. The wrongful death lawsuit alleges that the fatal shooting was indicative of racist conduct and excessive force by Baton Rouge police. Read more (7/5/17)

’“The shadow of death” is human life. Therefore if a man is with God and God is with him, clearly he is able to say, “Though I walk through the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.”’

Name: Hildegard von Bingen Dates: (1098-1179) Why she rocks: She was a nun who produced major works of theology and visionary writings. She is one of the few identifiable female artists of the medieval period, and the only known composer of Gregorian chant (one of the first true forms of organized music). She ran her own convent, and published several books about natural history and science. Quote: “A human being is a vessel that God has built for himself and filled with his inspiration so that his works are perfected in it.”

the people in grenfell died because their landlord chose to spend money on flammable cladding because rich tenants in nearby penthouses didn’t like the ugly council building ruining their view. 

the people in grenfell died because their landlord chose not to spend money on a centralised fire system or sprinklers or an additional fire escape. 

the people in grenfell died because the tories voted against a law that would force landlords to make their buildings inhabitable and safe for their tenants. 

the people in grenfell died because of the privatisation of social housing. 

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “Black Lives Matter is doing something really important.”

Nigerian novelist and short story writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is sharing her thoughts on the striking difference between how Black people are seen in Nigeria and America and the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement on Channel 4 News.

Full video

“Prayer in church is important. The best thoughts and feelings come in church, yes, and the enemy attacks more violently in church, but with the sign of the Cross and the Jesus Prayer, you drive him away. It is good to stand in some dark corner in church and to pray to God. “Let us lift up our hearts!” the priest exclaims, but our mind often creeps along the ground, thinking about indecent things. Fight against this.”

Someone who is big on freedom of speech recently told me that the n-word is “just a word” and offense is taken not given… what I don’t understand with these people is why does freedom of speech matter to them so much if speech is inconsequential and insignificant? Why protect the right to say ‘words’ if they have no impact?

Serena Williams responds to John McEnroe saying she would rank “like 700” against men