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Got my lil man-to-be the #HU starter kit. @tiffanycollective needs to step her USC game up 😬. #FutureMeccaMan #HBCU
@adoreeknows telling Omar Ruiz "the skies the limit" for what he believes he can accomplish in the #NFL #uscproday (at University of Southern California)
Review of “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President” by Candice Millard
This book is unbelievably well written!!! It's part murder mystery, part presidential history, part Shakespearean tragedy, part tender love story, part fruition of the American Dream. The short chapters makes it read like a literary fast break. I'm a notoriously slow reader and I got through the 300 pages in a few days. The content? Well, I knew nothing about James Abram Garfield other than he was the 20th POTUS. After reading this book, he might be my favorite. If Lin Manuel Miranda makes a sequel to "Hamilton" it should be on this man, and this book. I would bet that had he lived out his presidency he would've been elected to a second term and black people in America after the Civil War would've thrived under his leadership. Candice Millard, I tip my hat to you for introducing me to General Garfield - an American treasure of the first order.
Review: “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead
Oprah got this one right! Loved the book!!! I'm not a fast reader and it was a quick read even for me. It's, ironically, VERY entertaining. It's appropriate that this book about a railroad has a pace that makes you want to find out where the next stop is. And Cora might just be my new favorite character! I'd like to think she and I would be friends only because she would tolerate me. She's strong, resilient, ironically, independent and is about that life! What I really liked about the book is that Mr. Whitehead doesn't make Cora's story about the inhumane, torturous and savage atrocities she experienced as a slave. Don't trip! He reminds you how essential it was to everyday life as chattel, but he does it in a manner that guides the story, not overpower it. Plus, he wrote one of the most vivid sentences I've read in a long time: "His necklace had snapped and the ears made it look like the dirt was listening." Out of context you're probably like "WHAT?!" But, when you read the novel you'll understand. That's a GREAT line!

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My thoughts on “You Negotiate Like a Girl: Reflections on a Career in the National Football League” by Amy Trask and Mike Freeman
Full disclosure: I have the book a second star because I'm a Raiders fan and I think, despite the book, Amy Trask has a unique story. Unfortunately, that didn't come across in the book. It does end with a sweet story involving Al Davis that shows just how much she adored him. But that's also what's wrong with the book. The biggest takeaway I got from it is that Trask adored Al Davis. Her adoration of Davis comes off a bit creepy at times, especially the multitude of times she considered being "motherfucked" by Davis was his way of showing appreciation and care. It should've been titled "An Ode to Al Davis." You won't go a page without an Al Davis reference (or multiple references) of some kind. I felt like I learned infinitely more about Davis and his style as an owner than I did about Trask and her career. The book's title gives the indication you'll learn about how Trask handled being the first female CEO in the male-dominated NFL, the tough situations she had to navigate in male-dominated environments and how she managed to do her job and gain respect in a male-dominated environment. You get that, but it's commonly in a scenario that involved Al Davis. Even the title had the Al Davis imprint (you'll see). Now that she's put her love of Al Davis out on the table, I hope to learn more about Amy Trask in her next book.
It’s Time
“Motives and thoughts. Check your motives and thoughts.”
- Lauryn Hill
14 years ago I attended an event at Los Angeles Southwest College where social and political commentator Tavis Smiley was the featured speaker. That day he made a statement that has impacted how I view my blackness and my place in the world.
The event was held for black middle and high school students from the area as a means to stress the importance for them to start preparing critically for their future. A few fellow Santa Monica College students and I served as chaperones. About halfway through his talk in the auditorium the whispering chatter that filled the room - chaperones included - had reached the same octave as Smiley’s own voice and it was visible, he was mad. For the next five minutes - much like a parent restoring order at the dinner table - Smiley gave us a verbal beat down. In the middle of that tongue-lashing he got my attention with a very direct declaration that keeps me woke 14 years later.
Smiley said my generation was spoiled because we were the first generation of black people to not have to go through a major struggle. He said we didn’t have slavery, Jim Crow or the Civil Rights Movement to fight through. He said it would be disrespectful to our ancestors and grandparents who persevered through each of those unfathomable eras to squander opportunities afforded to us by their sacrifices. He said, simply, we owe them our success.
He was right. In every syllable he spoke he was right...except on the one aspect where he couldn’t have been more wrong.
My generation is going through a major struggle. My generation has capitalized, greatly, on the sacrifices of our ancestors and grandparents to reach unprecedented heights as individuals. However, collectively, my generation is going through the same major struggle of previous generations; the struggle to be heard, truly HEARD when calling out racial injustice, in hopes that our black lives will matter, truly MATTER, in decisions made and actions taken to address our concerns.
When Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid, Jeremy Lane and Brandon Marshall all take a knee during the national anthem before football games to protest racial injustice they’re not being anti-American, they’re not shaming Francis Scott Key’s callous poem and they’re not spitting on the sacrifices of our courageous service members. Kaepernick has made his case on those issues very clear.
“The message is that we have a lot of issues in this country that we need to deal with. We have a lot of people that are oppressed. We have a lot of people that aren’t treated equally, that aren’t given equal opportunities. Police brutality is a huge thing that needs to be addressed. There are a lot of issues that need to be talked about, need to be brought to life and we need to fix those things,” Kaepernick told reporters after the 49ers fourth preseason game against the Chargers on military appreciation night.
The truth in that statement should hit home, if you take a minute to really hear him.
You should hear the concerns of black people in North Carolina who don’t want their voting rights suppressed as state lawmakers tried to do with voting law provisions the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals said targeted them “with almost surgical precision.” You should hear the anguish in the voice of Michael Brown’s mother, who lost her son days after accomplishing her most incredible feat: getting him to graduate high school in a school district that is “among the poorest and most segregated in Missouri.” You should hear the final breaths of Eric Garner.
But the conversation those players in protest are pushing us to have that acknowledges the existence of oppression in our education system, that acknowledges unequal treatment in a justice system rampant with racial bias and that acknowledges hiring, training and engagement policies in some police departments don’t always align with the best interests of the communities officers serve has proven too difficult for far too long. I get it. It’s hard. It’s ugly. It’s demoralizing. So, instead of getting our hands dirty to get to the core of the injustices we’ve become accustomed to, the prejudices we harbor and the apathy we display toward one another in order to find some semblance of understanding, we’ve determined it’s not necessary because we’ve time-traveled into some arbitrary universe called a “post-racial society.”
What is promising, though, is seeing that as more NFL players have joined Kaepernick in calling for social change, it’s forced, at least, the start of that conversation to happen. I hope it continues. For it to be successful, though, willful ignorance must end. In the age of Google, it can no longer be acceptable for a prominent college football analyst like Paul Finebaum to say “this country is not oppressing black people,” only to backtrack by saying “I didn’t have a good grasp of the situation.” Information is far too accessible to play that game anymore. Maybe if he heard Shannon Sharpe’s perspective on the matter as a black man of affluence, he’d understand the gravity of our current state of affairs. Sure, if you’re not black you’ll never fully grasp the daily burden we carry of being seen as a potential problem but as the lyricist Black Ice in his poem “The Ugly Show” says, “I’m telling you, you learn so much, money, if you just open up a book and look inside. That’s where they hide the evidence.” It just takes the effort and an informed society is an active one.
Undoubtedly, since I’m talking about social injustice against black people, someone will ask the question: Well, what about black on black crime? Well, it’s a travesty in every way imaginable. Chicago is often used as an example when having that debate. The fact that Chicago has seen 500 homicides in predominantly black neighborhoods should make us all, frankly, angry - angry at the black men killing each other, angry at the parent’s who’ve failed the black men killing each other and angry at city officials who’ve failed to provide jobs and a better education system for the black men killing each other. The same can be said for every black neighborhood - from Oakland to Baltimore - where violence persists. And as Chicago Tribune columnist Dahleen Glanton plainly put it, “As a community, we can't have it both ways. Either we want violent criminals off the street or we don't.” Having said all that, calling out black on black crime is a red herring. The sad truth is that black on black crime is no more extreme than white on white crime or Latino on Latino crime, etc. From 1980 to 2008, 84 percent of white people were killed by other white people and 93 percent of black people were killed by other black people, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Colin Kaepernick may not be the Jim Brown-type messenger that people are ready to embrace but nonetheless he’s provided an opportunity to, once again, have a dignified conversation about race in America.
So, let’s have one.
Follow the Ford Recall Letter
Part 5 - Bright Spot
August 4th
It’s a small victory, but it’s a positive nonetheless.
A Ford corporate employee responded to my direct LinkedIn message. He gave me his direct work email and I did as he requested and emailed him the same message from LinkedIn. It caught his attention. He assured me it would get to the proper office. We shall see.
The ball keeps rolling.
Follow the Ford Recall Letter
Part 4 - Roadblock
July 30, 2016
Two days ago I said I was confident communications between myself and Melissa the Customer Relationship Center rep would continue.
I was wrong.
The email she sent me yesterday:
“Hello Thomas, Thank you for keeping us apprised of your situation. Please be assured that any time a customer writes to us, it is appreciated. Every customer is of the highest value to Ford, and we make every effort to assist anyone who writes, e-mails, or calls us regarding any situation.
We see where you are coming from regarding this recall program, and we definitely understand that you want to be heard. We know that you are concerned about your well-being, as well as your wife’s well-being. However, at this time, we are not able to provide alternate options. If you do not feel safe driving your vehicle, it is recommended that you continue to work with your dealership regarding your concerns. We feel this is the appropriate response at this time. We value your thoughts and appreciate that this may not be the answer you were hoping for when you wrote to us. However, we must stress that at this time, Ford Motor Company has provided you with a final decision. This will be our last written communication on the matter. Sincerely, Melissa Customer Relationship Center Ford Motor Company”
My response:
“Hi Melissa, This may be the last communication between you and I on this matter, but I assure you this will not be THE last communication on this matter. I thank you for your time and attention.”
This is not the end. It's just Saturday.
Follow the Ford Recall Letter
Pt 3 - Lanes of Indifference
July 28, 2016
It’s the start of training camp, which doesn’t leave much time for, you know, anything. But I’m still at it.
There’s not much progress to report. I got a response again, though, from Melissa the Ford “Customer Relationship Center” rep. Here’s the email:
“Hello Thomas,
Thank you for your reply. I can imagine how concerned you are about this recall. The Takata airbag inflator recall is a nationwide issue, and because of this, it is taking longer for parts to become available. This is affecting numerous vehicle manufacturers, not just Ford Motor Company. Ford is working with its suppliers to get parts as quickly as possible, and once they are available you will be notified. Also, we have not received any documentation advising that the vehicle is not drivable. If you have a concern with driving your Fusion, I recommend that you contact your local Ford dealer regarding this issue. I am sorry that I am not able to provide you with an alternate response at this time. Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.
Sincerely,
Melissa
Customer Relationship Center
Ford Motor Company”
She ended it as if that would be the end of the conversation. Poor Melissa. She has no idea.
I wrote Melissa back. She’s been great about responding. I’ll remain confident it’ll continue. Our correspondence has been cordial. I’ll remain confident it’ll continue.
I have plucked one bright spot from Melissa’s otherwise will-sapping messages: they come from what’s called a “Tier 1 Email” generator. Which means there are more “tiers.” YES!!! It means I can only go up!!! Oh, and I plan to go ALL THE WAY UP!!!
I’ve also just penned, rather…keyboard punched…a letter to the Ford Motor Company’s board of directors. It will be in the mail tomorrow morning and to borrow the infamous line from President Obama the day before he gave his now defining 2004 Democratic National Convention speech: “It’s a pretty good letter.”
More phone calls to make more email to send and more letters to write.
The ball’s barely moving but a ball in motion, stays in motion.

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Follow the Recall Letter
Part 2 - The Spin Cycle
July 26, 2016
Where to begin.
I got so much corporate speak today I could start my own PR firm. I’ll do my best to adhere to brevity and because there were so many moving parts we’ll just bullet this one.
-Had Twitter exchange with Chris from @Ford Service. He eventually asked me to DM my info so he could document my feedback. Chris seemed nice. He was responsive and cordial. I sent him my info. My feedback has been documented. So, there’s that.
-Talked with Michael, a supervisor with Ford Motor Company (FMC) customer service. He told me that cars made from 2004-2007 and cars that are registered in “high humidity climate zones” are considered high priority for getting replacement parts. Michael called me from Florida. It’s in a high priority zone. I’m in California. It’s not a high priority zone. Michael said the best estimate he’s been given is 12 months until replacement parts are available. That’s the first, and only, time I’ve been given an actual timeline. But, he couldn’t help me.
-Talked with a service supervisor (can’t remember his name) at the Airport Marina Ford dealership. He, too, was very nice. Gave me much of the same; understood my concerns, they’re doing all they can, I’ll surely be notified when parts are ready and the like. He couldn’t help me.
-Got an email response from Melissa in FMC’s “Customer Relationship Center.” Here’s the email:
“My name is Melissa, I am from Ford`s Customer Relationship Center (CRC). I have reviewed your email inquiring about Safety Recall 16S26, regarding the passenger airbag inflator replacement. I can understand that you want to have this recall taken care of immediately. Since parts are not yet available, you will receive a new recall notice via mail advising when replacement parts are available for this repair. Development of a replacement service inflator is in process; we are working with our suppliers to expedite parts as quickly as possible. The volume and scope of the industry-wide Takata airbag inflator recalls have created unique replacement part challenges for all vehicle manufacturers. Based on currently available technical data, Ford Motor Company understands that the vehicles involved in 16S26 are safe to drive while you are waiting for replacement parts. You should have the repair completed as soon as possible after you are notified that parts are available. This aligns with NHTSA’s (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s) advice that vehicles can be driven until parts are available. Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.”
I responded to Melissa. I’ll let you know if she can help me.
-Because so much of what FMC says it cites the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) I sent an email to NHTSA with my concerns. I’ll let you know what they say. The disclaimer after I hit “send” said I will get a response at the close of business tomorrow. -I sent an email (via LinkedIn) to Levasseur Tellis, Principal Investigator of Automated Vehicle Research Consortium at Ford Motor Company. His bio says he’s worked at FMC for over 14 years in the area of safety functionality. I’m praying he can help me.
-Still no response on the messages I sent Mr. Davis and Mr. Holland.
Bottom line: I’m dizzy and I don’t think I’m any closer to getting answers than I was yesterday. But, Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?!
The ball keeps rolling.
Follow the Recall Letter
Part 1 - Start Your Engines
July 25, 2016
It’s simple. My goal in this series of posts (however many there are) is to document the start and finish (whatever the heck it is) of how Ford Motor Company handles the recall on my car. I’m going to be as objective as possible, just telling the story as it happens. Some of the posts (like this one) will be a bit, shall we say…detailed. Apologies for that, but I feel it’s necessary. So, bear with me.
So, let’s get to it.
I drive a 2011 Ford Fusion. I love it. It’s under a recall (but you know that already). It’s got potential to get a big deal. Here’s what Ford Motor Company says the problem is in the letter I received yesterday:
“On your vehicle, the passenger frontal airbag inflator may rupture in the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment. Ruptured inflator may result in metal fragments striking vehicle occupants causing serious injury or death.”
I don’t know about you but the thought of a possible IED living in my dash scares the bejesus out of me. The maker of the airbag inflator is Takata. They’ve had some issues. Takata has manufactured airbags responsible for at least 10 deaths from ruptures and dozens of other injures.
Ford says it’s working to get replacement parts and they’ll “sent a letter” when I can schedule a repair. Based on their FAQs on a website they created just for this problem, that’s about all myself and other owners of various Ford models affected – there are 1,902,228 of us – have to go on.
Not good enough for me. My wife has been a frequent passenger in my car. I love my wife. Every time I think of what could’ve happened to her had we been in an accident…it makes my heart stop. I don’t think I’m alone. So, hopefully, something good can come o this.
In my first action, I sent a tweet yesterday to @Ford asking when I could expect a problem fix. No response yet. My second action was to send a letter (via LinkedIn) to two Ford execs: Frank Davis, Executive Director of North America Engineering and Jim Holland, Vice President of Vehicle Component and System Engineering.
Here’s the letter:
To Whom It May Concern:
I write you because I love my Ford Fusion. My wife has often been a passenger and I don’t want her or anyone to die in it. I received my letter on July 24th about the Takata airbag inflator defect, and while I appreciate the notice, I have grave concerns.
First, the lack of specificity on when the replacement parts would be available is a major issue. The letter says, “When parts are available, Ford Motor Company will send a letter to inform you that parts are available and to contact your dealer to schedule a repair.” My fears were compounded when I read a the FAQ’s section on the website that read, “ At NHTSA’s request, Ford issued safety recalls for vehicles with certain Takata inflators even though replacement inflators with a different propellant would not be available for months or even years while new inflators are being redesigned and manufactured.” I need Ford Motor Company to appreciate the very real possibility – based on the wording - that owners could have their cars for another 5 years before the potentially deadly piece of equipment is replaced. I’ll speak for the 1,902,228 people affected by this recall when it says that's unacceptable.
What I’m struggling to understand is how Ford Motor Company can say the airbag inflator defect could cause “death” but at the same time say, “Ford Motor Company understands that the vehicles involved in the recent Takata recall are safe to drive while you are waiting for replacement parts.” A Ford Motor Company customer service rep by the name of Ron reinforced the “safe to drive” narrative by stating that no injuries or deaths have been reported. That’s false. Joel Knight died when the Takata airbag in his 2006 Ford Ranger (a model that falls within this recall date range) ruptured and shot shrapnel into his neck. I sincerely hope that Ford Motor Company feels that one death is too many and not developing an immediate fix would be unacceptable by company standards.
We’re depending on you to act. Don’t let us down. Lives are at stake
The ball is rolling. Let’s see how far it goes.
The Motivation of Doubt
When I hear stories of patients who’ve had a doctor place limits on their ability to recover from an injury, yet exceed said limits, I now fully understand their motivation.
I started physical therapy this week to get my ailing left knee back in order. Of course, none of the elite facilities I wanted are covered under my insurance. I did a ton of research from the approved list my insurance company emailed me.
I found a place in Manhattan Beach housed inside the same building as a 24-hour Fitness gym. That got me excited. The first sign of my misfire came when I arrived for the appointment. I noticed that myself and an older gent, who I’d venture was born at the start of the Truman administration, with a neck brace and his head hanging so he stared at the ground were headed to the same office.
I walked inside and “Ricky Don’t Lose That Number” spewing from the stereo (didn’t even know those still existed) tuned to K-Earth 101 let me know I’d been transported back to 1974. The faded taupe carpet, dingy ivory walls and air of apathy made me skeptical that I wasn’t there for therapy, but to be put out of my misery. I knew then I could never have a career as a researcher.
My therapist Liz introduced herself with a bright smile, and a firm handshake. She seemed young. I don’t mean just in her two years from 30, and dreading it, looks, but in the profession. It was clear to me that she’s used to clients like Mr. Truman-neck brace, not hyper competitive, mid-30s male athletes with a point to prove. But, she meant well.
In a five-minute, at moments black militant-toned, monologue in the exam room, I explained to Liz my history with the knee and leg. Compound fracture, rod, multiple surgeries, yadda, yadda, yadda. I let Liz know I’m a runner, swimmer, biker, etc. I succinctly laid out to Liz my needs: aggressive treatment to bring back 30-year-old me; the guy who completed an Olympic size triathlon. I was realistic with Liz; that I know I’m past my athletic prime at 36, that it’ll take longer to merely get close to the athlete I’d been, that I’m okay with that and that I’ll do whatever it takes to not be a middle-aged has-been forced to pontificate on past physical feats to compensate for his brokedownness. As I spoke, Liz’s face contorted with trepidation.
Remember my opening statement?
Once finished with my speech, Liz proceeded to do what doctors with the Milwaukee Brewers didn’t even do after they put my broken fibula back inside my skin: place limits on my ability to recover from an injury.
Her assessment:
-I’ll definitely need a knee replacement in about 20 years
-My long-distance running days are over
-My days of participating in sports and competitions are over
-I should limit strenuous exercise to a stationary bike, swimming, walking
My favorite quote: “I know how that sounds but I like to be upfront with my patients who’ve had a similar history and who are at a similar age.”
She left me so dumbfounded that all I did was stare at me knee, nod my head and say, “okay.”
For a second, I actually believed her.
That second passed quickly.
Liz didn’t know that in that moment her name was added to my “People Who Doubt Me Because They Don’t Know Me” list. But, I’m thankful for her. I’m no different than most people, in that I look for motivation in all its forms. So, Liz you will be just that - motivation.
We got through the hour-long session. Liz sat at a desk afterward.
“Okay, I’ll see you next time,” she said.
“Alright,” was my reply. I left without scheduling another appointment.
I’ve got work to do.
You don't have to be in the MLB today to pay homage.
We're smiling 'cause we got inside to see him. That hour in line was worth the wait. (at The Hollywood Palladium)

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The RG3 Experiment: Cleveland Edition
That infamous Cleveland Browns jersey of failure has another potential victim in its sights. His name is Robert Griffin III.
The Heisman Trophy winning, Rookie of the Year awarded, need-a-career-resurrecting quarterback is now a Brown. Turns out the internal earthquake he caused head coach Hue Jackson to have, according to Jeff Darlington, during his private workout last week was all it took.
Now, judging from the conversations I’ve overheard, the sports talk radio I’ve listened to and the articles I’ve read over the last two days, the general consensus is when Griffin signed his two-year contract Thursday - which is really a one-year deal allowing the Browns to bail if things don’t go well - he signed his football death certificate. That sounds harsh but think about this: Griffin was born in 1990. In that time, 31 quarterbacks have started games for the Cleveland Browns.
But, here’s why I’m confident he won’t end up on the jersey of shame.
I don’t know Griffin. I only know him through the life he’s allowed the public to see. And based on what I’ve seen from him over the last year, Cleveland will get a new man. A 26-year-old grown man. A life-has-kicked-him-in-the-gut-now-he’s-ready-to-respond man. The RG3 brand-obsessed kid who became loathsome in Washington is now a husband. The social media provocateur who allowed Twitter to tank his image, is now a father. The youngster who ran and threw defenses into submission in 2012, was forced to submit and mature in 2015 while watching defenses from the bench. Marriage, fatherhood and a heavy dose of humble pie. They’re the agents I think have changed Griffin and provide the motivation it’ll take for this next chapter in his football life to be a successful one. If they aren’t, jersey of shame here he comes. It seems Griffin is ready for the challenge. He said as much during his conference call Monday with the media.
“Nothing's ever been given to me in my life, so I just want to go out and compete with the guys and grow with this team,” he said.
And he’ll have help in one of the men in the coaching ranks. Jackson is about as respected as they come in coaching circles, especially among quarterbacks. Just ask Andy Dalton, Joe Flacco and Carson Palmer. So, Griffin will be in good hands.
Now, that’s not to say he’ll roll into town as the savior. He won’t be. Not by himself. But that’s not the point. The Browns may not even make the playoffs, let alone win a Super Bowl with Griffin. But the man he’s become should help restore pride to the Dawg Pound that’s gone missing in his lifetime.
God speed, young man. God speed.
Remembering Latasha Harlins
Latasha Harlins should be alive today.
She was 15 years old when she was murdered 25 years ago today. I was 11 years old at the time but I remember it like it was yesterday. That surveillance video will forever be etched in my memory.
One minute, Latasha’s a living, breathing young girl inside a South Central Los Angeles liquor store. The next, she’s a body; shot in the back and killed because Soon Ja Du, the store owner’s wife, thought she was stealing the bottle of orange juice she placed in her backpack. It didn’t matter that she attempted to pay for it when she got the register. It didn’t even matter that she left the bottle on the counter and turned to walk out.
BANG!
She got a bullet in the back.
Sure, Latasha fought with Du. But put yourself in her shoes. You’re a 15-year-old black girl from the ghetto who has grown up in schools that don’t care enough to provide the proper tools or the proper teachers to properly reach you, you’re in a war zone where gang bangin’ is a survival tactic, and by your 18th birthday you’re more likely to end up in prison than Princeton. You’re carrying that burden, daily, and now you’re accused of shoplifting some juice that costs $1.79.
You sure your aggression wouldn’t take over? But here’s a question you should really ask yourself: did Latasha deserve to die for her actions? You’d have to be less than human to answer yes.
For 25 years Latasha’s death has weighed on my psyche, growing heavier each passing season, for two reasons, mainly. One, she was only three years older than my elder twin sisters when she was killed. My sisters and I aren’t merely siblings, we’re best friends. I like to think had Latasha and I known each other we would’ve been no different. So, in that video, when I see her, I see them. Two, the failure of California’s justice system to give Latasha and her family justice and peace reaches levels of anger that are rarely tapped. The short of it: there was a trial. Du was convicted of voluntary manslaughter. She was allowed to remain free until sentencing. The jury recommended a 16-year prison sentence. Yet, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joyce Karlin gave Du probation, ordered her to serve 400 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine.
Let that sink in for a minute…
A scuffle between a teenager and a woman. The teenager is shot in the back by the woman. As she’s walking away. Teenager dies. It’s caught on tape. Woman who pulls trigger is convicted for killing teenager. Woman convicted for killing teenager never spends a day in jail.
It’s as if her black life didn’t matter.
You can Google the news articles that chronicle the various ridiculous excuses that led to said judicial outcome but the practical message sent was a resounding one: when our bodies are disposed of, they can take our spirit as well.
I’m a Christian. So, I believe that God is visible in all things. I believe God had a plan for Latasha. I believe for 15 years on earth Latasha served God and His purpose. And I believe it’s no coincidence that God is still using Latasha; her memory a beacon for a community and a people that, like her, just wants to matter.
Latasha Harlins (July 14, 1975 – March 16, 1991)
May your soul rest in peace