Tribute to Ramarley: Gone but not forgotten

Jean Rice, Civil Rights Campaign Leader/PTH Board Member

Early last month, The People’sJustice Coalition honored Picture the Homeless with request that our tactical team help coordinate and manage the flow of people mobilized to demandjustice for the late Ramarley Graham.  As many of you know, Ramarley Graham was an unarmed black teen killed by the NYPD.  What happened to him has happened to too many and makes even more urgent the need to move this racist criminal justice system one step closer to the closure.  Ramarley’s family is entitled to it and the dictates of justice demand it!

From the South Bronx to Sanford, Florida America’s status quo has sought through vigilante type wanton murder to instill fear and intimidation in communities of color throughout the nation.  So on this day these communities of the oppressed, these communities of the exploited, came together across race and class barriers to say that we are all Ramarley!

In the 73 years of my life I have never witnessed a more diverse group of people. We assembled at the Ramarley home and after many inspirational and passionate speeches; we marched in an orderly manner to the police precinct where the ill-trained murderer, Officer Hastings was employed.  Speakers voiced their outrage in front of this stationhouse as several members of the New York Police Department looked on. I believe the manner in which my compadres Arvanetta Henry, Pedro Cabrera, Andres Perez, and I conducted ourselves did Picture the Homeless proud. Our allies were extremely impressed by the silent hand signals we employed. Our practice and experience showed through in how we can almost anticipate each other. I commend my Picture the Homeless sister and brothers for the discipline they displayed in this highly charged atmosphere. It is difficult to stay within our roles as security, when our hearts and our souls cry out to vent our sorrow, our anger, and our despair, over this tragic event. 

Please remember to join us on August 13^th the next court date for Officer Hastings.  Let us not be outnumbered by the NYPD in this moment.  Let us stand with the Graham family until justice is done.   SEE YOU IN THE STRUGGLE!