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Activist Alicia Garza isfamous for coiningthe phrase "Black Lives Matter," amantra that has since become themost influential social movement of the 21st century. Since then, she has traveledto Ferguson, Missouri, following the police shooting death of Michael Brown in 2014, and helped establish the Black Lives Matter network and the Movement for Black Lives' policy platform.

Garza, who also works as the special projects director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance,agreed to take part in an email exchange with the International Business Times to discuss how the movement she helped create moves forward in the President Donald Trump era,why she stays away from Twitterand what the media gets wrong about Black Lives Matter.

IBT: Donald Trump declared himself the law and order candidate, and has tried to paint a picture of a rising tide of violence in America. He recently saidnew legislation should be developed to protect police. Many scholars and activists, like Michelle Alexander in The New Jim Crow, have argued that kind of rhetoric has always been used to develop political support for policies that target the black population (Nixons southern strategy, Ronald Reagans War on Drugs, and Hillary Clintons comments on super-predators" are all recent examples). Do you see history repeating itself? Is this kind of rhetoric a threat to black lives?

Garza: We should be clear that Donald Trump doesn't care about law and order he skirts the law and avoids order every chance he gets. He has absolutely no track record in addressing issues impacting black communities, and has very little concern for black communities, as evidenced by his involvement in the case of the Central Park Five, where he whipped up racially charged hysteria that nearly ruined the lives of fiveteenagers wrongfully accused of rape.

The only law and order that Donald Trump cares about is the law and order that lines his pockets, sows division and hatred, and maintains a racially segregated social and economic order. Donald Trump is a predator he preys on the fears that everyday Americans have about an increasingly unstable world and exploits them.

Is this a threat to black lives? Absolutely. When you have a president that claims to govern for everyone but continues to pass laws that threaten the safety and security of black Americans and black immigrants, it's a definite cause for concern. For example, his recent executive orders on policing expand "rights" for law enforcement, but doesn't increase transparency and accountability for law enforcement, who themselves are not above the law but continue to operate that way. Trump's Muslim ban in part targets black Muslims. His rolling back of the protections that existed for transgender communities impacts black lives. Donald Trump is not about law and order he is about skirting the law and has absolutely no respect for it.

IBT: Where are you focusing your energy? What specific issues do you think are the most important at the moment?

Garza: Right now, I'm focused on figuring out how we build political power in a tenuous moment where any semblance of democracy is being bulldozed by Trump and his administration. Every issue is important under this administration it's difficult to narrow to just a few. From climate change to police violence to indigenous sovereignty to transgender rights, it's all important and we all have a role to play.

IBT: President Barack Obamas Justice Departmentused consent decrees, among other tools, to try and reform local police departments. What do you expect to see under a Jeff Sessions-led Justice Department?

Garza: What we can expect to see from a Sessions-led Justice Department is a rolling back of civil and human rights. Sessions' track record is that of denying protections to marginalized groups. I feel great concern for the people working inside the Justice Department who really want to see this country move in a different direction, and who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that everyone's civil rights are upheld and protected. Already under a Sessions-led Justice Department, transgender rights are being rolled back at a time when they need to be expanded.

IBT: New York recently announced that all NYPD officers will be equipped with body cameras by the end of 2019. How do you feel about widespread use of police cameras? Does this represent progress?

Garza: I didn't have much faith in body cameras when they were first popularized and I have even less faith in them now. Instead of body cameras that can be turned on and off at an officer's discretion, we need increased transparency and accountability over law enforcement, including community oversight over the police with the ability to hire, fire and discipline officers who are policing in their community.

IBT: Black Lives Matter has been used as an umbrella term for many different organizations, activities and efforts. Youve mentioned in past interviewsthat the media needs to be more careful and nuanced in its descriptions. What do people misunderstand about the movement?

Garza: I think what people misunderstand about this movement is that it is not a monolith. We don't all think the same, work the same, function the same but we do share a common goal of wanting to protect the sanctity of black life, and when we work together across differences, we are able to accomplish extraordinary things. When some mainstream media outlets take short cuts in describing everything involving black people and violence as Black Lives Matter, it really cheats the public of understanding the nuances and contours of the now numerous efforts and strategies that exist to increase the value of black lives.

The Black Lives Matter network is a proud part of the Movement for Black Lives, and the Movement for Black Lives is, like us, vast and comprised of many different elements. From Black Youth Project 100 to the Black Alliance for Just Immigration to Freedom, Inc., we are so proud to be connected to a growing infrastructure for black organizing and advocacy that's rooted in the current concerns of black people across generations.

Honorees Opal Tometi,(L) Patrisse Cullors, and Alicia Garza (R) accept an award onstage during Glamour Women Of The Year 2016 at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 14, 2016 in Los Angeles. Tometi,Cullors and Garza are often credited as the three co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. Photo: Getty Images

IBT: How do you see the movements relationship to the broader Trump resistance?

Garza: My personal observations are that there's still a bit of a disconnect here, and it's not just with the Movement for Black Lives it's with many of the social movements that have emerged over the last decade. It seems to me that the broader resistance to Trumpism is still developing, and one thing it could benefit greatly from is leadership from black people, indigenous people, immigrants, Muslims, and trans people. I still think that the resistance to Trump is still dominated by white men. Both political parties need to realize, and quickly, that the changing demographics of the country require a shift in how those parties are comprised if they hope to survive the next period intact. The DNC is still not reflective of the diversity that exists in this country, and that's a huge problem if Democrats hope to gain more supporters or at least gain more support for their vision and values.

IBT: Although Obama seemed receptive to the goals of the Movement for Black Lives, its clear you and others were frustrated with him for not doing more. But at the same time, many of the problems you are trying to fix are systemic. In terms of your goals and your activism, how much does it matter who is president?

Garza: What matters by way of systemic change is who holds the power to make decisions, shape culture and shape values, reward and punish. Being the president is a part of that, but not the only part.

IBT: Black Lives Matter Toronto is under fire after co-founder Yusra Khogali called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a white supremacist terrorist and then wrote a Facebook post in which she said white skin was sub-humxn. When something like that happens, it seems like the whole Black Lives Matter movement is blamed on social media. Does the BLM network communicate to coordinate messaging? How do you feel about her comments?

Garza: When the BLM network engages in activities together, we coordinate messaging. When it comes to the work that people do in their local communities, they have autonomy over how they talk about their work and what they are trying to achieve. BLM Toronto does incredible work, and the network supports them and their vision for a Canada where black lives actually matter.

What's interesting about this moment and Black Lives Matter, whether it be the network or the movement, is that there is this assumption of uniformity that at times, is used to either dispute or discredit not just organizations, but everything they fight for. It's really transparent and insidious, and frankly, racist. If John Lewis says something I disagree with, I don't attribute his statements to the entire civil rights movement, because I understand that the civil rights movement was comprised of many different opinions, world views, and activities.

Being a white supremacist is a term that has some specificity and can actually be applied to some leaders in our current U.S. government like President Trump, or his chief strategist Steve Bannon. I do share the concerns of BLM Toronto and many progressives in Canada that his words are out of step with his actions. I am incredibly concerned about the police violence in Canada that, like in the United States, goes unchecked. I am concerned about the dangers that Muslims face in Canada just trying to survive. I am concerned about the hundreds of indigenous women who have disappeared in Canada and across North America, and I am concerned at a lack of action taken by the Canadian government to ensure the human rights of all of their citizens.

IBT: You coined the phrase Black Lives Matter on social media. Unless Im mistaken, it looks like you havent tweeted since the election(note: Garza tweeted on Tuesday for the first time since Nov. 9. ) Why is that? Will you be back on Twitter?

Garza: Twitter isn't really my chosen platform.Too many trolls, not enough nuance. I'm still active on other platforms, but these days I find myself really trying to concentrate on face to face interactions, and to not use social media as a replacement for that. I use social media to explore and test ideas, to keep up on news, and to check up on my friends and loved ones.

IBT: What do you know now that you wished you had known back in 2013?

Garza: Nothing.Everything I've learned since 2013 has been invaluable and I wouldn't take those experiences back.

Original post:
Black Lives Matter Founder Alicia Garza: 'Donald Trump Is Not ...

Professor Osamudia Jones introduces an economics lecturer to the Black Lives Matter course at UMs law school. The course welcomed lecturers from a variety of disciplines to educate students about the various causes of racism. Amanda Prats // Senior Photographer

The University of Miami School of Laws first interdisciplinary course on the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement will be open to all students and faculty March 9 when Alicia Garza, one of the founding members of BLM, will come to campus and talk to students.

Garza is one of the many speakers who have been invited to the class to speak about the converging societal issues that created the BLM movement.

The course was created and is taught by professor Osamudia James, vice dean of the School of Law. James, who has contributed columns on race relations in The Washington Post and The New York Times, has been teaching Torts and Administrative Law for nine years, along with a seminar on inequality in the public school system. She formed the Black Lives Matter course to help explain why a group of people felt the need to breathe new life into a civil rights movement in modern-day America.

I probably got the idea when people were saying Black Lives Matter is a hate group or when we started getting the All Lives Matter retort, James said. People didnt understand the underlying social conditions that had prompted it. People didnt understand the frustration that was behind it so I wanted to create a space where we could reflect on that.

The interdisciplinary course involves speakers from 19 different UM schools and departments along with local organizations. Two speakers attend James Thursday class and discuss intersectional issues, such as disproportionality in child welfare and special education or the use of theater and literature in propelling ideas on Black Lives Matter.

James law course comes after a two-part undergraduate course about BLM in spring and fall 2016 that took a look at activists and theorists in the movement while analyzing current U.S. race relations. David Ikard, director of Africana Studies, taught the course.

The law course was hand-tailored to relate to Miami, with some class sessions focusing specifically on the criminal justice system in Miami-Dade County. Miami-Dade report filings have indicated frequent racial profiling. Such a case involved one young black Miami Gardens man being stopped 258 times by police over the course of four years. Future class sessions will feature individuals from the Community Justice Project and Legal Services of Greater Miami.

Miami is a really interesting place, and identity is understood differently in Miami than it is in other parts of the country, James said. You also have issues of immigration and you have some serious class issues here in Miami. It didnt make sense to me to talk about Black Lives Matter in Miami and not talk about Miami activists who do the work.

James has also taken steps to bring the conversation out of the classroom and onto social media. Students in James class use social media, such as Twitter, to ask questions about the weeks lecture, using the hashtag PerspectivesOnBLM. James said there has been vigorous conversation outside of the classroom. Most recently, the debate centered on robo-policing, or the use of robots in the place of human police officers, and veteran police officers and outside law professors joined the conversation.

I think its important that the entire university be able to be involved in the conversation, whether you agree with Black Lives Matter or not, whether you completely understand the issues or dont, James said.

Law student Amber Dawson said she was excited to participate in the class. As an African-American woman, Dawson said she was able to relate to several topics discussed throughout the course. In particular, she said she related to visiting speaker Donald Jones presentation on dangers certain spaces present to black people.

Growing up with money, it was nice to go out driving in a nice car, but youre not meant to be driving on a highway late at night in a nice car in a nice neighborhood, Dawson said. It would give police a reason to pull you over, and youre just not safe.

Dawson is planning to write her final paper on the perception of African-Americans as property, aging from slave trade to modern day law. She said the course offers a place for students to talk about difficult topics, a crucial form of education to ensure the progression of society toward equality.

Im proud to say that I attend a law school where this type of interdisciplinary course is made available to so many students because it allows us to further a conversation I think is very long overdue, Dawson said.

James said she plans to continue the class in spring 2018, with new speakers and new topics to cover.

Alicia Garzas presentation will take place at 7 p.m on Thursday, March 9 in the Shalala Student Center Grand Ballroom.

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Black Lives Matter course creates room for debate with guest speakers, social media - The Miami Hurricane

Trevor Ferguson, also known as Trevor Gerard

A Los Angeles Black Lives Matter activist was hit with a civil restraining order Wednesday after being accused of threatening the president of the Los Angeles Police Commission.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the city sought the restraining order against activist Trevor Ferguson (also known as Trevor Gerard), who, according to court documents, allegedly targeted commission President Matt Johnson at public meetings and referenced Johnsons children.

Both Johnson and Ferguson are black. Ferguson has denied the allegations.

From the Times:

But Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Carol Boas Goodson granted the restraining order, saying that any parent would be concerned by Fergusons mentioning Johnsons son at a Police Commission meeting and then visiting Johnsons home.

After more than an hour of testimony from Johnson, Ferguson and others, Goodson concluded that Fergusons intent was not to protest but to incite fear. The restraining order requires Ferguson to stay away from Johnson and his family. Ferguson can continue to speak at Police Commission meetings but must keep a 5-yard distance from Johnson.

A temporary order with the same restrictions has been in effect since Dec. 20.

The Times reports that after the hearing, Johnson said that he supports the First Amendment but that Ferguson had gone too far.

The right to protest has led to tremendous gains for people who look like myself and Mr. Ferguson, Johnson said. Its something I deeply respect. But there is a line, and for me that line is when you threaten the safety of my family. Like any father, Im not going to apologize for taking steps to protect the safety of my family.

Nana Gyamfi, Fergusons attorney, told the Times that Johnsons fear of Ferguson is based on race.

Its ridiculous that he used a method and procedure people use to protect themselves from actual violence ... to protect himself from embarrassment, Gyamfi said.

Gyamfi also said that the restraining orders impact goes beyond Ferguson and could erode First Amendment rights for other protesters.

By the time you look up, your rights have been gutted, Gyamfi said. She added that Ferguson will likely appeal the decision.

Ferguson told The Root that Johnson originally attempted to get a criminal restraining order against him but that that request was denied. He said he could only guess why, but he noted that criminal restraining orders require real evidence, not hearsay, which makes up a large portion of Johnsons request. Civil restraining orders are easier to get.

Ferguson said that Johnson and the city have a fight on their hands.

I think maybe they thought we would just lay down, but if you kick the hornets nest, there is always consequences, Ferguson said.

More from the Times:

In a court declaration, Johnson alleged that Ferguson made a gratuitous reference to his children at a November Police Commission meeting and stated at another meeting that Johnson should be scared of him.

At various meetings, Ferguson has mouthed threats to Johnson, including that he would beat up Johnson and kill him, according to the declaration. Because the threats were not spoken aloud, there is no recording of them, the declaration said.

Ferguson told The Root that each time he is at the lectern speaking, it is recorded, which is standard procedure for all Police Commission meetings. There are no recordings that show Ferguson mouthing any threats to Johnson.

More from the Times:

According to Johnsons court declaration, the reference to his children occurred at a Police Commission meeting Nov. 1.

In an official audio recording of the meeting, Ferguson stated that Johnson has four children, one of whom is a boy. Ferguson then drew a connection between Johnsons son and African-American victims of police violence, saying he hoped Johnson would not become a grieving parent.

You have not only chosen the side of men like Charlie Beck and [Mayor] Eric Garcetti, you have chosen to be their errand boy, Ferguson continued. So run, boy, and tell your masters: The city is ours now.

Johnsons declaration cited another incident from the Dec. 13 commission meeting. Ferguson made statements during public comment and from the audience that Johnson should feel scared of him and suggesting that the two men meet outside of a board meeting, the declaration said.

On the official audio recording of the meeting, Ferguson spoke about crime and the community before stating: Ultimately, I know you guys dont careand I see the houseboy Matt Johnson over on his phone or whatever, like this.

Ferguson then referenced human rights abuses and the lawlessness that might result from zero accountability.

When 4 million people realize how [messed up] you are, you will not be able to stop that tide, he said. And its coming. And its coming for all of you.

None of that sounds like Ferguson making an actual personal threat to Johnson.

In his declaration, Johnson cited two separate instances in which he claimed that Ferguson showed up at his home and his place of business. Ferguson said that Johnson left out the part where there was an entire group of activists present in both cases, and not just Ferguson by himself.

Ferguson was detained by police at the protest in front of Johnsons home but was released without any charges being filed.

Ferguson told the Times that the activists sought Johnson out at his home because speaking to him at Police Commission meetings was no longer effective.

We felt the people on the board were allowed to be complicit in violence, basically to be a rubber-stamping body, Ferguson said. It was time to engage them in other spaces, where the playing field was more even.

Read more at the Los Angeles Times.

Original post:
BLM Protester Hit With Restraining Order by L.A. Police Commission ... - The Root

An allegedly former Black Lives Matter member has claimed in a YouTube video that the group plotted to burn down state capitol in Saint Paul, Minnesota and the governors mansion if the cop accused of shooting a black man hasnt been prosecuted.

Trey Turner, who claims to have joined the movement after the fatal shooting of Jamar Clark last March, accused the group of discussing potential plans of mayhem in a video posted on YouTube on February 27, titled the truth about Black Lives Matter.

He said he became part of the movement because BLM activists insisted they are peaceful and didnt hate whites. Turner said he was part of the 4th Precinct shut down and participated in the protests at Minnesota governor Mark Daytons mansion after Philando Castile was shot by a police officer last July.

According to the Turner, he had a debate with one of the lead organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in St. Paul. He accuses the group of calling him a racist during the debate with BLM leader Brian Allen, saying I was called a racist, and I was called an Uncle Tom because I said that blacks need to address the killing of each other just like they need to address the killings by police.

The former member of Black Lives Matter then claimed he overheard Allen discussing with other people that if the police officer,Jeronimo Yanez, who shot Castile wasnt charged they would burn down the governors mansion.

And there was talk about going beyond that and burning down the mansions that are on Summit Avenue with the governors mansion, he added.

The allegationshave not been corroborated by any other source.

In an almost 20-minute long video, Turneralso accused another organizer, Curtis Avent, of spouting violent plans. He mentioned burning down city hall, he mentioned burning down the capitol building, he mentioned burning down the police station.

The alleged potential targets, according to Turner, were picked out because they represented white privilege.

Turner also added that these things were saidby organizers of the local Black Lives Matter chapter in St. Paul andhe wasnt behind any of the plans. He and the group parted their ways because he allegedly didnt support the idea of white privilege.

Read more here:
Former Black Lives Matter Supporter Claims Group Planned to Burn Down MN State Capitol - Heat Street

Shop 4 Change opened on Feb. 11 as a Black Lives Matter safe space in Winooski, Vt. Here, the coffee is organic and Fair Trade and, judging by the turnout on the grand opening, delicious. But there is more than meets the eye at this sweet spot.

I realized, hearing the stories of many, many Chittenden County residents of color, that there was definitely a need for a place they could come to, and to tell their stories in a more purposeful way, recounts owner Ebony Nyoni to The Burlington Free Press.

The opening of Shop 4 Change is no doubt a step in the right direction for the growing black population in the county.

Speaking in regards to the shop, Assistant Professor of American Studies Jessyka Finley commented, This is necessary and important work. Finley is currently teaching a Black Lives Matter course at the College.w

According to Vermonts recently released 2010 census data, Vermonts population overall grew to 625,741, which is a 2.8 percent growth rate. Non-white Hispanics, Blacks and Vermonters belonging to two or more minority groups each added more than 3,000 people to Vermonts population. Asians added about 2,700. Yet, like other states in the U.S., Vermont is not free from reported incidences of discrimination against African-Americans.

The percentage of black people imprisoned in Vermont is nearly 10 times greater than the percentage of black Vermonters free in the streets. Black Vermonters make up just 1.2 percent of the states general population, but 10.7 percent of its incarcerated population.

In 2015, white nationalist fliers were left outside the homes of two Burlington women. More recently, in September 2016, a Black Lives Matter banner was stolen from a flagpole on the University of Vermont campus.

Consequently, the new Shop 4 Change center on Main Street is here to make the lives of people of color in Vermont more tolerable, Nyoni told The Burlington Free Press.

In 2015, Gov. Peter Shumlin designated Feb. 12 as Black Lives Matter Day. The Vermont chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement is fast on its way to becoming official. Until then, spaces like Shop 4 Change are necessary for building a stronger Vermont community.

Nyoni and the team of volunteers who run the shop are making a difference in a small way. Besides fair-trade coffee, the shop also sells pastries, Black Lives Matter apparel and donated artwork, all of which are for sale.

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Black Lives Matter Safe Space Opens in Winooski - Middlebury Campus (subscription)