As our nation’s civil uprising unfolds daily, a variety of opinions are aired that either brings us closer together or moves us farther apart as a community. At this moment, people are angry, scared and frustrated. The spotlight is on leadership locally and nationally as the fabric of our democracy unwinds.
Our local history starts with the indigenous life of the Chumash people. It’s clear that they were the first to suffer a knee to the neck at the hands of the Spanish conquest. This is not to blur or dilute the murder of George Floyd but rather to demonstrate the legacy of colonialism today. It is a meaningful link toward understanding the issue of police violence, which illuminates the continuum of racial barbaric practices against people of color.
The understanding could start with Black and Brown Solidarity by professor John Marquez of Northwestern University. He uses the Deep South as a backdrop for detailing police brutality against African Americans and Mexican Americans. He gives us the historical and political context for understanding how black and brown people have a shared experience protesting against police violence and the abuse of power by law enforcement.