Pastor Jerry Streets asked the congregation of Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church to stand if they feel more vulnerable in the wake of George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the killing of Trayvon Martin. About half of the people in the crowded room rose to their feet. Then they started discussing what to do about it.
The discussion was part of a forum convened Monday evening to talk about the outcome of the Zimmerman trial in Florida. Hundreds showed up for the forum; it was clear that many in the African-American community feel a need to process and talk about the significance of the event.
On July 13, Zimmerman was found not guilty of shooting and killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin after spotting the teenager walking through his gated community. Zimmerman and Trayvon had a violent confrontation that ended in Trayvon’s death. Trayvon was unarmed, carrying only a bag of Skittles and a fruit drink that he’d just purchased. Zimmerman convinced a jury he had acted in self-defense.
The Zimmerman verdict prompted nationwide soul-searching about the state of race relations across the United States, including in New Haven.
Stacy Davis Photo
Sgt. Ted Brown, Onya Harris, Asst. Chief Thaddeus Reddish and Pastor Keith King.
Monday’s event featured a panel of speakers that included a federal prosecutor, a current and a former cop, and a social worker. Among the responses to the verdict that they proposed: Vote, get fathers involved with their kids, increase racial diversity in law enforcement, and help depressed young black men.
Panelist Keith King, a federal prosecutor in the Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office and the pastor of Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church, said it’s important to increase the diversity of law enforcement professionals at every level, whether they are prosecuting attorneys or police officers.
King also urged people to participate in their local and national elections. “We have to get out and vote.”
King, who said he rarely sees “daddy in the courtroom” during trials also said it is important to reconnect to traditional family values.
Panelist Onya Harris, a licensed clinical social worker, said many young African-American males suffer from depression, which is not treated properly and manifests itself as aggression. “We have to wipe the face of despair off of them.”
Harris suggested establishing coalitions between churches and local youth organizations, such as Youth Rights Media or Solar Youth, that build young men’s self-esteem and skills.
Ted Brown, a retired West Haven police police sergeant, offered to collaborate with Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church to start a program for young men to teach them how to interact with police officers.
Thaddeus Reddish, the assistant police chief of the New Haven police department, said people like George Zimmerman aren’t the biggest threat to black males.
“It’s not George Zimmerman that’s killing our black males. It’s black males killing males,” Reddish said. “This is our problem.”
Audience member Athena Wagner (pictured), of Waterbury, asked why it took a national case to cause people to take care of their own community. “This is happening every day in our face. I’m angry,” she said. “I would love to see this kind of fight for the schools.”
Brown offered an analysis of the Zimmerman verdict that turned the case on its head.
“When you look at this trial, who was being tried?” he asked.
“Trayvon,” the crowd responded.
“And he was found guilty,” Brown added.