Life After the Impact

10/07/2025

09/07/2025

07/07/2025

🗣️ In Baltimore —

For over 160 years, the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) wasn’t even under city control.
It was a state-run agency, created in 1860 — meaning our local government couldn’t make policy decisions, even though we live here, pay for it, and are directly impacted.

In 2022, it was voted to take back control through SB 786.
But here’s what most people still don’t realize:

🧾 The City Charter still protects the Police Commissioner from Council oversight.
So even with “local control,” the Council still can’t:

* Set use-of-force policies
* Regulate surveillance tools
* Enforce transparency or accountability rules

That matters right now because…

🔍 Governor Moore just reopened over 40 in-custody death cases — including Tyrone West and Freddie Gray.

Why? Because they were *wrongly classified* — and likely mishandled.
This is a major step toward justice, but it’s also a reminder:

📌 If we don’t fix the City Charter, Baltimore leaders still **can’t prevent future tragedies** from happening.
They still can’t create or enforce the kinds of reforms we need to keep our communities safe — until that old clause in the Charter is removed.

🔧 So what needs to happen next?

We need a Charter Amendment to:
✅ Remove outdated barriers to oversight
✅ Let our elected officials actually set police policy
✅ Make BPD accountable to the people it serves

📢 The state is trying to fix what’s broken — but local reform is still blocked.
Baltimore can’t move forward until we finish the job.

07/07/2025

🗳️ 2026: Why Public Safety & Accountability Matter More Than Ever

This **November 3, 2026**, voters nationwide will elect all **435 House members** and **35 U.S. Senators** — including special elections in Florida and Ohio. These races will decide who shapes the future of policing, justice, and public safety in our communities.

---

# # ⚠️ The Mess We’re In — And Why It Affects Us All

Promises of police reform are falling apart across the country. From Congress to local governments, here’s what’s really happening:

# # # National Failures:

* Congress blocked meaningful police reform bills.
* DOJ consent decrees rolled back in Louisville & Minneapolis.
* D.C.’s civilian police oversight board was overturned.
* Over \$1 billion withheld from D.C.’s budget—hurting schools, fire departments, and local police.
* Billions continue flowing to law enforcement with no national accountability standards.

# # # Southern States:

* **Louisiana:** Ronald Greene was beaten and dragged by police — video withheld for 2+ years.
* **Tennessee:** Jaylin McKenzie’s police shooting footage was heavily redacted and changed without family consent.

# # # Midwest:

* **Illinois:** Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times while walking away — video withheld for over a year.
* **Minnesota:** Despite George Floyd’s murder, police union contracts remain mostly unchanged; reforms stalled.

# # # California:

* Laws limit qualified immunity, but police violence and delayed footage releases continue.

# # # Virginia & Maryland:

* **Virginia:** Timothy Johnson shot while unarmed; no charges. Xzavier Hill killed during traffic stop; delayed footage.
* **Maryland:** Despite repealing the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, many counties lack oversight and transparency.

---

# # # 🕯️ A Pattern of Hidden Truths & Denied Justice

Families of people killed or harmed by police still fight to get answers:

* Laquan McDonald (Chicago, IL)
* Timothy Johnson (Fairfax, VA)
* Xzavier Hill (Goochland, VA)
* Jamaal Byrd (Washington, D.C.)
* Ronald Greene (Louisiana)
* Elijah McClain (Aurora, CO)
* Andrew Brown Jr. (North Carolina)
* Daniel Prude (Rochester, NY)
* Jaylin McKenzie (Memphis, TN)
* Donnell Rochester (Prince George’s County, MD)

# # 🏛️ Who’s Running for Senate in 2026?

* Democrats like John Hickenlooper (CO), Ed Markey (MA), Cory Booker (NJ), Mark Warner (VA)
* Republicans like Tommy Tuberville (AL), Tom Cotton (AR), Susan Collins (ME), Lindsey Graham (SC)
* Open seats in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Kentucky, North Carolina
* Special elections in Florida and Ohio

[See the full list here](https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections,_2026)

# # 🔥 Where Do They Stand on Qualified Immunity?

Some Senators, including Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, fight to end qualified immunity. Others, like Jim Banks (IN), oppose reform efforts.

If you want real accountability, **ask your candidates directly** where they stand.

# # 💡 Why Your Vote Matters

* Congress controls police funding and reforms that impact your community.
* Just 7,000 more voters in the last election could’ve prevented cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.
* These races are close — your vote has power.

---

# # 🗣️ What You Can Do

1. Find out who’s running in your state.
2. Ask candidates about police reform and accountability.
3. Share this post and start conversations.
4. Vote in primaries and the general election.
5. Stay informed and involved — this is your democracy.

---

> Knowledge is power. Power is freedom.
Absolutely! Here’s a Facebook-friendly version of the full post—clear, engaging, and designed for easy reading and sharing on FB:

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# 🗳️ Midterms 2026: Why Public Safety & Accountability Matter More Than Ever

This **November 3, 2026**, voters nationwide will elect all **435 House members** and **35 U.S. Senators** — including special elections in Florida and Ohio. These races will decide who shapes the future of policing, justice, and public safety in our communities.

---

# # ⚠️ The Mess We’re In — And Why It Affects Us All

Promises of police reform are falling apart across the country. From Congress to local governments, here’s what’s really happening:

# # # National Failures:

* Congress blocked meaningful police reform bills.
* DOJ consent decrees rolled back in Louisville & Minneapolis.
* D.C.’s civilian police oversight board was overturned.
* Over \$1 billion withheld from D.C.’s budget—hurting schools, fire departments, and local police.
* Billions continue flowing to law enforcement with no national accountability standards.

Southern States:

* **Louisiana:** Ronald Greene was beaten and dragged by police — video withheld for 2+ years.
* **Tennessee:** Jaylin McKenzie’s police shooting footage was heavily redacted and changed without family consent.

Midwest:

* **Illinois:** Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times while walking away — video withheld for over a year.
* **Minnesota:** Despite George Floyd’s murder, police union contracts remain mostly unchanged; reforms stalled.

California:

* Laws limit qualified immunity, but police violence and delayed footage releases continue.

Virginia & Maryland:

* **Virginia:** Timothy Johnson shot while unarmed; no charges. Xzavier Hill killed during traffic stop; delayed footage.
* **Maryland:** Despite repealing the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, many counties lack oversight and transparency.

🕯️ A Pattern of Hidden Truths & Denied Justice

Families of people killed or harmed by police still fight to get answers: (short list)

* Laquan McDonald (Chicago, IL)
* Timothy Johnson (Fairfax, VA)
* Xzavier Hill (Goochland, VA)
* Jamaal Byrd (Washington, D.C.)
* Ronald Greene (Louisiana)
* Elijah McClain (Aurora, CO)
* Andrew Brown Jr. (North Carolina)
* Daniel Prude (Rochester, NY)
* Jaylin McKenzie (Memphis, TN)
* Donnell Rochester (Prince George’s County, MD)

🏛️ Who’s Running for Senate in 2026?

* Democrats like John Hickenlooper (CO), Ed Markey (MA), Cory Booker (NJ), Mark Warner (VA)
* Republicans like Tommy Tuberville (AL), Tom Cotton (AR), Susan Collins (ME), Lindsey Graham (SC)
* Open seats in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Kentucky, North Carolina
* Special elections in Florida and Ohio

[See the full list here](https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections,_2026)

🔥 Where Do They Stand on Qualified Immunity?

Some Senators, including Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, fight to end qualified immunity. Others, like Jim Banks (IN), oppose reform efforts.

If you want real accountability, ask your candidates directly where they stand.

💡 Why Your Vote Matters

* Congress controls police funding and reforms that impact your community.
* Just 7,000 more voters in the last election could’ve prevented cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.
*These races are close — your vote has power.

🗣️ What You Can Do

1. Find out who’s running in your state.
2. Ask candidates about police reform and accountability.
3. Share this post and start conversations.
4. Vote in primaries and the general election.
5. Stay informed and involved — this is your democracy.

Knowledge is power. Power is freedom.

Let’s use It

Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics

07/07/2025

🗳️ Elections 2025: Local Votes — National Impact on Justice

Before the 2026 midterms, 2025 brings key elections for sheriffs, prosecutors, judges, city councils, and mayors — officials who shape policing, justice, and transparency in your community.

⚠️ A Pattern of Hidden Truths & Denied Justice

These cases show how often justice is delayed or denied under the cover of “legal process”: (short list)

* **Laquan McDonald** (Chicago, IL) – Shot 16 times while walking away; dashcam video withheld for 13 months.
* **Timothy Johnson** (Fairfax, VA) – Unarmed, shot during foot chase at Tysons Corner Center. Officer Wesley Shifflett was convicted of reckless firearm handling and sentenced to three years, but Governor Youngkin commuted the sentence after just three days.
* **Xzavier Hill** (Goochland, VA) – 18, shot during traffic stop; bodycam footage released too late; no prosecution.
* **Ronald Greene** (LA) – Beaten and dragged by troopers; footage contradicted crash claim; withheld for over 2 years.
* **Elijah McClain** (Aurora, CO) – Choked, injected with ketamine; bodycams “fell off” but audio captured his pleas.
* **Andrew Brown Jr.** (NC) – Shot in the head while driving away; only 20 seconds of footage publicly released.
* **Daniel Prude** (Rochester, NY) – Suffocated with a spit hood; footage delayed for months.
* **Jaylin McKenzie** (Memphis, TN) – Initial footage heavily redacted and later altered without family consent.
* **Donnell Rochester** (Baltimore, MD) – 18, shot while driving during police warrant attempt; MD AG suggested charges, but Baltimore prosecutors declined.
* **Jamaal Byrd** (Washington, DC) – Died in D.C. jail hours after being arrested for minor offense; death ruled overdose, raising serious concerns about jail conditions.

🏛️ Who’s Up for Election in 2025?

These racial justice, oversight, and public safety issues are decided by local officials — who are on the ballot now:

* **Virginia** – Sheriff, commonwealth's attorney, judges, city councils, boards across all counties and independent cities.

* **Maryland** – Baltimore City Council, Prince George’s County races, and municipal elections statewide.

* **North Carolina** – Mayors, county sheriffs, district attorneys, judges in major metros.

* **Texas** – Municipal elections in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio — including police oversight ballots.

* **California** – City councils, special elections, and police commission seats throughout the state.

* **Ohio** – City councils, prosecutors, school boards, and potential special congressional races.

🧭 Want to Know Who’s Running in YOUR Area?

🔎 Ballotpedia: [Explore 2025 elections by state](https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Election_Analysis_Hub,_2025)
🏠 Vote411.org: [Enter your address to see local races and candidate stances](https://www.vote411.org)
🏛 State & County Boards: Check your local election office for candidate lists, filing deadlines, and sample ballots

🔥 What About Qualified Immunity?

This legal doctrine often blocks justice in police misconduct cases. But local officials make the rules:

* Ask candidates:
“Do you support limiting qualified immunity for police? Will you push for bodycam transparency and civilian oversight?”
* Watch for their platforms on:

* Qualified immunity
* Civilian review boards
* Body camera policies
* Use-of-force limits

✅ What You Can Do Now:

1. **Check voter registration and election dates**
2. **Find local races affecting public safety** using Ballotpedia or Vote411
3. **Engage candidates** with questions about accountability
4. **Share with your friends and community:** Local elections matter!
5. **Vote — early if possible — in local primaries and general elections**

Change begins locally— in city halls, courthouses, and local ballots.
Your vote this year can lay the groundwork for a fairer, safer tomorrow.

🗣️ Make it count. Your community deserves accountability.

\

06/07/2025

If you understand the origins of the K*K Act and its connection to qualified immunity, you can't deny that it directly protects harmful actions within law enforcement. At that point, supporting it suggests you’re condoning a system that allows for bad actors to thrive—meaning, all police in this system are complicit!

03/07/2025

It’s heartbreaking to learn of Monique Wallace passing. Our thoughts are with her loved ones. As a community, we will continue to stand united and say: