The Aftermath - SOLUTIONS IN THE WAKE of the Decision

AN ELITE GROUP OF THINKERS TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS IN THE WAKE OF THE CASE, THE DECISION, THE TRAGEDY OF TRAYVON MARTIN

The Aftermath

Dolor Set Amet

The Conversation

What Next?

This unfortunate event has created a tremendous public outcry. But beyond our crying, screaming and shouting, we need a conversation to move us forward/beyond the pain.

Indeed, America has a serious problem.

Here are some potential solutions

WHY IS THIS PUBLICATION FREE?

How this project came to be...

WHY? My colleagues and I have been doing community service for decades now, including free seminars at public libraries, community centers and many a speaking engagement. We’re all authors of numerous book titles and diverse content, from fiction, to children’s books and non-fiction that addresses the reality of the day.

Why? How? Who?

This ebook is our response to the highly controversial decision behind the tragic killing of young

Trayvon Martin. It

was the group of us giving our time and resources to make this monumental document available to the world. Enjoy. Learn.

HOW? WHO??

We are all writers, but some of us have published our work so many times that another book, essay, or report is no harder than picking up the toothbrush to hit those teeth again. So I pooled together my best friends in and out of

Renee McRae, Andrew Morrison, Omar Tyree, Kamryn Adams & Rall Elder; all strong the publishing arena:

thinkers and movers; advocates for our communities growth and progress, in one way or another. I got them all together on one phone call, I served as the quiet moderator, and then I paid to have our conversation transcribed by C. Renee Chester.

Thats all there was to it. And now that you have the WHY, the HOW and the WHO, I hope you learn from this document and that you share it amongst your friends and colleagues.

Thank you.

Relentless Aaron

This conversation is also available in audio format: Relentless Radio (http://www.spreaker.com/user/relentlessaaron/the_verdict_the_voices_the_aftermath)

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Authors:

Juror: “I think Trayvon got mad and attacked him.”

Omar Tyree

News clip: “Protests against Zimmerman’s acquittal continued, erupting from Los Angeles to Houston overnight.”

Kamryn Adams Renee McRae Andrew Morrison and special guest

Attorney General Eric Holder: “Trayvon’s death last spring caused me to sit down to have a conversation with my own 15 year old son.”

Hilary Clinton: “No mother, no father should ever have to fear for their child walking down a street in the United States of America.”

How do we move forward?

Rall Elder Editor: C. Renee Chester Publisher: East Atlanta Multimedia, Inc. Concept: Relentless Aaron

How do we prevent things like this from happening again?

How do we turn this into a productive conversation?

News clip: “Protestors took to the streets of Los Angeles again on Monday, demonstrating against the acquittal of George Zimmerman by a court in Sanford, Florida. Police stood ready with batons to keep the crowd under control. Several protestors were arrested the night before when they refused to disperse.”

News clip: “A demonstration has turned violent in Los Angeles on

News clip: “This verdict makes it very clear and gives a green

the west coast, where police fired rubber bullets into the crowds.

light to anyone that wants to shoot and kill a youth of color--you

Adversely there on the east coast, New York, several protestors

know what--and you can get off and go on and live your life, and

were arrested as thousands blocked the streets...”

it's ok.”

News clip: “The still anonymous jurors call their experience highly emotional and physically draining. They also distanced themselves from this woman...”

Woman: “I do have a daughter and it's terrifying that I now have to go and have this conversation with her about being profiled and 3

for the world, and give rise to letting go and allowing God. That’s where I was and that's what I wrote, and it was a process that I went through as I was writing it and went back and said I found myself struggling, because by the end of the post I had come to a place of understanding that allowed me to be in this moment now at peace. It doesn't mean we don't do anything, doesn't mean we don't make change or effect change,or even have something to say. It just means we can be at peace and be more effective then if we starting off being in frustration, aggravation, agitation and all of that. keeping her safe, and helping her understand what she has to do to keep herself safe against other people and the police department.”

Omar: Well, I didn't watch any of the case, because I don't watch reality, even dramatic tv at all. I just think it diminishes

News clip: “A mother and father who lost a son. At the end of the

the intelligence of people so much in

day for Sabrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, the parents of Trayvon

America, and people are really addicted

Martin, it is just that simple and just that sad.”

to these shows. And so most of what I know about the case, I read. I read all the

Renee: So being at peace in the eye of

time, and so I was reading all the

the hurricane or the eye of the storm

responses, and I was reading the defense

brings peace to your reality and your

and the prosecution and the reality is,

creation. And being in peace in this

during this entire case I just felt that his law team, that is Trayvon

moment, this moment the eternal now, will

Martin's law team, just seemed weak. They didn't put all the

have more of a positive impact upon the

information together. The witnesses did not seem incredibly

world than any other single thing done on

strong,and then some of the peripheral people didn't seem

this physical plane. For me, I had to be

incredibly strong either. So, when I looked at the case it just

still and become a conduit of love to and

seemed like they were trying to build a case and all that

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Zimmerman’s team had to do was deflect a lot of the information that was given from the African American law team, and I just didn't feel that they were strong enough.

And what it is is a direct reflection on money again.

The Zimmerman team having a more qualified money team that understood

It happens every day, in Detroit, in Philadelphia,in Atlanta, in

exactly what they

Washington DC, in Chicago--all these places where you have a

were dealing with, and then the African American team of

lawyer that's not incredibly qualified who's going to represent an

Trayvon, whether he had white lawyers or not, their team was

African American client up against a white client who has more

more all over the place, wasn't cohesive, and everything I read

money for a more qualified lawyer, they know the laws more, they

was like, “Wow, are they really going to get this guy?”

know where the holes are, and they just annihilate you in court.

This happens every single day.

They had a lot of holes in the case and so I'm not surprised at all.

And we have to remember that OJ Simpson got off. He had an

Kamryn: I feel like, the same way people

excellent law group, and white people lost their minds when that

rallied behind Zimmerman to build his

happened. It's just the American system, and a lot of African

legal fund, that’s something we need to

Americans end up going to jail because their law teams are weak

do. But I also want to see the federal

versus a lot of the white law teams that are much stronger,

government file civil rights charges

typically because of the economics. And so, we’re looking at

against George Zimmerman, because

more than race here, we’re looking at the disparity of economics,

that is a different burden of proof. I feel

and the disparity of professionalism in the courtroom.

like, just in the OJ trial, it's the same thing, there are other ways to get at this.

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To let it go right now, would not be the best thing--not only for the

Trayvon had-- a whole lot of holes were loose in that thing and it

family, but for the country. And as far as finances, we need to

was too late to make amends. This trial was very quick. Boom,

mobilize ourselves and do something to build up that fund,

boom, bang and it’s over. You didn't have time to do any of that.

because other groups do it all the time.

I have two sons in my household and I try to teach them how to be confident and intellectual attributes and confidence and progressive attributes--and it just seems that African American men are a lot more confident at negative attributes, but when it becomes positive attributes they become passive, they become docile. But they will pull their pants down and walk around like they're the hardest dudes on the planet. In fact, I saw a movie yesterday, Grown Ups, and Adam Sandler has all the young guys in there and they playing old guys. The black character, Chris I’m ANGRY! And I don’t CARE why he hit Zimmerman! JUSTUS!!!

Rock, has a teenage son,and the teenage son is with a white guy, that’s Sandler’s son, and they went to a party in which they were

Omar: You know, the young

drinking. And the

girl that Trayvon called up on the phone, they ripped her to

black son came up

pieces--there was no way--you would have to spend time with

with the idea --

her to prepare her for that type of trial, and the magnitude, and

w e ’ re n o t g o n n a

the attitude she would have to have on that type of trial,

drink,we’re gonna

particularly when you have a jury that's mostly affluent white

pour out the drinks

people. They're gonna rip you to pieces. So, you're basically

and act like we’re

going to have to prepare your jury, and we’ve seen this on movies

drunk. So they had

countlessly where the people who have capital will prepare

this whole thing of

everything. They will

acting drunk and

make sure nobody walks out there and

throws any surprises in the courtroom. And so the team that 6

see, but these kids go to school and do that every day. It's ridiculous. And then they have to defend against it when they get into a situation like Trayvon was in.

Kamryn: Well my philosophy on almost everything that happens in this country is that it is a black and white issue. When we talk about racism, we’re acting over-the-top even though they didn't drink the beer, and

really talking about

later on in the same film the black guy had a driver’s license, One

blacks and whites. Just

of those driver -- things, and the college students saw him in the

like when we talk about

car and he had to act like he was hard and drunk again and the

immigration, we’re

guy that was his driving teacher said, “you're drunk and driving a

talking about Mexicans.

car? I'm going to subtract five points.”

We’re not talking about

It’s supposed to be comedy, but that's what black kids are doing all the time, acting like they're hard and then being penalized for it, knowing good and well they're not hard. And then they get in some kind of trouble and their parents are sitting in there trying to explain, “My son is a good student, my son is this, my son is that...”

Yeah but your son is showing in every attempt that he can that

Europeans coming here. So yeah, it does become a black and white issue, because a lot of what Omar just said. Though Trayvon is walking, he's a young black male,and that conjures up a lot of emotion in people as it did Zimmerman.

he's harder than the hardest guy and he's gonna do tattoos and he's gonna smoke... And this is the stuff that parents may not 7

I have two sons and three younger brothers and on occasion they may decide to wear a hoodie, or they want to look a certain way.

And to Omar’s point, culturally we do rock this kind of hard lifestyle. But I will say this with regard to that, is there’s a portion of that that is our flavor. Not the going out and getting into trouble, but the look. I know my kids, private school educated, suburban boys who throw on a jersey and it’s that whole thing that has become a part of what our kids do. So it's twofold in that we’ve kind of failed our kids in doing what Omar just said, which is, “This is who I want you to be. This is cool for you to be this p e r s o n . I t ’s g o o d f o r y o u t o b e t h i s p e r s o n . ” A n d unfortunately,what we know now, it’s also safer for them to be

when I heard the verdict, I kind of understand the disconnect, and

that person. So it always in this country comes down to race

that maybe they didn't see Trayvon as their son. They didn't see

because this is a country built upon a racial divide. People say is

Trayvon as a teenager. They didn't see Trayvon as just a human

there going to be a post racial America, well no, because there

being that was minding his own business.

wasn't a pre-racial America. From the beginning of this country, it’s always been about race, and not just race, but about those of African descent and those of European descent; black people and white people. That's the heated debate.

Renee: We’re all products of the society, and we’re products of what we’ve been programmed to be, by well-meaning or not wellmeaning people in our lives, whether they be parents or teachers, or whether it’s the media--the movies, filmmakers, whatever. We

Woman: I just look at people as people. And I thought for sure

are molded by that. Unfortunately we have not been taught how

that the jury looked at Trayvon as an average teenager; that was

to find out who we are, which is one of the reasons why I'm in the

minding his own business, that wasn't committing any crime; that

schools every day working with children on youth development,

was coming home from the store and was feet away from where

whether it be leadership skills, peer pressure, but most

he was actually going. I just believed that they realized that, but

importantly self-esteem.

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Additionally I work with their parents who are oftentimes

younger than my two daughters, and my daughters don't even have kids yet. I’m working with the parents, doing workshops like fulfill your destiny, and getting them to begin to understand how they can live the life that they want to. But, I find that even with the teachers, we are a people who have not figured out how to look inside and recognize who we are, what we want, and then dedicate ourselves to a direction that makes sense and put us in alignment with the finding that we have to align our lives with the finding of who it is that we are at our core. If we could become more self-aware, more self-understanding and grow, then we

The kids are the same way. It’s not just the boys. We’re talking

would be an example, we would be a demonstration, we could

about boys because this is Trayvon Martin, but I am in the

effect change without having to argue a point and go back and

schools every day and it is the girls even more so; if you're really

forth because everybody’s trying to prove a point and everybody

talking about violence and who’s putting up a front and you're

needs to be right.

talking about cruel behavior towards each other based on the fact that you don't know who you are. I mean, here we are with the fake nails, the fake hair, the fake eyes, the fake eyelashes, and we are trying to be--we are trying to prove a point even at these young ages--I mean we’ve got third graders coming in with extensions and weaves in their hair. They do not know their own beauty or their own self-worth and no one is teaching it to them.

The teachers can't, and the mothers and fathers are not; and maybe for their own reasons or not.

This is not necessarily--I mean we’re talking about Omar and Kamryn and you’re talking about kids in private schools and all that--But for the majority of students that I run into every day 9

whether I'm in Richmond, VA or Baltimore, MD, or Brooklyn, I am

And this is all that it’s about. It is about putting people in a

finding that these kids are in segregated schools and they live

position to where they would act on energy; in this case negative

across the street from the school in the projects, and all the other

energy, which would allow the system to lock them up. Therefore

kids go to charter schools or private schools.

the beast feeds itself. They’re building jail cells based on third

Rall Elder: The bigger picture here is the fact that George Zimmerman with the murder of Trayvon Martin, and Trayvon Martin with his actions

grade reading scores and aptitude tests. And the children who don't pass the aptitude tests, they start building jail cells based on the amount of children who don't pass a third grade aptitude test. This is just another example of the beast, creating a situation

leading up to his murder, is not the bigger picture. The bigger picture is that George and Trayvon set into motion the ability for the beast to feed itself. What I mean is, the biggest business in the world is crime. The second biggest business in the world is the enforcement of law and the punishment of crime. So once George Zimmerman killed Trayvon it set the beast up to feed itself. What I mean is that it’s obvious that the prosecution designed its case so that it would lose. And it’s obvious that George Zimmerman could afford the best

where it can feed off of the people. I guarantee you that in the

attorneys. But the beast--what they're really doing is--they want

next week, more people in Florida will be locked up for racial

us as a people to be angry. It’s a hot summer and they want us as

hostility than they have been in the last six months. Peace and

a people to be angry. They want to fuel the fire of racism so that

blessings Omar, Relentless and Kamryn. Thank you for allowing

they can lock more people up, so that the beast can feed itself.

me to speak,

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Omar: That was beautiful. Brother you wear suits and ties as a business person, right?

Rall: Brother, no I don't wear suits and ties. I'm out here dealing with the youth every day. I'm a motivational speaker. I have a program called, Who’s Responsible, that deals with brothers out on the street making responsible choices. I come from nothing. I grew up in the projects around dope fiends, pimps, prostitutes, drug dealers, murderers and killers. I don't wear a suit and tie every day.

Omar: But you don't wear any suits? You wear regular casual

we had in Philadelphia twenty years ago, now the guys want the

clothes?

braids. One person said, “Well that's an African situation.”

Rall: I do have suits that I wear to funerals, but I wear casual

Yeah, but at the same time, all of that now is leading itself toward

clothes. I'm just a regular dude.

a culture where you're just magnifying the separation and

Omar: One of the things that I wanted to say is that we seem to

What’s wrong with a haircut? What’s wrong with no tattoos? So

have a rejection of forward progress or the correction of certain

we’re putting ourselves in situations where now we have to

negative attitudes that we display. I've never been into the whole

defend ourselves even more so when we know we’re already

tattoo thing, but it seems as if we’re attracted to things that are

under the light in a negative way. So it’s just a hard battle.

going to sink us further into the stereotypical reign. The whole pants hanging down thing--when I came up we wore snakeskin belts and name belts. We were proud to have belts on. And so it just seems that the kids in this era are putting themselves in the arena where they strengthen the stereotypes. It’s like “Wow, you already know we’re being looked at a certain way, and even the hairstyles, where instead of having the regular tapered haircuts

rejection of the whole progressive look. What’s wrong with a suit?

Rall: It goes back to the late to mid 80’s. We were involved with rap music back in the mid 80's and you had KRS1 and he came up with the term “edu-cain.” You had Public Enemy and people who were doing positive things in music,and the powers that be realized that positive entertainment was educating undereducated people. So they decided to use rap music in particular to create a 11

mindset in individuals and therefore the influx of Gangsta Rap.

economists in Florida, I looked at studies from 2000 to 2010 that

And they began to train or teach children how to become the

all white juries convict black defendants sixteen percent more

image that they wanted them to portray. And once they got us to

often than white defendants. And if there’s just one African

accept that title, once they got us to portray that image,then it

American on that jury it’s about equal then.

made it easy for them to do what they're doing to us now because our youth have accepted that.

Andrew: Hello everyone. I want to commend you, Relentless for creating

I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s and like you, I grew up when it was

this space, a space for grace, a space

alright to wear Swedish knits and Alpaca sweaters and have a

for people to kind of come together

tight haircut and look decent and dress well. We were educated

and support each other and develop

by men and women of our own culture, who raised us to be men

an action plan. Congrats to the great

and women. But our children,unfortunately, have been educated

work you're doing. First of all I would

by the media, by rap music, by TV, radio and magazines. I have a

like to honor everyone’s emotions.

friend of mine, he reads Seventeen magazine, and his wife said,

Whatever emotion you're feeling right

“Why do you read Seventeen Magazine?” And he said, “Because

now is the right emotion. Let’s make

my daughter reads it. And it’s somebody in there is telling my

sure no one denies that from you.

daughter that you can still give a man head and be a virgin, so I want to be able to combat that.”

This is extremely painful for me. I grew up in the 70’s. I grew up in Brooklyn. I grew in the projects, single parent, growing up in a

You understand? So our children have so much access to so

pullout bed in the living room, so I know pain and I know violence.

much misinformation that’s educating them in a manner that

Especially violence at the hands of the police, and I know what

would lead them to self-destruction.

young black men go through, especially on a daily basis. I've almost been shot several times by cops, minding my own business. So this trauma has a lasting impact on you and I want

News Report: He said that when the jury was selected he felt

to create a healing space for any other brothers who--you may be

that the trial was over then because of the make up of the jury. No

in your 30's, 40’s, you’re looking fine, doing well, but something

African Americans on the jury--there have been studies by

happened to you as a teenager that you still haven't discussed.

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You are almost a Trayvon Martin from 10-20 years ago and even

into the Constitution. So I don't know why people are surprised.

though you're grown man right now there's a pain that hasn't

The first law of motion says that a body in motion stays in motion.

been properly healed. So your response to this is actually based

A body at rest, stays at rest. So something was put in motion in

upon your earlier conditionings.

the framing of the Constitution of this country that has put us in this position. What's put in motion is you were declared to be 3/5ths. So everything that's occurring right now is based upon what's put in motion some 200 odd years ago. So, we need to begin to correct that, but here's the key thing is to honor our emotions--anger, betrayal, whatever those emotions are, honor http://www.spreaker.com/user/ relentlessaaron/

them, but now wrap them with love. Wrap them with love and begin to take action on a daily basis.

the_verdict_the_voices_the_after math

I tell people that the child is a parent of the adult. Your childhood gives rise to the person you are today. So everyone is responding in their own way. Based upon my pain, my way to respond is actually to double up on my efforts. So I'm already on the field,just like many brothers and sisters on this call right now. We need to begin to do is to listen carefully to the very powerful German concept of Xykis. Xykis is the spirit of the ages. Brother Trayvon to me is a warrior, and he's a soldier who died on the

I’d like to challenge everybody to take action based upon what you're called to do. This verdict should be a divine reminder of your calling. Everyone on this call right now, I know for a fact you have a divine anointment, you have a divine calling, and your job is to remember the calling, not to figure it out. And so allow this tragedy to become a reminder to you--search in your heart. Take this moment, rededicate your life. I can't go online, can't wake up in the morning without looking at a picture of Trayvon. That causes me to redouble my efforts.

battlefield. So it's our job to pick up his armor; our job to pick up

So now let's go on a practical level. This is real talk. I don’t know

his flag and advance the position. As Relentless mentioned, I go

who’s listening to this program or who will listen to the program in

past the pain. I go now to the promise. And the promise is to fulfill

the future, but let me tell you how I’m serving--and also being

our divine commitment to become the men and women we are

able to take care of your family. You can help our youth and also

designed to be. So what we’re experiencing right now was put

put some money in your pocket. We have this false dichotomy 13

around capitalism--No, Andrew, you're trying to make money off

everybody on this call,you have to have a high school program. If

our suffering. Stop it. other people are coming in creating charter

you're not involved in a high school on some level, then get off

schools doing extremely well but understanding the system. I

the call--then your job is a job of a distractor because you're not

want to honor the brother for that insightful commentary.

really solving a problem. We’re talking about what we need to do, but everybody on this call needs to be involved in an inner-city high school and here's how you going to do it. You’re going to do it by focusing on your calling, focusing on your gift. McDonald's may say supersize your meal, I'm going to say high school size your gift. Whatever you’ve been doing for at least three years, I guarantee you that speaks to an expertise and there's a local high school that wants your expertise. Don't say that there's no money. There is so much money available for you to go into a high school and be able to share your gifts and talents with others.

So here is what I'm prepared to do--anybody who's serious about going into high schools--Relentless I've been admiring you from a

But let me tell you the flip side of of what's happening, and I

will open a debate for this, but let me tell you what I'm seeing.

There's going to be a backlash, and this backlash is going to create an opportunity for more funding. Look for the opportunity for more service. Look for the opportunity for us to do what we were sent to do. I'm right now working on after school programs, in school programs,Native American communities--and I’m saying to everybody on the call, as I told Relentless earlier when I put something out in the universe I'm not just saying it, I’m doing it and saying let’s see who jumps on board. I’m saying to

distance, admiring Brother Omar as well--I'm saying to everybody right now on the call, what we need to do is to help our young people tell their story. Relentless, one of his key elements of healing--Relentless can tell his story because he was able to tell his story. The challenge I would like to throw down right now is that every single inner-city high school needs to have a program for high school program to help our children self-publish their story. It helps them to process their pain. They're going through stresses right now that we could never have even imagined some 20 years ago. And if we don't help them deal with it they’ll 14

become the dysfunctional adults tomorrow. So I'm on the battlefield. I'm working, and who wants to sign up with me?

T h a t ' s t h e m a i n c h a l l e n g e . Yo u c a n v i s i t m e o n www.smallbusinesscamp.com I'm saying to everyone, take your emotions and let’s wrap them with love. Let's begin to go to work. This is a call for work more so than anything else.

Renee: Absolutely. I totally agree with Andrew. I would even say that I find that kids in the lower grades as well need just as much of the information that he's proposing that we go out and disseminate because it's unbelievable what our kids are going through. I do publish books for the children, because you know I am a poet at heart,that is my first and foremost vocation. So

The same thing with the little boy in Richmond, he’s a class clown, and everyone knows he's a class clown, and he wrote a poem--when I give them a topic like--Sometimes I Wonder-- He’s writing,

when I'm in the schools I'm working with them on doing self-

“Sometimes I wonder if I’ll achieve my dreams. Sometimes I

discovery, self-understanding, self-esteem and all of that through

wonder life’s not what it seems --”

poetry. They are writing their stories. They cannot learn until they let go of the burdens that they're carrying. They cannot focus.

And the kids are like “Oh my God, this is the first time he’s ever

These kids write their stories-- I've had girls writing stories about

been serious. He’s never been serious, Miss Renee.”

their mothers’ boyfriends sexually molesting them,and how they told the mother and the mother said “oh hell,” and then the guy

The next poem he writes is, “You Think You Know Me.”

went to jail, and this, that, and the other, and the whole thing

“You think you know John, but you don’t--” and he goes on and

rhymes. And it's a story no one knew. The teachers didn’t know,

tells the whole story, he had a brother and how they did

the principal didn't know, and this is a school where this kid has

everything together and then one day two shots from a man

been in the school for six years already, and everyone knows the

named Hay took his brother away and John made everything a

mother, the father, etc.

game to mask and hide his pain. And the story came out, 15

teacher’s mouths dropped open, that had meetings in the

here.” And I said, “No, she may not be here at the end of the year.

morning about getting this kid counseling now because this

You do know her mother died.” And she said, “What? I didn't

apparently happened before he came into the school three years

know that.” And I said, “Yeah, she's living with her aunt. And her

ago, and he’s been in the school three years and they didn't know

aunt’s moving and wants her to go stay with her cousin who’s

that this was his story. They just figured he was the class clown.

across town and she won’t be in this school anymore.”

Now, how come I found this out in one day and this teacher has had her since September, and here I am in there in December and you don't know this. It's amazing what's going on in school systems, and we need to help our children at every grade level wherever you can fit in, get in.

Andrew: Amen Renee, and let's make it happen. All of us are doing great work that needs to be broadcast, all around the world. I’m committed. Let’s talk about how we can take the work that you’ve been doing in schools already and let’s begin to start publishing. Let’s begin to start telling our story. Whether it’s middle school, high school or elementary school, telling their story because that’s the way to discovering your own authentic voice.

So our kids are carrying stories--I’ve had kids come into the

Kamryn: I think it's interesting that we're talking about our story,

classroom and someone was murdered in their home the night

and our kids are writing their story. And we're talking about the

before. And the parents say, “You go to school,” like they have

story being written and what we're going to say to our children

enough to deal with at home and then to have this kid in the

because in my opinion, the truth is, the reason why we as a

house too. So they send the kids to school. What is the kid going

community in black America are in such disarray is because

to do in the school, in the classroom, when someone just died in

someone stole our story. We’re writing stories about hip-hop and

their home the night before. One teacher said, “She’s going to be

athletes and the things that are happening in our lives, but that's 16

not really who we are as a people. It’s who we are now. And

will publish an e-magazine that can actually be physical if it works

unlike any other group who has gotten on a boat and come to

out, if we pull in a sponsor,and sponsorship is a very big

America, they know their story. The Jews survived the Holocaust

possibility between the six of us. I think all of us can create action

because they know their story. They know who they were before,

by basically submitting--it doesn’t have to be long, it can be

they can go back to that afterwards of survival. We don't know

short-- I don't know if you all have been seeing the newsletter

our story. Our story was stolen from us, so we continue to write

that I've been publishing lately called Relentless Daily, but I will

our story. and that’s where we fail our children. In raising my sons,

publish another free publication that we can put out there in the

I tell them who they are. Not because they're black, not because

sphere-- I think that with the six of us sharing the same periodical

they're American, not because they’re Christian, but because you

on a periodic basis I think we can effect change.

belong to me. And because you belong to me, this is how you’ll dress, this is how you’ll behave, this is what you do.

So I commend it that you’re getting children to write their story because we’re still writing our story. Our story was stolen from us.

People say, “Why are black people so mad?” Because they stole our story.

Andrew: Sign me up.

Relentless: Some of you already have written short summaries or essays or things-- We rant online all the time, but we’re not publishing that in any joint effort. So, I’m at least committing to putting my time in, and putting together a cohesive project that

Relentless: I’ll tell you what I’ll commit

Kamryn: Absolutely. I’m in.

R.I.P. Trayvon.

to

cinch. If all of us,

Omar: I wrote a book out called Twelve Brown Boys back in 2008

and all of us are way--If all of us submit an article at least quarterly I

people can share and learn from and grow from and we can raise awareness together.

because this is a

teachers in some

can be consistent, appealing to the eye, and something that

and published that because so many brown boys did not look at May we realize truth and responsibility in your passing

themselves as a part of literature. They end up being teenagers who are not a part literature, and they end up being grown adults who are not a part of literature. And everything that’s literary they’re buying for their girlfriends and moms and aunts, and 17

they’re not part of it at all. So, I put that book out, but at the same

to think, because a lot of times we like to say, “Ok, that’s over--”

time, we have to get these individuals to accept who they are and

Until it happens again.

participate with who they are, because I couldn't sell that book, and we had 10,000 copies. Now I can sell 300,000 copies of books to women, but when you start talking about selling stories to men all of a sudden, “I can't read it, put it on video or movie or tape--”

Kamryn: I’m in. It’s simply that. Thank you for doing this. It was definitely needed. We are just beginning and I think the conversation went the right way. We talk about what’s happening right now with Trayvon, and then we need to handle that, but we also need to handle how we move forward in this country where

So, again, we

there’s not going to be a post-racial America, so what are we

have to get our

going to do about it?

children to stop rejecting who they

are

intellectually and start accepting who we are so we

Andrew: I would like to simply close out with a reminder to everyone, a reminder I received when I went scuba diving.

Anytime I do something that to me is life-threatening, I listen closely to what the instructor says to me. The guy said, “Whatever happens when you go down there in the water, you may find something that terrifies you, you may become afraid.

can get away from a whole lot is negative trappings that are being

Just remember to breathe.”

trained upon the youth over and over again.

So as we move from this space of activism we’re going to get a

Renee: I have a TV show that I’ve been working with for some time called Fade to Black and what I decided this morning is that I'm going to start going out and just interviewing people--people that are getting out of church people, people that are hanging out on the corner, people that are on their way to work or school or whatever. Just do a documentary and put it on Fade to Black

challenge. The enemy is going to show up and try to tell you why you can't publish this book, why you can't keep going forward, why you can't go into the school systems, and we simply need to remember to breathe. As we begin to breathe, we begin to connect with our higher self and best we can be and that will enable us to push forward.

every week. And this can be a constant reminder and get people 18

Relentless: I’ll end o by saying you guys have completed our first publication. I thank you all, Kamyrn, Renee, Andrew, Omar Tyree and Rall Elder. I appreciate you sharing this time with us.

Author, Publisher & Film Maker, Relentless Aaron is

the

author of dozens of novels, an archive of eBooks, eZines &

www.relentlessaaron.net

Newsletters, as well as the producer behind hundreds of video productions, TV Shows & Documentaries. The CEO of East Atlanta Multimedia, Inc., Relentless produces a monthly comedy & music show; a community fundraiser and awareness-raising campaign for local charitable initiatives, all taking place at Starbucks in Conyers, Georgia Kamryn Adams - http://mcmonologues.blogspot.com/ Andrew Morrison - www.smallbusinesscamp.com Omar Tyree - http://www.omartyree.com/ Renee McRae - http://www.reneemcrae.com/ Rall Elder - https://www.facebook.com/rall.eldersr?fref=ts

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