Nebraska

Nebraska Public Media News | Speaking of Nebraska: The Black Experience in Nebraska

adminMarch 29, 2024

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♪ >> THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS TO ADDRESS RACIAL INJUSTICE SINCE THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.

HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED BLACK NEBRASKANS?

WE’LL TALK WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.

THAT’S TONIGHT ON SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA.

♪ >>> THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA.

I’M NET NEWS DIRECTOR DENNIS KELLOGG.

WE DEDICATE ALL OF OUR PROGRAM TO THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN NEBRASKA.

FOR MORE ON WHERE BLACKS IN NEBRASKA HAVE BEEN, HERE IS UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN HISTORY PROFESSOR JEANETTE JONES.

>> THE SEGREGATION THAT BLACK PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IS NOT THE SAME AS IT WAS IN YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, THE JIM CROW ERA, ALL THE WAY UP TO THE 60S.

BUT THERE’S STILL OTHER ILLS, RIGHT, THAT, THAT YOU CAN SEE IMPACTING BLACK LIVES, RIGHT.

SO WHETHER IT’S IDEAS ABOUT HOW BLACK PEOPLE SHOULD BEHAVE, AND THEN STEREOTYPES THAT WE STILL SEE IN THE MEDIA, TO YOU KNOW, CONCERNS LIKE POLICE BRUTALITY, POLICE MURDERING OF UNARMED BLACK MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN AND NON-BINARY PEOPLE.

ALSO, THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND THE DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF BLACK MALES BUT ALSO BLACK WOMEN WHO ARE INCARCERATED.

THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS WHO HAVE THAT BUT I’M JUST SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT BLACKS COMPARED TO WHITES.

EVEN WITH THIS PANDEMIC, WE HAVE SEEN THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY PEOPLE OF COLOR, INCLUDING BLACK PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM COVID.

NOT BEING, YOU KNOW, TREATED FOR COVID.

THERE’S NOW DISCUSSIONS IF YOU’VE BEEN WATCHING THE NEWS ABOUT ACCESS TO THE VACCINE AND VACCINATIONS, SO THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT STILL, YOU KNOW, YOU STILL SEE THE MARKERS OF, OF ANTI-BLACKNESS IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS BLACK PEOPLE OURSELVES, WE HAVE BUILT OUR OWN INSTITUTIONS, RIGHT?

OUR CHURCHES, OUR PLACES OF WORSHIP, WE’VE BUILT OUR BUSINESSES, OUR COLLEGES, SORORITIES, FRATERNITIES, ALL KINDS OF GROUPS, CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS, SOCIAL ACTION GROUPS, BOOKS, GROUPS MEANT TO DEAL WITH SPECIFIC ISSUES, ACTIVIST NETWORKS, GRASSROOTS NETWORKS, SO BLACK PEOPLE ARE LIVING THEIR LIVES TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, INSIST ON THEIR HUMANITY AND THEIR FREEDOM.

♪ >> JOINING US NOW ARE KIARA WILLIAMS CREATOR OF CHANGE NOW LNK, A COMMUNITY ACTIVISM GROUP, THOMAS WARREN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF URBAN LEAGUE OF NEBRASKA, AND REVEREND PORTIA CAVITT OF CLAIR MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN OMAHA.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US ON SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> WE JUST HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE STRUGGLES AND CHALLENGES FACING BLACK NEBRASKANS.

WE KNOW THAT BLACKS MAKE UP JUST MORE THAN 5% OF THE POPULATION IN THE STATE AND THAT NUMBER IS GROWING.

IT USED TO BE A LOT LESS.

REVEREND CAVITT, HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN NEBRASKA, THE STRUGGLES AND THE CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW?

>> SINCE I’M NOT FROM NEBRASKA AND HAVE BEEN IN THE STATE FOR NOW 15 YEARS, IT IS VERY CHALLENGING AND DISCOURAGING WHEN I SEE THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BLACKS, ARE SEGREGATED INTO ONE PART OF TOWN, IN THE VARIOUS CITIES OR AREAS.

AND YES, THERE ARE OTHER NATIONALITIES OF COLOR.

AND SO IT CAUSES ME TO WONDER FOR THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EMBRACED PEOPLE THAT ARE INDIGENOUS TO THIS STATE, BUT ALSO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE IN THIS STATE?

>> THOMAS WARREN, I WANT TO ASK YOU KIND OF THE SIMILAR QUESTION.

DESCRIBE THE PROGRESS THAT YOU’VE SEEN IN YOUR LIFETIME AND THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU SEE AHEAD FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

>> SO, DENNIS, I AM NATIVE.

AND SO I’VE SEEN HOW RACE RELATIONS IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, AND PRIMARILY IN THE CITY OF OMAHA HAVE EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS.

OF COURSE, I GO BACK TO THE CIVIL UNREST THAT WE EXPERIENCED IN THE LATE 60S, THAT HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON NORTH OMAHA, WHICH IS PRIMARILY WHERE MOST AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE CITY OF OMAHA RESIDE, AND THE DISINVESTMENT AND THE LACK OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURRED SINCE THAT TIME.

WHAT IS ENCOURAGING, THERE HAS BEEN GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION.

I’’VE BEEN A PART OF AN EFFORT, AFRICAN-AMERICAN EMPOWERMENT NETWORK, WHICH HAS BEEN A MOBILIZATION FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS NOW TO ADDRESS MANY OF THE INEQUITIES THAT EXIST IN THE CITY OF OMAHA, WHETHER IT BE EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, EVEN HEALTH, BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

AND WE HAVE SEEN PROGRESS IN A NUMBER OF THE METRICS, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU COMPARE THE CITY OF OMAHA TO OTHER URBAN COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, WHETHER IT BE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES, EVEN CRIME RATES.

AND SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS VERY COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT THAT WAS DRIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY, IT HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON IMPROVING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE CITY OF OMAHA.

>> KIARA WILLIAMS, YOU REPRESENT A YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN NEBRASKA.

HOW DO YOU CHARACTERIZE THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN OUR STATE RIGHT NOW?

>> YES, SO I WOULD SAY COMING FROM THE YOUNGER PERSPECTIVE, I HAVE A LOT MORE EXPERIENCE KIND OF WITH THINGS IN LIKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

THAT’S WHERE I GOT A LOT OF MY EXPERIENCES FROM, IN REGARDS TO RACIAL TENSIONS AND HOW THINGS WERE, WERE MY EXPERIENCES WITHIN SCHOOL.

THROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, THAT’S WHERE I GOT THE BULK OF THOSE EXPERIENCES.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT HAVING GRASS ROOT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOU’’VE JUST MENTIONED ARE REALLY IMPORTANT IN JUST KIND OF ADVOCATING FOR THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF THE TIMES WE KIND OF FORGET ABOUT THE LITTLE MISCELLANEOUS THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN SCHOOL, WHETHER THAT JUST BE LIKE THE BULLYING OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT’S WHERE MY EXPERIENCE REALLY COMES IN WITH THOSE THINGS.

>> THAT’S GOOD.

LET’S ADDRESS WHAT GOT MANY OF THESE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS STARTED, THAT’’S THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.

HE DIED AT THE HANDS OF MINNEAPOLIS POLICE IN MAY LAST YEAR.

PROTESTS ERUPTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN ADDITION TO THE LIVED EXPERIENCE, THERE IS RESEARCH TO BACK UP THE CLAIMS THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE TREATED DIFFERENTLY.

ACCORDING TO A 2020 STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, APPROXIMATELY 1,000 PEOPLE ARE SHOT TO DEATH BY POLICE OFFICERS EVERY YEAR.

BLACK AMERICANS ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO BE IN THAT 1,000, COMPARED TO THE PERCENTAGE THEY MAKE UP OF THE U.S. POPULATION.

THOMAS, YOU SERVED IN THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR NEARLY THREE DECADES AND AS POLICE CHIEF FROM 2004 TO 2008.

TALK ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN OMAHA BETWEEN POLICE AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY DURING THE TIME THAT YOU SERVED ON THE FORCE.

>> WELL, AGAIN, BEING NATIVE, I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY OF RACE RELATIONS IN THE CITY OF OMAHA, PARTICULARLY POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS.

AND AS IT EVOLVED, I STARTED WITH THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 1983.

IT WAS RATHER TENSE, NOT ONLY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE, BUT EVEN INTERNALLY WITHIN THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT, RACE RELATIONS WERE STRAINED.

WE DEALT WITH A NUMBER OF ““ISMS”” IF YOU WILL, FROM RACISM TO SEXISM TO NEPOTISM TO CRONYISM, FOR THAT MATTER.

BUT ALSO CAME ALONG DURING THE TIMEFRAME WHERE AS A RESULT OF LITIGATION, FEDERAL CONSENT DECREES, HIRING WAS MANDATED, AND OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAME MUCH MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVED BASED ON RACE, GENDER, AND ETHNICITY.

AND SO, DURING MY TIME FRAME, MY TENURE AT THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT, 24 YEARS, WE’’D SEEN AN INCREASE IN NUMBER OF MINORITIES HIRED DURING MY TENURE AS CHIEF OF POLICE, WE HAD ONE OF THE MORE DIVERSE POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES WITH METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY SIZE AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE HAD REPRESENTATION FROM THE DIFFERENT RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER AT ALL RANKS IN DECISION-MAKING ROLES, IN CRITICAL LEADERSHIP ROLES.

MY SENIOR CABINET WE HAD TWO AFRICAN-AMERICANS OF THE FOUR DEPUTY CHIEFS.

WE HAD REPRESENTATION LATINO, FEMALE, AND IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE DIFFERENT VOICES AND INPUT FROM THOSE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES BECAUSE IT REFLECTED THE COMMUNITY.

AND I FELT WE WERE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AT DELIVERING SERVICES BECAUSE WE HAD THAT DIVERSE THOUGHT AND INPUT AND IDEAS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STRATEGIES.

>> REVEREND CAVITT, WHAT ABOUT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE?

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY CHANGE IN THE 15 YEARS YOU’VE BEEN HERE AND WHAT DO YOU HEAR FROM YOUR CONGREGATION AND YOUR CHURCH?

HOW DO YOU SEE IT FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW?

>> I THINK BUILDING UPON THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE WAY THAT THE POLICE ENGAGES WITH THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES — YES, IN NORTH OMAHA WE DO HAVE GOOD POLICE RELATIONSHIPS, IN NORTHEAST.

AND NORTHWEST PRECINCT.

AND THROUGH THE EMPOWERMENT NETWORK OR OMAHA 360 WHICH MEETS ON WEDNESDAYS AT 2:00 P.M., WHERE WE CAN GET THE POLICE REPORTS, ARE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS, OR ENTER DIALOGUES.

I’M HAPPY TO SAY THAT FOR MY CHURCH THAT SITS IN NORTHWEST OMAHA, ON THE NORTHWESTERN END OF NORTH OMAHA, THAT WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP NOT ONLY WITH NORTHEAST PRECINCT, BUT ALSO WITH NORTHWEST PRECINCT, THAT WE HAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PERSONS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT KEEP US INFORMED, COMMUNICATE WITH US, AND I FEEL THAT FOR THE FIVE — I BELIEVE IT WAS FIVE CAPTAINS IN THE NORTHWEST PRECINCT THAT I’’VE HAD A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OF THEM, AND IF THERE WERE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WANTED THE POLICE TO BE INVOLVED AND DEAL IN THAT, COMMUNITY POLICING, AND GETTING TO KNOW THE RESIDENTS, THEY HAVE BEEN THERE.

AND SO I’M TRULY THANKFUL FOR THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE OPENNESS.

OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

>> ACCORDING TO THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER IN 2016, POLICE OFFICERS HAD VARYING VIEWS BETWEEN BLACK PEOPLE AND THE POLICE DIFFERENTLY.

AROUND 70% OF WHITE POLICE OFFICERS SAID IF THERE WAS A FATAL SHOOTING, IT WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, WHILE 30% SAID IT WAS SIGN OF A GREATER PROBLEM.

MEANWHILE, BLACK OFFICERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, DISAGREED.

ONLY 43% SAW IT AS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT 57% SAW IT AS SIGNS OF A BROADER PROBLEM.

SO, I GUESS THE QUESTION THAT I WANT TO BRING FROM THAT, KIARA WILLIAMS, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES OF PERCEPTION BETWEEN WHITES AND BLACKS ON THE POLICE FORCE WHEN IT COMES TO FATAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND BLACK MEN AND WOMEN?

>> I WOULD SAY KIND OF THE MOST OBVIOUS, MAYBE NOT OBVIOUS, BUT TO ME, THE MOST OBVIOUS POINT THERE IS THAT DEMOGRAPHIC, THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING BLACK AND WHITE.

SO BLACK OFFICERS MIGHT SEE THAT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY AND THESE ISSUES THAT WE’RE SEEING IN POLICING AND WITHIN OUR SYSTEMS THEY DO AFFECT THEM, EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE OFFICERS, AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT STILL AFFECTS THEM OUTSIDE THEIR JOB AND EVEN INSIDE OF THEIR JOB.

I WOULD SAY THAT’S KIND OF WHERE WE SEE THAT DIFFERENCE IN THOSE PERCENTAGES IS BECAUSE BASED ON THAT DEMOGRAPHIC, WHITE OFFICERS DON’T REALLY HAVE TO FACE THOSE SAME THINGS THAT BLACK OFFICERS DO, AND IT CAN ALSO BE SORT OF LIKE AN INTERNAL THING, I THINK, WHEN YOU ARE A OFFICER AND YOU ARE A PERSON OF COLOR, SPECIFICALLY BLACK, TO HAVE TO KIND OF NAVIGATE THESE SITUATIONS AND NAVIGATE THESE EXPERIENCES WHILE BEING BLACK.

AND NOT WANTING TO TURN YOUR BACK FOR LACK OF A BETTER EXPLANATION ON YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO STILL DOING YOUR JOB AND PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE THAT YOU SERVE.

>> THOMAS WARREN, HOW ABOUT YOU?

AS A BLACK MAN AND AS A LONGTIME POLICE OFFICER, DO YOU SEE THAT THESE FATAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN POLICE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE ISOLATED INCIDENCES OR ARE THEY A SIGN OF A BROADER PROBLEM AND IF SO, WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING ABOUT IT AS A SOCIETY?

>> WELL YOU KNOW, IT ILLUSTRATED THE PERCEPTIONS AND MAYBE EVEN SOME MISPERCEPTIONS REGARDING A PERSPECTIVE ON REALITY IN TERMS OF WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FATAL SHOOTINGS, INVOLVING LAW ENFORCEMENT.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FACTS AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE HAVE BEEN A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF THESE INCIDENTS, PARTICULARLY INVOLVING AFRICAN-AMERICANS, AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE VICTIMS, OFTENTIMES AT THE HANDS OF CAUCASIAN POLICE OFFICERS.

AND WHAT STRIKES ME WHEN LOOKING AT THESE INCIDENTS, AND AFTERMATH, WOULD BE WHAT WAS THE NATURE OF THE ENCOUNTER?

WERE WE DEALING WITH A VIOLENT CRIME IN PROGRESS, OR WERE YOU DEALING WITH A RELATIVELY MINOR IF NOT MISDEMEANOR TYPE OF INFRACTION, A TRAFFIC STOP, A DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE.

WE SAW IN OHIO INDIVIDUALS UNARMED.

AND WHAT PERCEPTION DOES THAT OFFICER HAVE WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER THAT AFRICAN-AMERICAN OFTENTIMES MALE, IS IT PERCEIVED AS BEING THREATENING.

INSTEAD OF HAVING ABILITY TO DEESCALATE OR DIFFUSE A SITUATION, YOU SEE THEM ESCALATE.

IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF IT WAS A RESPONSE TO AN ARMED ROBBERY, OR A SERIOUS CRIME IN PROGRESS.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE INCIDENTS THAT ARE THE RESULT OF RELATIVELY MINOR OFFENSES, THEN YOU HAVE TO QUESTION WAS THERE SOME INHERENT BIAS, WAS — DID THAT OFFICER — THROUGH THAT OFFICER’S LENS, DID THEY SEE THAT INDIVIDUAL AS BEING A THREAT WHEN, IN FACT, THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED MUCH DIFFERENTLY?

AND IF THAT INDIVIDUAL WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUCASIAN, WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN THE PERCEIVED THREAT, WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE TO ESCALATE IN TERMS OF USE OF FORCE?

BUT WHAT WE RECOGNIZE IS THAT WHEN THERE’S TRAINING, POLICY ENFORCEMENT, JUST THE CULTURE WITHIN THAT ORGANIZATION, IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF HOW THOSE OFFICERS BEHAVE.

AND I CONTRAST THAT QUITE FRANKLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT INCIDENTS MINNEAPOLIS, FOR EXAMPLE, VERSUS HOW SITUATIONS MAY BE HANDLED IN OMAHA.

PASTOR CAVITT MENTIONED THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY, NOT TO SAY IT’S ALL PERFECT BUT THERE IS ONGOING DIALOGUE, ONGOING COMMUNICATION, THERE IS ESTABLISHED TRUST, MUTUAL RESPECT.

IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

AND AS IT’’S TRANSLATED INTO THE DAY-TO-DAY ENCOUNTERS AND ACTIVITIES, THAT BECOMES A PART OF THE CULTURE WITHIN THAT AGENCY, WITHIN THAT ORGANIZATION, AND THERE’’S AN EXPECTATION THAT THERE WILL BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY.

THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO POLICY, THAT THEY HAVE TO ENFORCE STATUTE, YOU JUST CAN’T ENGAGE IN EXCESSIVE FORCE WITHOUT THE FEAR OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

AND SO I THINK THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF HOW THE AGENCY MAY BE MANAGED.

>> KIARA WILLIAMS, YOU STARTED CREATE CHANGE LNK IN THE MIDST OF THE PROTEST LAST SUMMER.

WHAT WAS YOUR MESSAGE AND WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?

>> I THINK THIS GOES ALONG WITH WHAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT DIFFERENT POLICIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE CHANGE NOW ESSENTIALLY IS VERY POLICY FOCUSED.

I CREATED CHANGE NOW ON MAY 29TH OF LAST YEAR, AND THAT WAS LIKE THE VERY FIRST WEEKEND OF THE PROTESTS IN RELATION TO GEORGE FLOYD, BREONNA TAYLOR, AHMAUD ARBERY, AND WHATNOT, AND I DID THAT BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY,I MYSELF JUST AN INDIVIDUAL WAS VERY TIRED OF SEEING MY COMMUNITY OVER TIME BE ABUSED AND BE MURDERED SENSELESSLY, AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.

AND SO I WAS JUST VERY FED UP WITH IT.

AND ORIGINALLY I CREATED CHANGE NOW AS LIKE A SPACE, AN ONLINE SPACE ON FACEBOOK, TO KIND OF JUST FOSTER DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT CHANGE WOULD LOOK LIKE, ACTIONABLE CHANGE.

I THINK THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE, TOO BECAUSE ALTHOUGH WE’RE OUT HERE PROTESTING AND WE’’RE RALLYING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE TAKING ACTIONABLE STEPS TO CREATE CHANGE.

THAT’S WHERE THAT KIND OF PUBLIC POLICY SOLUTION FOCUSED IDEAL OF CHANGE NOW COMES IN, SO WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK A LOT WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND SENATORS ADVOCATING FOR POLICY THAT IS GOING TO HELP UPLIFT MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

WE’VE WORKED WITH LPD.

I SAT IN ON A MEETING WITH THEM BEFORE AND KIND OF GAVE THEM SOME DIFFERENT POLICY INITIATIVES AND DIFFERENT TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY IMPLEMENT AND THEY WERE VERY RESPONSIVE.

AND I REALLY RESPECT THAT AND I’M APPRECIATIVE OF THAT, TOO BUT THEY WERE REALLY RESPONSIVE TO THAT, AS WELL.

SO I THINK THAT THAT’S KIND OF WHERE CHANGE NOW IS SITTING WITH EVERYTHING AND WHY WE CREATED IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS TO CREATE ACTIONABLE CHANGE SO WE COULD REALLY START SEEING THINGS SHIFT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THEN AT JUST LIKE THE BROADER LEVEL OF THINGS, CREATING A SPACE WHERE WE WERE CREATING A MODEL FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES.

SO EVEN OMAHA SHOWING OMAHA IN COLLABORATING WITH OMAHA, BUT ON A LARGER SCALE IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY, CREATING THIS MODEL OF WHAT COMMUNITY COULD LOOK LIKE.

AND WHAT CHANGES COULD LOOK LIKE FOR US.

>> REVEREND CAVITT, CHURCHES ARE OFTEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

SO HOW HAVE YOU RALLIED, HOW HAVE YOU TRIED TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH FAITH?

>> WELL, DEFINITELY AS IT RELATES TO FAITH, REMIND PEOPLE NOT ONLY TO PRAY, BUT ALSO TO PUT THAT FAITH AND THAT PRAYER INTO ACTION.

AND SO IT’S ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT POLICIES AND TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE ARE FACED WITH AND I FIND THAT YOU CAN DEAL AT THE TOP UP, BUT IT HAS TO TRICKLE DOWN.

SO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICIES ARE IMPLEMENTED AND CARRIED OUT THROUGH THE OFFICERS THAT ARE ON THE BEAT, WHATEVER SHIFT THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THROUGH.

I STILL FIND THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH INDIVIDUALS FIRST, AND THEN DEAL WITH GROUPS.

AND SO WHEN WE CONFRONT OUR OWN IMPLICIT BIAS ON THAT LAST QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED EVERYONE, WHY IS IT THAT WHITE MEN HAVE SUCH A PROBLEM WITH BLACK MEN?

I’M JUST GOING TO PUT IT ON THE TABLE.

WHY ARE THEY SUCH A THREAT?

WHETHER THEY’RE SMALL, MEDIUM SIZE, OR LARGE, WHAT IS IT THAT A WHITE MAN HAS IN HIS PSYCHE THAT MAKES HIM AFRAID, THAT’S THE FIRST THOUGHT, THAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO ME.

BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT IF IT WAS A WHITE MAN BREAKING THE LAW, ARE YOU TREATING THEM THE SAME WAY?

DO YOU APPROACH THEM THE SAME?

AND WE KNOW THAT THE ANSWER IS ““NO.

“” SO WE GOT TO GET BACK WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SEE, EVEN OUR CHILDREN, YOUNG BLACK BOYS, AT SCHOOL ARE DEEMED BAD WHEN THEY HAVEN’T REALLY DONE ANYTHING.

AND SO AS IT RELATES TO THE FAITH TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES, TO PRESENT THEMSELVES AND PUT FORTH THEIR BEST EFFORT, BUT ALSO TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS AND FAMILIES THAT EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER, NOT ALLOW SOMEONE ELSE TO PUT YOU IN A BOX AND TO SAY THIS IS HOW YOU HAVE TO BEHAVE OR THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

SO THROUGH SUNDAY SCHOOL, THROUGH VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL, THROUGH WORSHIP SERVICE, SUNDAY MORNING SERMONS, THAT WE TRY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO NOT ONLY BE THEIR BEST SELF BUT TO REALIZE THAT GOD CREATED THEM IN GOD’S IMAGE, AND THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER, AND NO MATTER WHAT SOMEONE ELSE SAYS, BE WHO YOU ARE, AND THEY HAVE TO ACCEPT YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE.

>> YUP.

GOOD ADVICE.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE GREATER HEALTH DISPARITIES FACING THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND OTHER MINORITIES.

WE KNOW BLACKS AND OTHER MINORITIES DO NOT HAVE CONSISTENT ACCESS TO THE SAME HEALTHCARE.

HOW DID THE COVID PANDEMIC AFFECT THAT?

WE ASKED DR. KEYONNA KING, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER, ABOUT THAT.

>> AS WE KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT HAVE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS ARE TYPICALLY MINORITY POPULATIONS, BLACK, LATINO, AMERICAN INDIAN.

AND SO COVID JUST EXACERBATED WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW WAS THERE.

BUT IN EXACERBATING IT, IT MADE IT TO A POINT WHERE IT WAS KIND OF LIKE IT SLAPPED US IN THE FACE AND SAID, WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS NOW, BECAUSE THESE DISPARITIES ARE CAUSING THE MORTALITY RATES TO BE HIGHER AMONG LATINO AND BLACK AMERICANS.

>> I KNOW NONE OF US ON THIS SET ARE MEDICAL EXPERTS, BUT I WANT TO GET YOUR OPINION.

KIARA, I WANT TO ASK YOU IN PARTICULAR, ARE YOU SEEING THESE HEALTH DISPARITIES PLAY OUT IN YOUR OWN LIFE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU’RE AROUND?

>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY I COULD SPEAK ON THIS FROM JUST LIKE MY EXPERIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN.

I DID NOTICE THAT A LARGE POPULATION OF OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR WERE MORE SO WORRIED ABOUT LIKE RETURNING BACK TO CAMPUS AND RETURNING TO THE MORE SENSE OF NORMALCY, BECAUSE OF THAT VERY FACT RIGHT THERE, THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE DISPROPORTIONALLY AFFECTED BY COVID AND THEY DON’T HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND ACCESSIBLE COVID TESTING, ACCESS TO THE VACCINE WHEN IT STARTS ROLLING OUT IN A MORE ACCESSIBLE WAY.

AND SO I’’VE DEFINITELY SEEN THAT.

I’’LL SAY FOR THE STUDENT OF COLOR POPULATION ON CAMPUS.

AND I KNOW ONE THING THAT IS KIND OF BRINGING THEM COMFORT, THOUGH IS THAT THE UNIVERSITY IS ALLOWING US MORE ACCESS SO WE GET FREE TESTING THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF STUDENTS OF COLOR HAVE FOUND A LOT OF COMFORT IN THAT, JUST SO THEY KNOW THEY CAN KEEP THEMSELVES SAFE, BUT ALSO GOING HOME ON THE WEEKENDS, MAKING SURE THEY’RE KEEPING THEIR FAMILY SAFE.

BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THEY MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO THESE RESOURCES ON CAMPUS WHEN THEY GO HOME, THEIR FAMILIES DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO THESE SAME RESOURCES THEY DO.

THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR FAMILIES ARE SAFE AND HEALTHY SO THAT WE’RE NOT SEEING ANYMORE PEOPLE BE LOST TO COVID, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE REALLY CLOSE TO US THAT WE CARE ABOUT.

>> THOMAS WARREN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE URBAN LEAGUE OF NEBRASKA, WE ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE MORE HESITANT TO TAKE A COVID VACCINE.

THEY’RE ALSO NOT GETTING VACCINATED THE SAME RATE AS WHITE PEOPLE ARE.

BLACK PEOPLE MAKE UP 5% OF THE POPULATION, BUT LESS THAN 3% OF THE PEOPLE WITH BOTH DOSES OF THE VACCINE.

SO IS THAT A CASE OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR NOT TRUSTING THE MEDICAL SYSTEM OR DO YOU THINK THERE ARE OTHER REASONS SUCH AS LACK OF ACCESS TO THE VACCINE IN THESE COMMUNITIES?

>> I THINK IT’S A COMBINATION OF FACTORS.

BUT IF I CAN GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTION BRIEFLY, DR. KING MADE REFERENCE TO NATIONAL DATA AS IT PERTAINS TO DISPROPORTIONALITY WITH RATES OF INFECTION AND EVEN THE MORTALITY RATE.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, AS A RESULT OF EFFORTS REALLY GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO STOP THE SPREAD ONCE COVID AND THE PANDEMIC HIT, THERE WAS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT IN NORTH OMAHA, IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, WHERE LEADERS COMMUNICATE ON A WEEKLY BASIS VIRTUALLY, TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES, TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, PARTICULARLY AS IT PERTAINS TO DOUGLAS COUNTY, THERE HASN’T BEEN A DISPROPORTIONATE RATE OF INFECTION AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

THERE HASN’T BEEN A DISPROPORTIONAL RATE OF MORTALITY AS IT PERTAINS TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITIES, AND NORTH OMAHA HAS CHANGED AS IT REGARDS TO DEMOGRAPHICS.

WE HAVE A LARGE EMERGING IMMIGRANT POPULATION.

WE HAVE A LARGE ASIAN-AMERICAN POPULATION.

WE HAVE A LARGE LATINO POPULATION THAT HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BECAUSE MANY SERVE IN — WORK IN MEAT PACKING PLANTS OR IN SERVICE INDUSTRIES.

BUT YOU KNOW, BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, HISTORICALLY THERE HAS BEEN SOME APPREHENSION WITH REGARDS TO THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY, MEDICAL PROFESSION, VACCINES, THERE IS A CONCERN IN TERMS OF ACCESSIBILITY FOR VACCINATIONS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS SOME RELUCTANCE BECAUSE OF DISTRUST, THE HISTORICAL DISTRUST.

BUT, WE ARE ENCOURAGING AS MUCH AS WE WERE WITH TESTING.

WE ARE ENCOURAGING AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO TAKE THE VACCINATION TO BE INOCULATED.

WE HAVE TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD AND I DON’T THINK WE’VE SEEN THE OTHER SIDE OF COVID PARTICULARLY WITH THESE OTHER VARIANTS COMING OUT.

>> WE JUST HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT BUT I REALLY WANT TO ASK.

>> OH, I REALLY WANT TO JUMP IN.

>> YOU WANT TO JUMP IN?

I’LL GIVE YOU A FEW SECONDS.

GO AHEAD.

>> I FIND THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS AND WHAT YOU SHOW WHO IS BEING VACCINATED, HOW THE GOVERNOR HAS ROLLED OUT THE VACCINATION AND TALKING ABOUT HEALTHCARE OR DIFFERENT GROUPS IN 1-A AND 1-B HOW MANY AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE IN THAT GROUP.

SO IF YOU’RE NOT IN THAT PERCENTAGE THAT IS GETTING VACCINATED, HOW DO YOU EXPECT THE VACCINATION NUMBERS TO GO UP IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY?

AND THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THAT MOST AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH ISSUES, WHY HAS THAT BEEN TAKEN OFF OF THE TABLE?

WHY ARE THOSE PERSONS NOW BEING PUSHED BACK TO 1-C?

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT IT IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, WE’RE DOING A DISSERVICE TO ALL PEOPLE.

AND FOR THOSE NUMBERS, FOR WHITES TO BE UP SO HIGH, IF THEY HAVE THE JOBS IN THE MEDICAL CARE FIELD OR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, THEN THAT’S ALREADY A DISPARITY.

SO NOW YOU’RE PUTTING A WHOLE ANOTHER DISPARITY WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW COVID IS BEING ROLLED OUT, HOW THE VACCINE IS BEING ROLLED OUT IN THE STATE.

SO LET’S BE FAIR AND LET’S HELP PEOPLE THAT NEED THE HEALTHCARE ACCESS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AND ON THAT NOTE WE’RE GOING TO LEAVE IT THERE.

REVEREND PORTIA CAVITT OF CLAIR MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

KIARA WILLIAMS, FOUNDER AND CREATOR OF CHANGE NOW LNK, THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND ALSO THOMAS WARREN, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF URBAN LEAGUE OF NEBRASKA, APPRECIATE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROGRAM TONIGHT, AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THIS INTERVIEW AND TONIGHT’S PROGRAM ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

GO TO NETNEBRASKA.ORG/ SPEAKINGOF NEBRASKA AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.