>> WELCOME TOLL MUTUALLY IN CLUSSIVE.

THIS FEBRUARY MARKS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

TODAY, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE HISTORY OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN FIGHT FOR EQUALITY IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> SUPPORT FOR MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE COMES ARE THE WK KELLOGG FOUNDATION, A PARTNER WITH COME THINS, WHERE CHILDREN COME FIRST.

>> IT IS A MOVEMENT THAT HAS SEEN OVERWHELMING HARDSHIP BUT EVEN MORE PERSEVERANCE AS COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO PAVE A WAY FOR THEIR OWN JUSTICE.

TODAY, WE TRAVEL BACK IN TIME WITH HISTORIAN AND SPEAK WITH A SERIES OF PANELISTS WHO TELL US WHERE THE FIGHT FOR EQUITY IS TODAY.

>> IF YOU POKE A BEAR TOO MUCH.

THE BEAR IS GOING TO FIGHT BACK.

I THINK THAT 2020 WAS THE YEAR OF THE BEAR FIGHTING BACK.

>> THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY HAS BEEN A LODGE ROAD FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

[APPLAUSE] ONE THAT CONTINUES TO BE PAVED TO THIS DAY.

>> MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL THEM UNFORTUNATE SITUATION WITH TRAYVON MARTIN TOOK PLACE.

THAT WAS THE FIRST MOMENT THAT I COULD FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE THAT MY LIFE COULD NOT MATTER BASED ON THE COLOR OF MY SKIN.

>> IT HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

I THINK IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND TODD ROBINSON'S BOOK CITY WITHIN AND CITY AND GOES BACK STARTING EASE IN THERE EARLY 'TO'S AND COMES TOUCH THE PRESENT TIME.

HE TERMED IT AS MANAGERIAL RACISM WHICH REALLY IN ESSENCE MEANS THAT YOU HAD A LOCAL COMPANIES, FACTORIES, CHURCHES, EVEN, SCHOOLS, AND THAN MADE IT THEIR PURPOSE TO KEEP AFRICAN-AMERICANS DOWN.

PEOPLE OF COLOR.

HISTORIAN ANTIQUES DIRECTOR OF THE GRAND RAPIDS AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES, GEORGE SAYS THE CITY, LIKE MANY IN AMERICA, HAS A DEEP HUST RIFF RACISM AND OPPRESSION.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT 1925 FOR INSTANCE, HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS, IT IS THE TIME WHEN THE KU KLUX KLAN MARCHED RIGHT DOWN HERE ON MONROE.

IT IS ALSO THE TIME WHEN THE THEATER WAS FORCED TO INTEGRATE BY TELLING AFRICAN-AMERICANS THEY HAD TO SIT IN THE BALCONY AREA AND THE MAJOR COURT CASE CAME OUT OF THAT THE SUPREME COURT OF MICHIGAN OVERTURNED TO ALLOW AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO SIT ANYWHERE THEY WANTED TO.

>> AS MISTREATMENT ROSE, SO DID PUSHBACK.

967, SOME PEOPLE TURN AN UPRISING.

BLACK PEOPLE WENT TO THE STREETS TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS THAT PARTICULAR EVENT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE DETROIT RIOTS AND WHICH WERE WERE MUCH LARGER AND MORE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN GRAND RAPIDS, BUT THE SENTIMENT WAS STILL THERE, YOU KNOW?

IRONICALLY, THE FIGHT WAS OVER SOME OF THE SAME THINGS THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER FIGHTS OVER TODAY.

HOWEVER, IN POST LOGS, LOOKING AT THE ANAT NIF I RIOT, JOURNALIST, PUBLIC FIGURES OF THE TIME NEGLECTED ONE KEY AREA OF THE EVENTS.

>> THE PAPER WAS WHERE IT AND OF THE RIGHT OS HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS WERE FIRST ALL DONE BY WHITE INSTITUTIONS MAINLY FILLED WITH POLICE STATS, SOCIAL SERVICE STATS, THEY DIDN'T TALK TO ONE AFRICAN-AMERICAN WHICH WAS, THE THING THAT SURPRISED US THE MOST ABOUT THAT DOCUMENT AND THESE OTHER STATISTICS WERE PUT TOGETHER TO PLACE BLAME, THINK, THE THING THEY WANTED TO MAKE A REPORT FILE IT AWAY.

THE ACT OF PASSING BLAME AND SWEEPING ISSUE IN THE RUG LIKE IN ANY JUSTICE MOVEMENT BECAME AN ENDLESS CYCLE OF TWO STEPS FORWARD ONE STEP BACK.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE UPRISING OF PROTESTS, YOU HAVE A LITTLE PUSHBACK FROM YOU KNOW EITHER LAW ENFORCEMENTS OR THE GOVERNMENT OR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION COME IN AND WE CAN HELP WITH THIS PART OF IT OR THAT PART OF IT.

GENERALLY THINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL.

THROUGH PERSEVERANCE, THE MOVEMENT STILL TRAVELED.

ZEROING IN ON ISSUES LIKE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND POLICE BRUTALITY.

AND WITH MORE STEPS FORWARD, IT BECAME HARDER AND HARDER FOR ESTABLISHMENTS TO FORCE THEM BACK.

TECHNOLOGY QUICKLY BECAME A NEW MEANS OF PROTECTION.

>> INSTANTANEOUS CELL PHONES NOW, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT VERY VISIBLE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THROUGH RECENT HISTORY AND RODNEY KING AND THE OTHER SLAYINGS THAT HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 10 TO 20 YEARS.

WEAN THE CAMERA TELLING YOU WHAT HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE STILL GET RELEASED EVEN THE EYEWITNESS AND FILM WITNESS NEWS THAT STILL COMES DOWN ON THE SIDE OF LAW ENMENT.

GROUPS CONTINUE TO SPROUT UP DEMANDING CHANGE AND JUSTICE AND ONE GAINING ARGUABLY THE MOST TRACTION.

>> IT WAS FOUNDED BY THREE BLACK WOMEN, THEY WANTED TO REALLY, REALLY PUSH THAT A LOT OF TIMES IN BLACK HISTORY SHALL IT IS ABOUT BLACK MEN, AND HOW MUCH BLACK WOMEN DO FOR SOCIETY AND SANDRA BLAND, FOR INSTANCE, WAS KILLED, THEY REALLY, REALLY SPOKE OUT AND THEY FORMED THIS BOND.

LET'S MOVE ANNOUNCE.

THE TERM BLACK LIVES MATTER BECAME A POPULAR PHRASE IN THE GREATER MOVEMENT NOT AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY AND RACISM BUT TOWARD EQUALITY ACROSS THE BARD AND BREONNA WENT TON COFOUND THE BLACK LIVES MATTER CHAPTER IN GRAND RAPIDS.

AND WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ALL THE DIFFERENT BLACK PEB PEOPLES IN GRAND RAPIDS AND WHY DO WE INVEST IN RESISTING AND HAVING A VOICE AGAINST THIS PROBLEM NOW.

LAKE ANY MOVEMENT.

THERE HAS BEEN DEBATE OVER WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE, BE WHAT SHOES SHOULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT AND HOW TO PUT WORD NAS ACTION.

DON'T MESS WHAT HAS BECOME NATIONAL THE KIND OF CALLS FOR REFORM ARE.

I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T MESSES WITH THE NATIONAL CHAPTER ANY MORE.

THIS LED PEOPLE LIKE HER TO DECENTRALIZE THE CHAPTER AND LEAVE THE GROUP AS SHE LEFT GRAND RAPIDS STILL AN ACTIVISTS FIGHTING AND OTHER GROUPS HAVE ALSO MADE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES IN THE STREETS LIKE FAMILY OVER EVERYTHING.

WHO DEDICATED ITS ENTIRE SUMMER TO ADVOCATING FOR JUSTICE AND BLACK AND BROWN COME IN THES NOW BROADENING THEIR EFFORTS TO THE SYSTEMIC DISPARITIES MINORITY COMMUNITIES FACE.

>> FIGHTING HUNGER, FIGHTING HOMELESSNESS, AND THEN, THIS SUMMER, IT CAME TENFOLD BACK TO ANOTHER MORE TRAGIC SITUATIONS OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE BEING KILLED.

THEN SUMMER OF 2020, GRAND RAPIDS SAW NIGHT OF UNREST THAT ENSUED AFTER PEACEFUL PROTEST FOLLOWING THE DEATHS OF BLACK AMERICANS LIKE GEORGE FLOYD, YOU A MUD ABRY AND GRAND RAPIDS NATIVE BREONNA TAYLOR.

THE CROWD WAS TEAR GASSED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, MANY BUSINESSES ALONG DOWNTOWN STRIPS WERE DAMAGED.

>> A LOT OF THEM MARCHED THERE PAST THE MUSEUM.

IT WAS MIXED CROWD, YOU KNOW, YOUNG, OLD, BLACK, WHITE, LATINO, ASIAN, AND SO IT WAS MORE OF A MIXTURE OF PEOPLE WHO WERE STILL FIGHTING THE SAME FIGHT, BUT, THERE WAS WIRED VOICE I THINK.

THE MU SEE AM WAS THE ONLY STOREFRONT ON THE STRIP LEFT WITHOUT BROKEN GLASS WAS GRATEFUL AS HE HELPED NEIGHBORS PICK UP THE DEBRIS, HE CREATED AN EXHIBIT CALLED ART OF PROTEST WITH HOMEMADE SIGNS OF MODERN DAY ACTVISIONS HANGING THELE WITH A AND IN RESPONSE THIS THE PROTEST LOCALLY AND NATIONWIDE, MANY AREA BUSINESSES HAVE DEVELOPED DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION POSITIONS DEPARTMENT, TASK FORCE AND MORE.

HOWEVER, BIRD AND ACTIVISTS SAY, IT WILL TAKE MORE TO FIGHT THE CYCLE OF HISTORY.

>> IF YOU WANT TO JOHN THE CONVERSATION, FOLLOW WGVU ON FACEBOOK, ON TWITTER, AT WGVU PUBLIC MEDIA AND USE THE HASHTAG MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE.

PAST EPISODESES THEN THE MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE NEWS FEED CAN BE FOUND ON-LINE AT MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE.

SO.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> NOW IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SUMMARIZE A MOVEMENT OF THIS MAGNITUDE IN A SHORT VIDEO LIKE THIS BUT HERE TO HELP US EXPAND ON THE CONVERSATION OF THE QUALITY HERE IN WEST MICHIGAN ARE JUSTICE FOR LOOK BELIEVES PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT ALLEY BATHE ANDONI SANTIAGO.

THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC ACCOUNT K BRANDON DAVIS AND GRAND RAPIDS CHIEF OF POLICE ERIC PAYNE, WELCOME.

THANK ALL FOR JOINING US LENDING EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE.

ALI ANDONI, I AM GOING TO START OFF WITH YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN DOING WORK OVER THE SUMMER AND HAVE BEEN OUT IN THE COME MACHINE.

TALK TO ME.

I KNOW THIS IS A GENERAL QUESTION.

WHERE DO YOU THINK THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY RIGHTS HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS IS TODAY?

I THINK THE FIGHT FOR EQUAL RIGHTS IN GRAND RAPIDS IS FAR FROM OVER AND WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES GOING ON IN THE CITY WITH THE CITY'S FUNDING AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY NOT GETTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF FUNDING, YEAH.

IT IS JUST FAR FROM OVER.

>> DONE?

I.

>> I AM GOING TO SECOND THAT.

IT IS FAR FROM OVER.

HE WE'RE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING FOR, I WILL NUT OUT THERE, RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, AS MENGED BEFORE, THE CITY'S BUDGET IS VERY PRECIOUS, DESIRABLE IN DIFFERENT AREAS AND ASPECTS OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, AND SO, AND IN THOSE ASPECTS ARE VERY OBVIOUS, THE UNHOUSED POPULATION HAS BEEN SUFFERING, YOU KNOW, EQUAL HOUSING, UNFAIR EVICTIONS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING, AND YOU KNOW, MINIMUM WAGE IS NOT REALLY, IT IS NOT WHERE IT SUPPOSED TO BE.

SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE, SO MANY THINGS THAT WE ARE SUFFERING FROM, BUT YOU KNOW WE ARE GOING TO KEEP GOING.

WE'RE STILL FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.

>> AND I KNOW THAT THE FIGHT IS KIND OF ALL ENCOMPASSING THAT COVERS MORE THAN JUST ONE AREA IN TERMS OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY OR RESOURCE.

ONE BIG TOPIC THAT WE SAW OVER THE SUMMER WAS THE CONVERSATION AROUND POLICE BRUTALITY.

AND WE SAW CASES THAT WERE HAPPENING AROUND THE NATION, BRINGING IT HERE IN WEST MICHIGAN, YOU KNOW YOU GUYS ARE NO STRANGER TO CHIEF PAYNE WHO WITH HAVE HAVE ON THE CAN AND HOW HAVE CONVERSATION BEEN GOING THIS FAR AND DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE HAVE GOOD COME CONTINUITY AND POLICE RELATIONS HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS?

>> UNFORTUNATELY SHALL I DO NOT AT ALL THINK THAT WE HAVE GOOD COME CONTINUE TAIN POLICE RELATIONS IN GRAND RAPIDS.

A LOT OF IT STEMS FROM THE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUS POLICE PRESENCE AND MORE LESS FUNDED AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY AND WITHIN THAT, WE DON'T KNOW POLICE OFFICERS OUTSIDE OF THEM BEING POLICE OFFICERS AND WE DON'T SEE THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS IN THE COME IN THE.

A LOT OF THEM DON'T LIVE HERE.

AS WELL AS YOU KNOW, THE SAME THING FOR POLICE OFFICERS, A LOT OF POLICE OFFICERS DON'T SEE US AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEY JUST SEE US AS PEOPLE THERE POLICING AND THAT IS REALLY BIG ISSUE.

>> AND CHIEF PAYNE, I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY EVENTFUL YEAR FOR TO YOU BE IN THE POSITION AS CHIEF OF POLICE AND HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO WHAT ALI AND DONNY HAD SAID.

WHAT ARE I MISHTIES YOU HAVE BEEN SPEARHEADING IN THE DEPARTMENT.

WELL, WE SPEARHEADED SEVERAL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT WE LAUNCHED OUR PLAN WHICH I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO REALLY LOOK AT AND LOOK AT, BAY LIKE TO ADDRESS SOMETHING OR COMMENT ON SOMETHING ABOUT THE FUNDING AND I KNOW THERE IS, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THE NATIONAL CRY TO DEFUND THE POLICE BY SOME, NOT ALL, AND WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO WHO ARE SAYING DEFUND THE POLICE IS ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET IS AND HOW THE MONEYS ARE OUTIZED WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IT IS EASY TO SAY CUT A MILLION, CUT $8 MILLION, CUT $10 MILLION.

CUT ALL POLICE BUT THERE IS ALWAYS REPERCUSSIONS WHEN YOU DO THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO REALLY LOOK AT THE BUDGET.

OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS SHRUNK IN PERSONNEL OVER THE YEARS BY WELL OVER 100 OFFICERS, LAST YEAR'S BUDGET ALONE, THE ONE WE ARE OPERATING RIGHT NOW WAS DECREASED BY A MILLION AND A HALF AFTER IT WAS ADOPTED, SO WE HAVE ALREADY DEFUNDED AND DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN REIMAGINE POLICING.

WE ADD CIVILIANS INTO THE DEPARTMENT.

WITHOUT ADDING SWORN PERSONNEL.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT WEAR OF THAT.

WE'RE DOING THINGS LIKE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM, WHICH AM DEDICATING OFFICERS TO WORK THE HOMELESS POPULATION WITHOUT ADDING ADOINGS AGO PERSONNEL AND WE ARE TRYING TO DO A MENTAL HEALTH TEAM AND THIS WILL HAVE TRAINED BEHAVIOR PEOPLE AND WORKING ALONG POLICE OFFICERS AND TO RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH CALLS, PUNISH WRY LIKE TO GET OUT OF TOTALLY RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH CALLS, I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS A FUNCTION OF POLICE.

I BELIEVE THERE IS PEOPLE MORE EQUAL TIED TO DO THAT TYPE OF WORK.

BUT IT CAN'T BE EITHER OR.

GET RID OF THE POLICE, THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PICK IT UP.

WE STILL NEED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND THOSE THAT WANT TO GET RID THINK OF POLICE DEPARTMENT OR TO TAKE MONEYS AWAY FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT I WOULD TO LOVE SIT DOWN AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION FURTHERMORE IN-DEPTH TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THE MONEYS ARE AND HOW WE ARE STRUCTURED IN THE WORK WE ARE DOING AND HOW WE HAVE REDUCED THIS POLICE DEPARTMNT OVER THE LAST AT LEAST SINCE 2008 AND HOW IT HAS SHRUNK BUT WE CONTINUE TOP DO MORE IN THE COME TIN AS I MENTIONED BEFORE AND THE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT WE ARE A PART OF.

>> YES.

THANK YOU, CHIEF, PAYNE.

ALI ANDONI, I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY LEADERS AND WITH CHIEF PAYNE AND HEARING SOME OF THESE EYE INITIATIVES AND HEARING THESE IDEAS, ARE THEY HON ON THE SAME PAGE WITH WHAT A LOT OF COME TINS MEMBERS THAT WORK WITH YOU WANT?

ARE THESE THINGS THAT YOU ARE EXCITED TO LOOK FORWARD TO HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THIS?

>> RESPECTFULLY, THE TOPIC OF DEFUNDING GRP, TO ME, PERSONALLY, IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE.

WE HAVE PLACES IN THE CITY BRASH OFCALLY THE THIRD WARD FIGHTING FOR RESOURCES WHILE WE ARE NOT GETTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF FUNDING AS ANY OTHER WARD, THE HOME REACH -- THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAMLE EXPSSTS BUT WHAT DOES IT REALLY DO?

THOUGH HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM WAS NOT EVEN PRESENT THE DAY OF ABELIEVE IT WAS THE 21st OF DECEMBER WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO REMOVE RESIDENTS FROM THE PARK, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM WOULD EXIST IF NOT TO BE PRESENT FOR THESE TYPE OF EVENTS.

EVERYONE WAS ON VACATION.

>> SO I WANT TO LET CHIEF PAYNE RESPOND TO THAT THEN I WOULD LIKE TO LOOP YOU IN ON A QUESTION.

CHIEF SNAP IN.

>> YEAH.

THERE WAS AM I INITIATIVE BECAUSE IT WATTS PERK.

THERE WERE BEHAVIOR SPECIALISTS THAT WERE PART OF THAT.

WHICH ALSO GOES INTO A LOT OF FOOL CUSS OF WHAT THE CITY DID WITH POLICE AND HAVING THAT TEMPORARY FACILITY STOOD UP.

BUT THE REAL EFFORT THE CITY IS MAKING IS FINDING PERMANENT HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS AND THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT INITIATIVE HEADED BY COUNTY WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM IN DOING THAT AND ASSISTING AND DOING THAT.

THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF THE WORK HAS GONE INTO AND OUR CONCERN WAS, NUMBER ONE, IT WAS THE CONDITION OF THE PARK.

IT WAS A PARK.

THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS THE ONE THAT INIT AT THIS TIMED AND THEY WERE THE ONES THAT THAT HAD THE OPERATION.

IT WAS NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE DID HAVE A PRESENCE DOWN THERE, ABOUT IT WAS NOT THE POLICE-LED INITIATIVE TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE PARK AND I WILL POINT TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALSO WENT THROUGH THAT PARK AND SAID THE CONDITIONS WERE, THEY WERE LESS THAN DESIRABLE BASICALLY THEY SAID, THEY WOULD BE FORCED TO CONDEMN, CONDEMN THE AREA IF IT WAS RESIDENCE, THEN, WILL JUST POINT TO WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THESE WERE LIVING THERE NOW WITH THE WEATHER THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW TO BE IN THAT PARK AND THIS TYPE OF WEATHER, SOB THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS THAT MOVING PARTS AND IT WAS POLICE LED INITIATIVE.

IT WAS NOT A POLICE LED INITIATIVE.

WATTS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT INITIATIVE.

THANK FOR THE ANSWER, CHIEF PAYNE.

BRANDON, I WANT YOU TO NOOM THE CONVERSATION NOW.

YOU HAVE A TRICKY TROLL PLAY IN THE THE CITY WHEN WE FIRST TALKED YOU SAID FIRST THING IS FIRST I AM NOT LAW ENFORCEP.

THAT IS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION ABOUT YOUR POSITION.

TALK TO ME A BIT ABOUT HOW YOU SEE THIS AS A DIRECTOR OF OVERSIGHT AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CITY?

>> WELL, I SEE A GREAT DIVIDE, RIGHT.

LET'S JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS.

THERE IS A GREAT DY VADE ACROSS THE NATION ARENITION AND THIS IS A NATIONAL THESE ARE NATIONAL ISSUES WE ARE FACING AND AS IT RELATE THOSE ROLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS I WOULD SAY MANY ARE ASKING FOR OR SEEKING AND AND THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE WITH THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT NORMALLY HAPPENS OR WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TRADITIONALLY AND OFTEN TIME THE PEOPLE SAY THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT MOVE SLOWLY.

THE TRUTH IS, IN SOME WAYS, EVEN IN GRAND RAPIDS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF RAPID MOVEMENT AND THAT IS DUE IN LARGE PART TO CITY LEADERS WHO WANT TO SEE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN BUT ALSO TO COMMUNITY KEEP THE PRESSURE ON THE CITY TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES, THINK ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.

THE STRUGGLE WITH THE DIVIDE IS THAT WHAT WE TALK ABOUT ISSUES IS DIFFICULT TO SEE THE INTENTION BEHIND IT FROM YOU KNOW FROM COME-IF I OR FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS BUT A OFTEN TIMES THERE IS SUCH A HUGE DIVIDE THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS BEING SAID JUST COMES FROM A PLACE OF WELL, I DON'T BELIEVE IT.

RIGHT.

IT IS DIFFICULT.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DISTRUST, THERE IS HISTORICAL REASONS FOR THE DISTRUST, SO WE CANNOT ACT LIKE THERE IS NOT A REASON WHY SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS DON'T TRUST LAW ENFORCEMENT OR DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT AND THEY DON'T TRUST LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WAS NOT DESIGN FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND DESIGNED IN AMERICA TO KEEP SLAVE IN ORDER.

RIGHT.

THAT WAS THE REASON POLICING WAS STARTED AND OVER HIS LAST 20000 YEARS AND THERE HAS BEEN A PATTERN OF USING LAW ENFORCEMENT TO KEEP BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE WET ON QUOTE IN LINE.

SO BECAUSE OF THAT.

WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS THIS DIESTROUS.

MY HOPE IS THROUGH THE WORK WE DO WITH PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY WE ARE ABLE TO CREATE ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY AND KAY COUNTABILITY THAT WILL LEAD TO A BRIDGE OR A PATH TOWARD TRUST.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN JUST BE AT PLACE WHERE I SAY, WELL, YOU NEED TO TRUST.

THAT IS NOT REL LIS TICK.

BUT I THINK WE CAN DO DO TO WORK GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE'RE BUILDING THE PATH THAT GETS TO A PLACE THAT ONE DAY HOPEFULLY WE CAN LOOK AT THE WORK BEING DONE AND SAY, OK, WE MAY DISAGREE UNDERSTAND THAT BOTH PARTIES ARE TRYING TO WORK TOWARD WHAT IS BEST TO THE COME IN THE.

>> YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETIMES THE ROAD FOR CHANGE CAN BE SLOW MOVING, DONNY AND ALI YOU HAVE BEEN SPEARHEADING EFFORTS FOR CHANGE IN THE CITY AND I KNOW, BRANDON TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE SYSTEM UK I OPPRESSION THAT IS HAPPENED OVER TIME AND TALKING TO COME IN THE MEMBERS, IT A L. PEOPLE HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, TIME IS UP.

THEY WANT TO SEE CHANGE HAPPENING NOW.

AND DONNY AND ALI THAT IS HOW YOU FEEL?

ARE YOU WILLING TO WORK WITH PEOPLE AND WAIT A BIT MORE?

I GUESS WHAT'S THE TIMELINE RIGHT NOW?

>> PI AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO FIRST ON THIS ONE.

AGAIN, I RESPECTFULLY SPEAKING TO BETTER ANSWER THE QUESTION.

TIME IS UP.

TIME IS NOW.

TIME IS NOW.

I HAS BEEN NOW.

AND WE ARE DONE WAITING.

YOU KNOW?

FOR DECADES WE HAD EMPTY PROMISES AND SOMETIMES YOU KNOW, THOSE PROM MITSES ARE MET WITH CERTAIN THINGS, NOW HE, WE'RE GIFTED CERTAIN THINGS THAT MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY ARE GETTING SOMETHING OUT OF IT OR THEY ARE AM COOING OUT OF THAT WHOLE THEY HAVE DUG.

S INTO OR NOT EVEN DUG THEMSELVES INTO AND CORRECT MY SELF AND SAWFLIES DESIGNED TO BE IN AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE GOTTEN SOMETHING.

WHERE WE ARE DONE WITH THE FOR THAT TYPE OF A DEAL.

WE WANT WHAT WE WANT AND WE'LL GIT NOW ANDABLE WE ARE DONE WAITING AND WE ARE DONE GETTING BND AIDS AND BAND-AIDS AND QUICK FIXES OVER THE SYMPTOM.

WE WANT THELE WOUNDS AND OUR PERCENT WE WAN OUR WOUNDS ADDRESSED.

WE WANT OUR HEALTH ADDRESS.

WE WANT OUR PROBLEMS ADDRESSED AND ACKNOWLEDGED PROPERLY.

PROPERLY.

WELL, WE'RE RUNNING A BIT OUT OF TIME NOW.

SO I WILL ASK THIS LAST QUESTION, DONE INNY AND ALI WHERE DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FROM HERE?

WHERE ARE YOUR EFFORTS COGOING IN THE COMING WEEK, THE COMING MON, THE COMING YEARS?

>> I FEEL LOOK THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE DEFUNDING GRPD.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FURTHER EXPLAIN.

SO MANY EX AM PELLS AS TO WHY THE POLICE NEEDS TO BE DEFUND NOT JUST TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ACTIONS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS OR PAST FEW MONTHS EVEN.

JUST SAY THINGS AROUND THE COME-THAT I THE LOOK OF FUNDING.

THE LOOK OF HOUSING FOR THE UNHOUSED COME CONTINUITY.

THE LOOK OF EFFORT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THE LOOK OF FUNDING ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE AND THE FACT THAT GRPD HAS ALL OF THE BILLBOARDS AROUND THE CITY WHILE SAYING THEY CANNOT BE DEFENDED.

IT IS ABOUT THAT.

THAT IS WHAT WE NEED DO.

THAT IS THE NEXT STEP.

THAT IS WHAT WE WANT.

THAT IS WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT.

>> AS WE APPROACH, OH, GO AHEAD.

>> JUST REAL QUICK.

I HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT.

>> PEAKING OF THE BILL BARDS THAT IS NOT GRPD BILLBOARDS THOSE WERE PUT UP BY THE UNION WHICH I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER AND THAT IS THE WAY IT HAS TO BE THAT WAY.

SO THOSE BILLBOARDS DO NOT REPRESENT GRPD.

THEY ARE LIKE ANY OTHER GROUP THROUGHOUT TO GET A BILLBOARD AND PUT IT UP.

THEY ARE NOT ENDORSED.

AS WE COME TOM A CLOSE OF THE CONVERSATION, OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS MORE ON EVERYONE'S MIND THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY, BUT IS IT SAFE TO SAY, THAT EVERYBODY HERE IS OPEN TO COMMUNITY COMMENT GOING FORWARD.

I KNOW JUSTICE FOR BLACK LIVES IS THEN OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

CHIEF PAYNE YOU HAVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AS WELL AS YOU BRANDON, WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO, I GUESS, TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, WITH YOU?

>> WELL, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO RETCH OUT TO THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY HERE.

OUR WEB PAGE.

GOM THOUGH CITY'S WEB PAGE AND IT IS BACK SPLASH SAWN CAN ALSO CONNECT WITH US VIA SOCIAL MEDIA AND GROVER ARE OVERSIGHT GRO FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AND THEN, YOU CAN GIVE AUGUSTS CALL AT 616-4564OPA AND WANT TO CONTINUE TO CONNECT WITH COME IN THE AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD HER TO BRIDGE AND WE WANT TO INS WERE THE ACCOUNTABLABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN WHAT IS HAPPENING SO THERE IS A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS GOING ON SO WE CAN HOLD ACCOUNTABILITY WHAT NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

PERFECT.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE FOR JOINING IN T AND BE SURE TO PUT LINKS TO OUTARE REACH YOU ARE DOING ON THE WEBSITE.

THANK YOU AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THANK FOR BEING A PART OF THE DISCUSSION AS WELL.

THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

WE WILL SEE YOU ON THE NEXT MUTUALLY INCLUSIVE.

WISHING YOU THE BEST.

♪ ♪ ♪