By Sabreen Dawud
Special to the AFRO
Frankie Seabron, program manager of the Black-led community defense organization Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, recently stood on the corner of Indiana Ave. and Fourth St. NW to honor victims of police violence. The activist gathered with others following the deaths of three Black men who were fatally shot by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) this month.
“We will not normalize, we will not accept, it is not OK!” Seabron called out to the crowd of organizers surrounding her at a vigil and rally on the evening of Nov. 21.
The event took place in front of Metropolitan Police Department headquarters. Social justice organizations such as Free DC, Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, Black Lives Matter DC, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and more were in attendance.
The men killed by police all had their lives taken within four days of each other. Their names were David Warren Childs, Demetruis Alston and Kevin Booker.
Childs, a 25-year-old from Northeast, was shot on Nov. 17 by an MPD officer following a chase and altercation after officers reported seeing a firearm on his waist, according to an MPD statement.
Alston died while in the custody of transit police on Nov. 16 at Anacostia Metro Station. Alston was a Washington, D.C., native.
Booker, a 41-year-old from Northwest, died in his home on Nov. 14 at the hands of an MPD officer. The officers were reported to have entered the home through an unlocked door while issuing loud commands. According to the MPD, Booker is reported to have “lunged at the officer with a knife and screwdriver” prior to being fatally shot.
“We’re out here in support of the victims, their families, and also just trying to build community so people understand there are multiple organizations out here trying to do something about the injustice,” shared Kai, a 23-year-old resident and member of the DC Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression (DCAARPR), who did not want his last name mentioned.
The rally featured brief speeches from various members of the Washington, D.C., community, including the family and friends of some of the men killed by the police. April Goggans, a core organizer with Black Lives Matter DC, joined the family of Alston in sharing a few words on the life and character of their loved one.
“We are asking everyone in D.C. who hears Demetruis’ name not to take the police’s words as the truth simply because they wear a badge or hold a title,” Goggans recited from a statement made by Alston’s family.
“The world deserves to know Demetruis. Not the version being created to justify what happened to him. Every person deserves to be remembered as their full authentic self.”
Following the implementation of President Donald Trump’s “Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful” executive order in August, the increased presence of federal officers on the streets of Washington, D.C. has caused safety concerns for residents and visitors.
“I just feel a sense of overwhelmed-ness,” said one vigil and rally attendee, who did not want to go on record with her name. “It’s at a point where it’s not comfortable to continue on everyday without coming out and actually supporting people who are in the middle of this occupation. “Although it’s horrible stuff that’s happening, we’re still here together.”
The worry of what will ensue is accompanied by the need to lean into what Washingtonians have: a strong sense of community. As organizers continue to take to the streets, they have found a sense of strength and support in one another.
“I’m in deep, deep grieving,” said Kai. “The only reason I keep going is because of the community support that is available through vigils like this and also through DCAARPR in general.”