Justice for Dante

"Equal pay is a right for every employee at Grant Industries, yet it seems to be only a practice in theory," he said while standing tall and talking in a breakroom. The crowd of three were doing their best to ignore him so they could enjoy their meals. "We're the first ones here and the last to leave," he added. "We deserve to be treated better. Fairly." One of his ignorers looked up and asked, "and what do you suppose we do?" Without hesitation he said, "we strike."

And just like that, his mutiny was over.

His attentive crowd left, going back to work. JJ shook his head and put his lunch in the refrigerator, disappointed. Jean Jacques Newton entire life has been about revolution. When he was a kid, his father would tell stories about his famous grandfather Huey P. Newton. About how he fought for change and for the impoverished. He loved hearing those stories and idolized his grandfather.

On his way to the loading dock, JJ's phone started to go off in his pocket. It was a text from Lisa.

Dante is at the hospital. He's been shot

JJ's heart sunk into his chest. He quickly checked in with his supervisor and headed to the hospital. Dante was a kid JJ was mentoring in the neighborhood. He was only eleven years old. There had to be some mistake. When he got to the hospital, the doctors were talking with Lisa and her mother Ms. Neal. JJ waited nearby until the doctor left. "They're prepping him for surgery now," said Lisa. "What happened?" asked JJ. Lisa told him the story.

Dante was shot by police when they mistake him for a theft suspect in the area. The description of the thief didn't even fit with Dante at all, besides being black. Dante was shot when he had his phone in hands. Police claimed that it was a gun at the time. "This is wrong," JJ said angrily. His eyes were red, and his hands were balled in a fist. "Police can't go around shooting whoever they want." His chestnut color eyes were now red with tears and rage. "Something needs to change. This can't happen again." JJ got up and started to walk away. "Where are you going?" asked Lisa. JJ turned around and looked at her. "To demand change."

"Laws should be made to serve the people. People should not be made to serve the laws." The room was tense. JJ called a meeting in the neighborhood after the shooting. It was a small turnout, but at least people showed up. "What do you want from us, JJ?" asked Sammy. Everybody was thinking it, but Sammy was the only one who would say anything. "I want you – I want US – to stand up to these cops and demand change. We should march!" Everybody looked around nervously. People were mad, but marching was a different thing entirely. Again, Sammy said what the room was thinking. "A march in this town is a death wish. Those of us who don't get beaten to within an inch of our lives will be in jail." JJ surveyed the room. He understood the risk. He shared them. JJ cleared his throat and said "if you stop struggling, then you stop life. Staying quiet now is an acknowledgement that everything is fine. I don't know about you, but everything is not okay with me." JJ looked at Sammy. Sammy looked at JJ. "So," Sammy said. "When do we march?"

It was a beautiful day. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. JJ and the rest of the community were at the meeting location. The march would start about three blocks from the police station, leading to it. Signs reading "Justice for Dante" or "stop shooting our youth" were sprinkled throughout the group. Before they left, JJ addressed the group. "I just wanted to thank everyone for showing. I know this wasn't easy. I know it put a strain on your personal life, but by standing for one we stand for us all," a tear fell down his face. "Try to stay together and remember why we're doing this."

The strike was going well. The nearby patrons came outside to see what was going on, and the news crew could be found filming as well. About one block before the police station, JJ and his group came up against the police lined up in formation. They had riot shields and helmets on. Armed with rifles and clubs. One of them stepped forward with a loudspeaker and said "you do not have a permit to assemble. This is an illegal protest. Disperse immediately and go home." JJ looked over his shoulder and shouted to his group "hold the line! Justice for Dante!" They continued their march. The officer with the loudspeaker continued to bark commands and threats, but it didn't matter. As they got closer to the police wall, one officer struck a member with his club. Another used his shield to strike Sammy in the head. Soon after chaos erupted, some protesters ran, others stayed the course, paying the price for it. JJ was hit in the ribs and pinned to the ground by three officers. One of them eventually handcuffed him. All around there was shouting and panic. JJ witnessed his group getting beaten and arrested. He couldn't help but feel despair.

After three nights in jail, JJ was released. Sammy was there to pick him up, smiling. JJ was getting his belongings from the cop. He turned to Sammy and asked "what are you so giddy about? We failed." Sammy looked at him and said "our protest picked up national media coverage. Politicians were weighing in on the issue saying how we need police reform." Sammy went to open the door. There were camera crews from CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. Dante was there too, in a cast smiling. "They all want to hear from you."