Friend –

To this day, I have not been able to watch the entire video of George Floyd’s murder by Minnesota police, or view the countless other recordings of police killings of Black and Brown people.

I start having flashbacks about my own traumatic police encounter that happened when I was just 16 years old and it reminds me of how easily I could have become another name chanted during Black Lives Matter protests.

Now, I'm a police practices/criminal justice associate at the ACLU of Northern California, and I've written an op-ed detailing how I drew upon my own frightening experience to help create a special Know Your Rights Guide for Black and Brown people.

Our Know Your Rights Guide for Black and Brown People lays out a person’s legal rights if they’re stopped by police. But most importantly, the guide stresses the need to exercise caution and to read a situation realistically. At 16, I didn’t know my rights, but I was fortunate to have my father’s training. I want all Black and Brown people to be educated, informed, and empowered about their rights, and, have the knowledge and training needed to exercise them safely.

Read my personal reflection on the quandary Black and Brown people face when choosing whether to assert their rights during police encounters. (Please note: This link will take you to a third-party site, Blavity.com.)

Sincerely,

Marshal Arnwine, Jr.
Police Practices/Criminal Justice Associate,
ACLU of Northern California