BLM Morristown Founder: Still Work To Do After Chauvin Conviction

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Twelve-hundred miles away from the verdict, Black Lives Matter Morristown's founder felt a brief moment of relief when a jury convicted Derek Chauvin of the murder of George Floyd. But T'Anna Kimbrough's solace didn't last long, as shortly after she heard about police in Columbus, Ohio, shooting a 16-year-old girl.

Kimbrough called Chauvin's convictions "a little taste of accountability." But any positive feelings withered away as information emerged about the killing of Ma'Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio. Police say Bryant threatened two girls with a knife, but her death cast immediate doubt over public sentiment that the Chauvin verdict represented any societal measure of progress.

"It’s like we can’t catch our breath," Kimbrough said. "We can’t finally take this in, because the minute we are celebrating, we are saying another person’s name. It’s just draining. I think during the course of this trial, there has been the news of Adam Toledo, Duante Wright and now Ma’Khia Bryant. It’s frustrating."

Kimbrough founded Morristown's BLM chapter in 2016. But their community presence truly emerged after Chauvin's killing of Floyd. The local organization held a funeral procession for Floyd and carried out a summer series of education and action throughout Morris County on police brutality and systemic racism.

During the duration of Chauvin's trial, police around the nation killed more than three people per day, according to The New York Times. The deaths included Wright — a 20-year-old Black man shot during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota — and Adam Toledo — a 13-year-old Latino who Chicago police shot.

Although their killings took place far from New Jersey, Kimbrough believes such incidents are reason to take action locally.

"As local activists, we don’t let up," she said. "We continue to apply pressure. Just because police murders and people getting gunned down by white supremacists is not happening in Morristown or New Jersey as frequently as in some other states, we still have to apply pressure and show people what accountability looks like."

Fatal use of force can be legally admissible under certain circumstances. But advocates point to the low percentage of police charged and convicted for killings as reason change is necessary. Police fatally shoot about 1,000 people per year, according to The Washington Post. About 1 percent get arrested, but only seven officers since 2005 have been convicted of murder in police shootings since 2005, according to Vox.

Several New Jersey politicians called Chauvin's conviction just one of many steps necessary for police accountability.

"A flawed system laid the groundwork for the death of George Floyd," said Attorney General Gurbir Grewal. "It is a system that badly needs reform — here and across the country. While I am heartened to see some justice done for Mr. Floyd, it is not enough."

Gov. Phil Murphy said the following: "While today’s verdict provides some measure of justice and accountability, systemic racism is still pervasive in American life. We must continue the fight for justice."

But Kimbrough views politicians' statements as empty and often misleading rhetoric.

"I don’t look toward politicians to get anything done," she said. "I look up to other community organizers. ... If I don’t see boots on the ground in the community, going door-to-door, being active, making phone calls or going to events, then that does nothing for me."

Kimbrough has advocated for re-allocating money from police budgets into social services and other community endeavors. She would like to see greater use of crisis workers responding to scenes, with police on stand-by if anything. It's a conversation she hasn't seen from New Jersey officials.

"If we took the money we’re putting into police budgets," Kimbrough said, "and put it into our community and created these types of programs, there would be a lot more done in terms of de-escalating and putting trust in the community."

In the meantime, Kimbrough envisions a busy future for Black Lives Matter Morristown. The chapter met with police chiefs last summer, and she hopes they're still open to holding those conversations.

She also sees the chapter continuing to increase its presence throughout Morris County. If anything, she hopes Chauvin's conviction serves as a catalyst for local change.

"We want to see it trickle down locally," she said. "I hope this is an example. I hope this can take away the bricks from this blue wall. I hope officers can see this and think ‘maybe I won’t get in trouble if I speak up. Maybe I won’t be terminated or suspended if I tell a senior officer, hey look, you’re doing too much.’"

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