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Recently, my mom called me in absolute tears. What she said made me freeze. "Keaon, we didn't escape one police state to come to another." The weight has been sitting on me.
My dad was 20 years old when the Iranian Gov kicked down his door and dragged him away in chains
Recently, my mom called me in absolute tears. What she said made me freeze. "Keaon, we didn't escape one police state to come to another." The weight has been sitting on me.
My dad was 20 years old when the Iranian Gov kicked down his door and dragged him away in chains
His crime? He opposed Ayatollah Khomeini and organized for human rights. For the next 18 months, he was physically and psychologically tortured.
Every night he begged to die. Beyond the emotional scars, he has a gunshot wound on his lower arm, a physical reminder.
Every night he begged to die. Beyond the emotional scars, he has a gunshot wound on his lower arm, a physical reminder.
He confessed that seeing how aggressive and militarized the police was caused him to have PTSD episodes. He was shaking, that me, his only child was experiencing the same state violence that he tried to escape from in Iran.
He sought asylum in America and did everything right.
He sought asylum in America and did everything right.
He worked multiple jobs for 20 hours/day, dropped out of college to pay for my mom's education so she could graduate from college, and started his own businesses across the Twin Cities, hiring mainly immigrants, BIPOC, and anyone that needed a chance while paying a livable wage.
Among his businesses, the autobody shop on 37th & Chicago--one block from where George Floyd was murdered--has been in the neighborhood nearly 30 years
On the front of his shop is a community mural of Tyesha Edwards, an 11-year-old who was killed by a stray bullet.
On the front of his shop is a community mural of Tyesha Edwards, an 11-year-old who was killed by a stray bullet.
38th & Chicago used to be one of the roughest parts of the city.
I remember spending much of my time growing up outside of my dad's shop and witnessing and hearing violence and crime.
But, what stopped the violence and changed the neighborhood wasn't more police.
I remember spending much of my time growing up outside of my dad's shop and witnessing and hearing violence and crime.
But, what stopped the violence and changed the neighborhood wasn't more police.
I asked my dad when he noticed the neighborhood change.
He said it's when the city invested in the neighborhood and helped bring in more BIPOC businesses, community organizations, and art.
When the neighborhood was empowered and supported, everyone did better and crime fell.
He said it's when the city invested in the neighborhood and helped bring in more BIPOC businesses, community organizations, and art.
When the neighborhood was empowered and supported, everyone did better and crime fell.
If you invest in neighbors and empower them to fix their community they will.
If you invest in more armed officers and all they have is a hammer, everything will look like a nail.
If you invest in more armed officers and all they have is a hammer, everything will look like a nail.
MPD's budget was $193.3 million in 2020.
I rather reinvest that budget into neighbors and start building up the community.
My bet is on actual neighbors to roll up their sleeves and create a safer, better Minneapolis than the 8% of the 800+ officers who live in Minneapolis.
I rather reinvest that budget into neighbors and start building up the community.
My bet is on actual neighbors to roll up their sleeves and create a safer, better Minneapolis than the 8% of the 800+ officers who live in Minneapolis.
