In 2016, about 1,000 people were killed by police. Many of them were black or Latino. This epidemic has left the community asking how can we be safe while being black. It has also forced us to face the fact that we now have to educate our children on how to interact with law enforcement to help keep them alive.Thanks to various organizations around the country the job of educating our children has gotten a bit easier. 

Many organizations are helping proactive parents have the tough conversations with their children about potentially fatal encounters with law enforcement. The goal of classes such as "Race & the Law," put on by Jack and Jill of America, Inc, is not to instill fear within children, but to teach them how to approach and interact with law enforcement without being completely afraid of them. One parent told The Washington Post why he felt compelled to have his sons participate: “My wife and I really want to build into them a sense of possibility, of purpose. So, it is beyond disheartening for me to also have to say, ‘Boys, no matter how you dress, speak or interact with someone, there is still that possibility that you are going to be treated like a savage.’ But that is where we are. That’s what a responsible father just has to do.”

Not only are we seeing an influx of classes being taught but we've also seen celebrities join forces to add their voice to the discussion and speak out against police brutality. We're also seeing an increase in the number of resources that teach you about your rights when interacting with officers. The ACLU has created "Know Your Rights" pamphlets to inform people on what to do when they are pulled over and other matters. 

The growing number of educational tools to train our children is great, but the growing need to train our law enforcement is even greater. With 2017 just starting out, we can only hope that both sides of the table are learning how to safely interact with one another. 


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