#RolandMartinUnfiltered - 8.9 #RMU: 5th anniv of #MichaelBrown's murder; ICE raids in MS; Biden misspeaks about poor kids

Episode Date: August 13, 2019

8.9.19 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: 5th anniv of #MichaelBrown's murder; ICE conducts an an unprecedented immigration sweep on the first day of school in Morton, Mississippi; Biden misspeaks about poor kids not being as talented as white kids + Roland interviews Brian Banks Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Today is Friday, August 9th, 2019. This is Roland Martin Unfiltered, broadcasting live from Miami, site of the National Association of Black Journalists Commission. Coming up on today's show, it's been five years since the death of Mike Brown. We'll talk to his father about this day, how the family feels, and what he still wants to do to seek justice for the police officer who shot and killed his son. Also on the show, we'll talk about Brian Banks, a brother who served time in prison for a crime he did not commit.

My interview with him on the very issue. Vice President Joe Biden screws up again. He says that poor kids can learn as much as white kids. Hmm. I'll unpack that. And while the media plays a role in that sort of thinking. Also, folks, on the show, a brother wants to buy a home. He is about to close on it, then discovers that the homeowner has applied to the KKK. I don't think he bought the house. It's time

to bring the funk and Roller Martin, the fine. And when it breaks, he's right on time. And it's rolling. Best believe he's knowing. Putting it down from sports to news to politics. With entertainment just for kicks. He's rolling. It's Uncle Roro, y'all. It's Rolling Martin.

Rolling with rolling now. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's Roland Martin. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Rolling with Roland now. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's funky, he's fresh, he's real the best. You know he's Roland Martin now. Martin. I'm back, my friend. Hey, my man. Folks, that's what it sounded like on the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, five years ago, August 2014, when Mike Brown was killed by Ferguson police there. What transpired since was really the Black Lives Matter really blew up. Activists all across the country launched initiatives leading to massive protests across the country also legislation that begin to change the

whole dynamic when it comes to mass incarceration as well as police brutality of course a Dorian Johnson was one of those men who said that Mike Brown had his hands up at the time of the shooting of course people also remember that the body of Mike Brown was there in the streets for a very long period before his body was taken away, causing, again, more people to be angry with how the treatment took place. So many things have taken place since the death of Mike Brown five years ago, but certainly for his family. It was a very difficult situation because they're still dealing with that. His mother, of course, Carolyn McFadden, she ran for public office recently for the City Council did not

win but right now we're joined by Mike Brown senior the father of Mike Brown to get his thoughts and reflections on this day and what he still wants to see happen when it comes to justice for his son Michael Roland Martin welcome to Roland Martin unfiltered man How you doing, brother? Man, it's good to always talk to you and see you. Unfortunately, we connected as a result of the death of your son. Even though it's five years later, it still has to be hard for you not to be able to hug your son, to see him grow up, to see him date, to see him go to work him go to work and not to hear his sound of his voice at all what are your feelings on this day five years later

definitely emotions is all over the place you know we still dealing you know today ended up being a okay day. We had the press conference this morning demanding the prosecutor, the new prosecutor, to reopen the case. 11 a.m. we did the regular ceremony, you know, and then now we are into community day where we have vendors and people, we have people from all over the place here, you know, so it's kind of, it's kind of happy, sad, you know, day, you know, because I'm definitely seeing people enjoy their self-aware. So that kind of helps. That kind of helps.

When we hear the phrase, someone did not die in vain. The reality is the death of your son coming on literally right after the death of eric garner um the death of uh of course um uh in uh walmart in beaver creek ohio of john crawford the third all of those deaths literally happened weeks apart. If we can say his death was not in vain is that it led to this massive resistance, the waking up of a generation of people who said, like Fan Lou Hamer, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired, and they really took to the streets and organized and really began to move. And now we have DAs, progressive DAs being elected.

You have a new district attorney there in St. Louis County. You have folks who are now talking about mass incarceration. We have pressure on Congress, pressure on President Barack Obama, pressure on governors. All of that really came out of not just, of course, the jury verdict in Trayvon Martin, but really culminated and really took off with the death of your son. That has to at least provide you some sense of solace. Well, you know, it's moving forward, you know. Definitely these people that's getting in the office, they need to start doing their job, you know.

You've been voted in to do what you're supposed to do or what you're committed to. So we're just waiting to see what's next. Obviously, things did not change as fast there in Ferguson with the election of a city council there. There was a new police chief in Ferguson as well. What do you want to see happen now, five years after the death of your son? What more do you want to see done? I want the case reopened. I want the case reopened, and I definitely want police to do more engaging into the community. You know, they need to start knocking on doors, you know, jumping out their car, playing with the community, you know,

and introducing themselves as community because they are part of the community you know introducing myself as community because they are that they're part of the community you know so we definitely need them to start doing a lot of changes on that and I guess that's a start well Mike Brown it is always a pleasure brother to see you our prayers certainly continue to go out to you and the family uh it is it is a very difficult day just like every day uh since his death uh but uh i will say that our focus will continue to be highlighting these stories holding folks accountable and we certainly want to see other folks african-americans and others stand up for righteousness and holding police accountable uh for these type of uh killings and we certainly appreciate you joining us on this day. No problem, thank you for

having me. All right brother thanks a lot. I want to introduce my panel right now Johanna DeBlanc, National Security and Foreign Affairs legal analyst, Lauren Victoria Burke, she's with the NNPA, Robert Portillo, civil rights attorney. Robert I want to start with you as I said there to Mike Brown Sr., we saw a tremendous response to the death of Mike Brown. We can talk about Gina Six. We can talk about Trayvon Martin, the protests, the mobilization after his death. But then, of course, also with the verdict in the George Zimmerman case. But there was something different that happened with Mike Brown that led to this massive change when it comes to activism in the United States. You're absolutely right. I think what it did was empower a generation.

It empowered a group of people who have never been talked to before, who realized that the civil rights movement in the 1960s was not upon Mount Olympus, but rather was built by young people, by young people who were enthusiastic, who were ready to make a change. And I think that this movement still continues, because what we have failed to see is the changes in policing policy that were promised after Ferguson. Every jurisdiction around the country said, we're going to switch to community policing. We're going to get officers out of the cars and walking the streets. We're going to have more people from the neighborhood policing those communities and have more interaction EVERY JURISDICTION AROUND THE COUNTRY SAYS WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH TO COMMUNITY POLICING. WE'RE GOING TO GET OFFICERS OUT OF THE CARS AND WALKING THE STREETS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING THOSE COMMUNITIES

AND HAVE MORE INTERACTION WITH THE ACTUAL CITIZENS BETWEEN OFFICERS. WE HAVE NOT SEEN THIS HAPPEN. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TURN THOSE IDEAS OF ACTIVISM INTO ACTUAL POLICIES. WE'VE SEEN NEW DAs ELECTED, NEW SOLICITORS ELECTED NATIONWIDE. WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT PUSH GOING. WE HAVE TO REDUCE THE PRISON POPULATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS, new solicitors elected nationwide. We have to keep that push going. We have to reduce the prison population for African Americans, stop the over-policing of black communities

that led to shootings such as Mike Brown, and have an understanding that police policy is community policy, and if we're not involved in such, then we are the victims of such. Lauren Victoria Burke, the reality is there are some people who will say nothing has changed, it's all the same, but frankly that's a lie.

Things have actually happened, but the reality is the wheels of justice are slow. And the time that people have put in has been effective. You think about the bill that Congressman Bobby Scott passed where Black Lives Matter activists, where he said to the Republicans, y'all better pass this bill when it comes to police killings or there's going to be a problem. Republicans heard that. So you have seen action. You've seen action on the local, state, national level. It's just a matter of needing more action. Yeah, Congressman Scott's bill was, of course, a bill to just count, to mandate that there had to be a count of people who were killed by police. You would think that we would have been doing that already, but actually

we weren't. And to, even though the bill passed, it's hard to get the Justice Department to actually do it. I actually think that Michael Brown's death is really sort of attached to Trayvon Martin, which of course happens in 2012, two years before. Obviously there was a legislative push behind Stand Your Ground that was not particularly successful, but what happens two years later in Ferguson was of course the furtherance of the Black Lives Matter movement in a more dramatic way that actually I think ignited not just Black Lives Matter and younger, a younger generation of activists, but it actually ignited the older legacy civil rights groups as well, because I think they felt very conscious of the fact that these younger groups were coming,

and so they had to do a little bit more and a little bit more than they had been doing, so it really ignited everybody. It not only rose the consciousness, it had some real electoral effects, obviously Wesley Bell and the defeat of Robert McCullough, which was huge. So it ignited the Ferguson community to finally wake up to their voting power, which took a long time, probably longer than it should have. But we're at a place now where, thanks to a lot of those activists from Ferguson, there's

a deeper analysis on criminal justice policy that we didn't see before and it's a really deep dive policy driven analysis is not that it wasn't there before but they're even more and and younger activists are driving it so that was really good to see johanna was also clears at this thing with international the rally is many of these actors they've actually traveled around the world aligning themselves with activists from other parts of the globe.

You've had folks in other countries communicating through social media, talking about what they need to be doing in their countries. And so the death of Mike Brown really did spark a global movement, not just here in the United States. Yeah, really, Martin. I would agree. The notion of the use of excessive force by police officers is not unique only to the United States. It's actually a global phenomenon. In fact, places like South Africa, after that incident occurred, people rose up and people were protesting in their own

respective communities, in their own respective countries, about some of the flawed systems that they have that targeted people of color. And as you know, South Africa is a place where, you know, that has a history of the apartheid system, very similar to the United States when it comes to race relations pertaining to people of color. So South Africans throughout South Africa rallied and they were protesting because they too could relate to what was happening here in the U.S. But another point I want to make, Roland, is that yes, what happened in Ferguson was tragic.

There has been a great push. There has been a lot of activism. But what I want is, I want the policies around the use of excessive force, the laws, to change. Because ultimately, until that law changes in various countries, in various jurisdictions, you won't really see that much of improvement in terms of how police react when they encounter people of color in the area of, you know, how they feel when, you know, if they're being attacked by someone or they feel threatened by someone. So until the law changes at the state, local, maybe even the federal level, we won't really see much change.

I really want to see these policies changed. Well, again, though, but the reality is here, and that is you're not going to see such change on the federal level because, frankly, local law enforcement is local. And that's one of the things I think the activists also learned, that was such a focus on federal congressional action. But then for people who didn't understand the process, they begin to realize it's like, okay, goodness, man, I think it's really on the local level, which is why we've

seen the last five years, a different push for district attorneys, because they're the ones who actually prosecute. They're the ones who go to the grand jury. And so again, we've seen the election of progressive DAs and the reality of Lauren and Robert that would not have happened without this realization in the aftermath of the death of Mike Brown another thing that would not have happened is that in 2015 DOJ looked at Ferguson and saw how the local police department was shaking down the local community in terms of fines and fees and it was so pervasive that the DOJ was able to put together a huge report on it, something that everybody had suspected, that the black community was being over-policed,

but it had a major economic impact as well. Well, and just kind of to piggyback on that idea of the federal role in this, let's not undercut the power of the federal government to regulate issues such as this. We have a Department of Justice right now that does not investigate civil rights violations, THEM. WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT DOES NOT INVESTIGATE CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, THAT DOES NOT PROSECUTE POLICE OFFICERS FOR EVEN THE MOST EGREGIOUS CASES OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND VIOLATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.

IN THE 1960s, WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WAS ABLE TO DO WAS GO INTO LOCAL RACIST JURISDICTIONS AND REGULATE THINGS AND CHANGE THE LOCAL POLICIES THAT COULD NOT BE CHANGED ON THE LOCAL LEVEL. SO WHILE WE HAVE THESE

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES RUNNING AROUND TALKING ABOUT BUSSING IN THE 1970s, WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT DOES NOT INVESTIGATE CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND DOES NOT PROSECUTE POLICE OFFICERS FOR EVEN THE MOST EGREGIOUS CASES OF jurisdictions and regulate things and change the local policies that cannot be changed on the local level. So while we have these presidential candidates running around talking about busing in the 1970s and talking about reparations and talking about every other issue under the sun, we have to make sure we hold their feet to the fire because this is the longest sustained social action our community has had probably in the last 30 years. And we need to see this taken as a

number one priority by the people who are asking for our votes yes and i agree with that folks so tight hold on real quick real quick go ahead and i certainly um agree with um thank you robert for elaborating on the role that the federal government plays because when it comes to allegations of civil rights abuse it is a federal legislation that governs that. So the federal government does play a role. Now, I also understand that when it comes to the hiring of, you know, district attorneys and such, they also play a critical role. But there also needs to be a police reform all across the globe, all across the U.S., rather. Well, but again, though, but the reality is there are steps to doing that. I think people actually learned that, that it wasn't just like flip a switch and it's actually done.

Folks, hold tight one second. I'm going to go to commercial break when we come back. Vice President Joe Biden makes some interesting comments about poor kids and white kids. I'm going to unpack why the media has played a role in what Joe Biden said. Y'all can't wait for this analysis. I'm broadcasting live from the National Association of Black Journalists Convention here in Miami, back on Roland Martin Unfiltered in just a moment. You want to check out Roland Martin Unfiltered?

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marijuana stock.org that's marijuana stock.org get in the game and you can do it now all right folks vice president joe biden made some comments today that had all folks on social media talking. We're discussing in Iowa education and talking about poor kids and white kids. Press play. And the other thing we should do is we should challenge these students. We should challenge students in these schools that have advanced placement programs in these schools. We have this notion that somehow if you're poor, you cannot do it. Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids, wealthy kids, black kids, Asian kids.

I don't really mean it, but think how we think about it. All right, Robert. Folks said, oh, my God, this is a gaffe. What was he doing? But here's the reality, Robert, that we have to acknowledge. The news media has played a critical role in framing this theme that when you talk about poor, that means black. So not just when it comes to education, but anything. The reality is there are more poor white people in America because there are more white people in America. But what has happened is when you talk about poor, I guarantee you, if you do the study, if somebody says, what's the first thought that comes to your mind when you say poor, they are going to think black. So it's no surprise

when Joe Biden made that comment, because that's exactly how America thinks, because we have been framed to think when you think poor, you mean black. Well, I think also the media is really trying to help reelect Trump, because on the same day that we're talking about 600 migrants getting deported and taken away from their children, we got blood still on the streets in Dayton and in El Paso. We're still getting over the ship them back controversy. We're still getting over the Birmingham controversy. Joe Biden immediately corrected himself within two words, where he said white, and then he said wealthy, because he meant to say wealthy. And now this is the thing dominating the headlines today. We do not understand what we are upINCE THE YEAR 1900, ONLY

FOUR ELECTED PRESIDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN REELECTED. IF WE'RE GOING TO TURN EVERY SLIP OF THE TONGUE BY A 70-SOMETHING-YEAR-OLD MAN INTO A NEW RACIST CONTROVERSY, Y'ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE FOUR MORE YEARS OF TRUMP, EIGHT MORE YEARS OF PENCE, THEN FOUR YEARS OF IVANKA, THEN EIGHT YEARS OF DON JR., AND THEN ERIC AND THEN THE APOCALYPSE WILL BE HERE. SO EITHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REALISTIC IDEA OF THE WAY THAT and then Eric, and then the apocalypse will be here. So either we're going to have a realistic idea of the way that people speak in crowds, or we're going to turn this into the newest racist controversy. Lauren, that's what's really stupid about this, because, again, if the media had any credibility,

if they had any sense whatsoever, they would say, wait a minute, how could that happen? And it is because in this nation, it has been framed, when you say poor, it means black. Yeah, well, you know, here it is. I mean, Joe Biden is 76 years old. He's been in politics for 46 years. It is no shock to me that he just used African-Americans interchangeably with poverty. I mean, this is like not surprising. And we're going to see more of this because, to me, Joe Biden is in a lot of ways sort of the second coming of Hillary Clinton in terms of being one of these candidates who on paper has the goods, but their electoral history would indicate that there's a reason why they haven't won on a nationwide level. Now, Joe Biden has run before and has had problems before, and there's a reason why they haven't won on a nationwide level.

Now, Joe Biden has run before and has had problems before, and there's no reason to think that's not going to happen again. He's got other competition in the race that, frankly, to me, is smarter and quicker than he is, even though these people are not that much younger than he is. Like, you know, Senator Warren is not that much younger, but she's still smarter and quicker and savvier than Joe Biden is. And we're going to see more of that. And to Robert's point, yeah, I mean, you can't make it easy. OK, all right. I mean, I get that the media is not the best at covering these things.

The media has never been particularly good at covering racial topics, but you can't just hand them stuff. And what the RNC is very good at and conservatives, Republican Party are very good at is messaging. So the minute he said that, they got that out there and they got everybody thinking about it and they got it trending on Twitter. And so now we're all talking about it. So whose fault is that other than Joe Biden? He's got to be more careful about what he says. And he's not particularly, that's not something that is his strong suit.

And I have a feeling we're going to be having this conversation again. And quite frankly, I hate to admit it, but Donald Trump is good at messaging. He's good at comms. He doesn't fool around. He goes right for the juggler. He knows what he's doing. He knows what he wants to get out there. He knows how to fill the box and fill the cycle with his messaging.

So everybody who's running against him has got to understand that every time something happens. And unfortunately to me in this field of Democrats, Biden is not the strongest player when it comes to that. Johanna, bottom line is that I do believe media goes overkill on some of these stories. He did immediately correct himself. So it's not like he left it there and then sent a press release out later. Yeah, I have to agree with my co-panelist, Robert, here on this issue. I think that the media is very strategic. The media knows what people want to hear, right?

And people who are not paying attention, people who don't get a chance to read the full story or the full article will immediately go to the notion that oh you know senator biden said you know black people are poor something of that effect um so if people who are critical thinkers will think a bit deeper into it but i think the media is doing a really good job in terms of trying to get um donald trump re-elected and i think if we're and if we're looking for a perfect candidate we're never going to find one. So good luck with that. He is going to make mistakes. He is going to say things that may not sound perfect when it's taken out of context. But we have to realize that if the Democratic Party wants a nominee, we need to be less divisive, less critical. Just to hop in real quick, I need the news media to stop being so transparent and trying to turn I NEED THE NEWS MEDIA TO STOP BEING SO TRANSPARENT AND TRYING TO TURN ELIZABETH WARREN INTO A

THING. ELIZABETH WARREN ISN'T A THING. SHE'S POLLING AT 12% NATIONALLY. I'VE NEVER SEEN AN ELIZABETH WARREN BUMPER STICKER. I DISAGREE. BUT HOLD ON. I DISAGREE. EVERY SINGLE DEBATE, THERE WAS A DEBATE WHERE TULSI GABBARD WON, THEY SAID ELIZABETH WARREN

WON. EVERY SINGLE MSNBC IS SEEING THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO TURN ELIZABETH WARREN INTO THE NEW TREND, INTO THE NEW THING, INTO COKE ZERO, BUT NOBODY IS ACTUALLY OUT HERE CALLING FOR IT. NBC seeing that they're trying to turn Elizabeth Warren into like the new trend into the new thing into coke zero But nobody's actually out here calling for it And that's why they're cannibalizing doing exactly what President Obama said not to do with this former circular firing squad Trying to make Elizabeth Warren into a thing when the people aren't calling for her as a thing Warren is polling at number two in the polls right now and she is surging in the polls right now And it's not a matter of turning anybody to think. There is a reason we have primaries, okay?

And there's a reason why the Democratic Party flopped last time by just having Hillary Clinton and anointing her the candidate and deciding that she was going to be it. That was a mistake. The way you find the best person is you have competition. And so there are going to be moments when everybody says, wow, you know, we're criticizing the frontrunner and that's not a good thing but that's why you do this because you do end up in my view

you do end up with the best person. Not only are you criticizing the frontrunner it's just the notion that you know we're not we're not getting the full story we're being critical and we're it seems like we are looking for a perfect candidate and that's not going to happen so we need to wake up and understand that there is no such thing and accept people candidates how, how they are, because we know we have Biden's track record. It was the vice president to President Barack Obama. And some of the policies under the Obama administration were not that bad. So I think that he's a good contender and we need to stop this notion of a perfect candidate. All right, folks. All right. Now it's time for our weekly American Worker segment sponsored

by AFSCME. I'm going to go ahead and close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to

close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to

close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call. I'm going to close the call and you're about to close on it you discover that the homeowner has an application to the KKK is actually what happened in Holton Michigan where this brother saw first of all saw a confederate flag on the dining room table and then guess what the homeowner was a police officer when the family and their real estate agent went upstairs to check one of the bedrooms Robert Mathis and his son noticed a lone wooden plaque holding

an aged yellow document they were disgusted when they saw it was an application to the KKK neither needless to say they didn't buy the house one of things that we got to actually deal with and we're seeing more of this Robert and that is these white supremacists who are police departments and in the military well you know I had an interview with the KKK on my radio show about a year ago and one thing they made very clear because we were talking about the Charlottesville protests is that those are the people that you don't really need to worry

about the people who are out there in the streets waving flags the ones who wear hoods the one who was ones who are still burning crosses aren't the people that you don't really need to worry about. The people who are out there in the streets waving flags, the ones who wear hoods, the ones who are still burning crosses, aren't the people you need to worry about because those are the people with no power. Those are the people with nothing to lose. Those are the people who don't care about their faces being on television because they don't have a job to lose. They don't control anything. The people that we need to be concerned about are the white supremacists who wear uniforms, who put on a suit every day, who put on a robe and sit behind a bench. And they have been working for the past 50 years to rebuild what they call the invisible empire, which is to control this nation, not from the front end, not in the media, not in the streets, but from the levers of power in the

background. So this is completely not surprising that these things were there. The only thing surprising is they left them out in the open, because guess what? The Ku Klux Klan application has been digitized for about 15 years now. You can join the Ku Klux Klan on Facebook now. There's an app you can download if you really want to be a Klansman and all these other organizations. So what we need to do is be more vigilant, not of the overt images of white supremacy and racism, but the absolute ideology that's controlling the halls of power including our judiciary system and our state state legislatures around the country johanna i think that um there was one um one analyst or someone

who works either for fox or cnn that, you know, the whole notion of white supremacy is not a real thing and that we need to get over. That's that was that was hold up. That was Tucker Carlson, a host on Fox News. There you go. Thank you, Roland Martin, for that. And I think this this shows exactly why people are concerned about white supremacy, because it is alive and they are working and they're working hard to ensure that their policies are pushed and that they have their people elected in various offices to push their agenda so we need to be concerned and it's very alarming that this gentleman he found that in a home that he was trying to purchase it's a real problem in our country it's not something that

happened in the in the 50s and the 40s. It is something that is happening today. White supremacy is an issue. And of course, Lauren, we also know 380 cops who were identified on these Facebook page with their racist comments. Some of them have been fired, but these are people who actually walk around with a badge and a gun.

Yeah, well, you know, it should be no surprise to us, given the history in the United States of the justice system, that this is the case. It's always been the case. What we do about it really is the only question. How we handle it contemporarily is what the question is. And with Donald Trump around, it makes people a lot more bolder than they are, which is why we have Tucker Carlson all of a sudden on vacation

because you know there's always this group of people who tries to mainstream these views so we have to fight harder against it absolutely all right folks I think we now we can go to our American workers is sponsored by AFSCME. The Mean Green Machine of AFSCME is on a roll. Earlier this month, the governor of Nevada signed a bill empowering 20,000 state employees with collective bargaining rights. They now have a seat at the table to negotiate for a fair return on their work, for safer working conditions, and more. This is the biggest expansion of collective bargaining rights for state employees in any state since 2003.

And it comes on the heels of a similar win for Delaware state workers, improving their ability to bargain for better wages. In Illinois, AFSCME members endured a four-year reign of terror under former Governor Bruce Rauner. Rauner wouldn't even come to the table with us. But now, with a new pro-worker governor in office, we have a tentative contract that honors the contributions state employees make to their communities. State employees in Pennsylvania have reached a four year tentative agreement with the Commonwealth. Members are currently voting on ratification and preliminary results are very positive. We're also seeing progress on the federal level. The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act was just introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This bill gives public employees rights and protections enjoyed by those in the private sector. It requires public employers to recognize unions when a majority of employees want one, to bargain over wages, hours, and terms of employment, to provide access to a dispute resolution mechanism, and to allow union members to voluntarily deduct union dues from their paycheck. It was exactly a year ago that the Supreme Court issued its decision in Janus v. AFSCME. A lot of so-called experts thought we couldn't bounce back. They thought Janus would be a knockout blow.

They thought wrong. Instead, we're growing, surging, and winning. Now, we need to build on the momentum. Call your member of Congress at this number and tell them to co-sponsor the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act. Tell them to unrig the economy by giving working people the power to take collective action through a strong union. Tell them to give working people the voice on the job they need and the basic respect they deserve. As I said, folks, we're here at the National Association of Black Journalists Commission here in Miami. And of course, next year we're going to be in Washington, D.C., and then the following year in Houston. Just a few moments ago, the results revealed here at NABJ who the next president is going to be.

So joining me right now is Dorothy Tucker, who is currently vice president of broadcasts on the board, who will assume the mantle of president when we convene on we in the convention on Sunday she's reporter longtime reporter at WBBM TV in Chicago so you should be feeling pretty good I am thrilled I am numb I am humbled I am so grateful for the support of anyABJ members, for the people who campaigned with me, campaigned for me. It really was an honor to run this campaign and get an opportunity to talk to so many of our members and to hear their recommendations and their concerns and just engage with them. It was fabulous. And I so look forward to being able to lead an organization of such talented, beautiful, skilled, experienced journalists, you know,

and to take us into the next few years. 4,421 members announced on Tuesday. More than 4,000 folks at this convention, our highest ever. 75% of this membership, Gen X, Millennial, or Gen Z. So what's the plan? Well, the plan is to continue to do what we're doing. However, there are some things that we will build upon. You know, I mean, having been VP of Broadcast for the last four years,

having sat next to Sarah Glover, who did a fabulous job, I mean, having been VP of broadcast for the last four years, having sat next to Sarah Glover, who did a fabulous job, I learned a lot. I think there are some things that we can improve upon. And when we talk about young journalists, I really want to make sure that we set a system in place so that we can make sure that they are in the pipeline and they can assume more leadership positions, that their voices can be heard. But at the same time, we have mid-year journalists

and we have veteran journalists. So I want to make sure that we serve all of our journalists with better training, with more training, with more workshops, with collaborations between our organization and some other organizations so that we can network more so I mean there is so much that I look forward to doing you know and the great thing about it is that I have a great board and people like you on the board who are hard workers who have I want to so you know

I'll still be here and really you know when you when you look at the makeup of the board when you look at the makeup of the board, when you look at the people in the office, the future is limitless. So I just left with the last question. I just left a meeting in the suite of our executive director with four black general managers and not a single one of them was on a panel. And one of them, a couple of them actually said they submitted workshops and none were accepted. And what I said to them is, I said, one, that ain't going to happen again

because here they are at the pinnacle, if you will, of local television, and our folks need to see black general managers so we don't only think we can be television anchors or reporters. Well, you know, that's true. But you said four. And that was just who's in the media more. But well, but that even tells you, you know, that still is disturbing that only four would be here. The percentages of African-Americans in positions, in upper management, the

numbers are not high. Yep. And that is something that I am committed to changing. And that is something that we're going to continue to talk to the newspapers and the networks and the digital companies to push for diversity and to make sure that we can increase those numbers. But as far as the organization, I completely agree with you. We've got to make sure that people like that who in those powerful positions

That our members get a chance to see them hear from them and touch them because you know They're important one more final question like a black church like a preacher one more final question the main the main reason that Well, I said do the video where look I served with all three people who run for president on different boards. I said the most important thing for me was activism. And I do believe that we are the largest journalism organization of people of color. And we must make it perfectly clear to this industry that it's not going to be business as usual. And we're not going to be playing games in quiet when we see no black folks in executive positions

They need to feel us and if we got to go hard That has to happen because we're 24 years away from America America America been nation majority people of color We should we will not be having this conversation 24 years and should not no absolutely And you know the thing is when you look at the numbers in the newsroom and upper management, they are dismal. So we have a lot of work to do. I mean, we've done a lot of work, and we will continue on this track

to make sure that our message of demanding diversity is heard. All right. President-elect Tucker, I'll see you at the meeting on Sunday. All right. All right. Thank you. Thank you. All right, folks. Dorothy Tucker again, just elected president of National Association of Black Journalists.

And, yes, I was running unopposed, so I will continue for the next two years as vice president digital of the National Association of Black Journalists. Ken Lemon will be our VP of broadcast, and so we certainly look forward to our leadership. All right, folks. Beginning today all across the country. The movie the Brian Banks stories debuting in theaters nationwide. He's a young man. Of course he was acute confused. He was accused of rape. The woman who accused him he went to prison. He later she later recanted he was exonerated. Now it's going to the big screen. We were at essence festival in july had opportunity to catch up

with Brian Banks to talk about this powerful movie. Boyhood dreams got no place in a man's life. You need to concentrate on getting employed. Forget about football. When I was young, it was hard to see a way out. Football gave me an option. Brian Banks with the tackle. That's not what I mean.

By the time I was 16, I had the attention of the NFL. The sky is the limit for this kid. So what happened? Why don't you play anymore? Brian Banks was 16 years old when he was accused of a crime he did not commit. He lost 11 years of scholarship. He was prevented from playing football. The system is broken. We have 10 months to clear his name.

If in that time they do not overturn your conviction, you'll be a prisoner again. I need something big. Something extraordinary. It's extraordinary that I'm still here. I'm still standing. Yeah! You ever been locked up? They nearly killed me. How did you survive it?

Almost dead. Then I met a man who showed me a different way. All you can control in life is how you respond to life. I know what I have to do now. My son is innocent! You think you'll get another shot at the NFL? Trust me, we got a plan.

I am innocent, and the truth matters! I know the system doesn't care about me. But you didn't deserve what happened to you. Brian's going to run out of time. I'll tell you what's extraordinary. I am. First off, man, good to see you. We communicate on social media.

Finally, I get to meet as well. It still has to good to see you. We communicate on social media. Finally, I get to meet as well. It still has to be surreal for you how this story has just reverberated around. And you are like so many other black men who have been accused of crimes, who had to go to prison, who had life derailed. But in some cases, guys, guys were not 30, 40 years. Luckily, that wasn't the case for you. Yeah. My case was definitely not a unique situation or not a rare situation, but the way it was handled and the expediency of it was definitely different.

But, yeah, it was definitely, but yeah, it was, uh, it was definitely, you know, it's an, it's an experience and it's a family experience. It's not only just something that I went through, but it was something that my mom went through, something that my brother and sister went through. And it's something that I always talk about is wrongful convictions, not only affect the person who is incarcerated, but the family, the community, and so forth. So, yeah. And now, of course, with this movie, now by being on the big screen and being able to tell it, we think about when they see us, what that did for the exonerated five,

former Central Park five. Storytelling allows for a different audience to learn about what happened. It's so important that our stories, people of color, black men, black women, it's important that our stories are told. I think we kind of live in a life of normalcy where so many tragic things happen to us that we normalize it in our minds and we don't share these stories because it's such a common experience that we go through.

But I think it's important that we do turn these serious stories into forms of art for people who are not aware of the things that we encounter on an every single day basis and for those who need to be educated upon the judicial system, how our society works, how our society views us, looks at us, and what we want to see change within our system. It's imperative that films like this are made and that we go out and support them. If we're not there to support them, then they assume that these stories don't matter. How was it, though, for you to sit there and watch you on the screen, but it wasn't you and you're having to watch your story and receive it the way everybody else receives it?

It's hard. I'm not going to lie to you. I've had an opportunity of being in several screenings of the film, and I do more of crowd watching now than I do the film. But for the first three times seeing it, it was hard to disassociate myself from the film because it was something that I actually lived and experienced. So watching certain moments of my life and tragic experiences be shown on the screen, it was like reliving it all over again but i understand but i understand the importance and the value of making a film such as this yes it's cool to get my story out there for people to know who i am and what i've been through that's cool more importantly this is a movie for

those who cannot speak for themselves those who who are currently behind bars, who right now, as you and I speak, are in a cage for something that they didn't do. And that's my last question. How does it make you feel when you hear somebody say, I didn't do this, and the public go, oh, they all say that? You know, it's one of those things where I can relate all too well. There were so many days where I screamed, begged, and played for somebody to listen, and nobody did. And then when finally people started to listen, then other people started to come around and go,

oh, he was telling the truth this whole time. I think it's just one of those situations where if you weren't there and you don't know what actually happened, it's hard to look at somebody and say, you know, I do believe you that you didn't commit this crime. But if there's substantial evidence, if there's clear proof that this person didn't commit this crime and they can show you that, then you have a different situation. You got a different story. In my case, that was that situation. There was no DNA. There was no witnesses. This woman had five, six different stories. And still, they put me behind bars for six years. Brian Banks, looking forward to the movie. Brother, so glad to see you here.

Likewise. And I think folks will certainly learn something from it. Thank you. It's an honor to meet you in person finally. Thank you for everything that you do, keeping us informed. Please continue your work. We need it. Will do.

I appreciate it. Thank you, brother. Thank you. All right, folks, that's it for this week this edition of Rolling Bar and Unfiltered. I certainly want to thank Johanna. I want to thank Lauren, Robert, for joining me on the show today. Of course, we've had a grand time here at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention in Miami. We've been live streaming events all day.

We had a Hall of Fame luncheon earlier, and so you missed that. My man Gary Howard, the first black head of the Sports Editor Association, gave a phenomenal speech, Tom Joyner. I got his Hall of Fame Award as well, so you can catch it on our YouTube channel, some of the other sessions as well. I had a conversation with Uber executive Tony West, the brother-in-law of Senator Kamala Harris.

That's also available for you to check out. We also want to thank all of all the folks who are in the Roland Martin Unfiltered Bring the Funk fan club. Your dollars make it possible for us to be able to come to places like NABJ, to be able to do this show, to bring you the different voices that you're not going to hear anywhere else. This is about we cover black people. We are about covering our issues, covering our people from our perspective, unapologetic. This is independently owned. No corporate entity owns owns us it's about being able to tell

our stories I want you right now go to Roland Martin unfiltered calm Roland Martin unfiltered calm join our bring the funk fan club support us financially with your dollars you can pay via cash app you pay via square you pay via PayPal but trust me every dollar you give goes to our staff, goes to equipment, goes to every facet of this show to make possible

what we do. Every Friday, we end the show, of course, with running the list of all the people who don't want to see our show. If you don't see your name, send me an email. We'll double check. Make sure to get it on there. And so we want to thank you as well. I'm not going to be here Monday.

There'll be a guest host. I'll be in Los Angeles for the Cedric the Entertainer Golf Tournament. I'll have my camera with me. Bring it back. Some great interviews for you as well. And so we look forward to that. I'll be back in the saddle on Tuesday. All right, folks.

You have an absolutely great weekend. Again, signing off here from NABJ in Miami. I'm Roland Martin. Holla! This is an iHeart Podcast.