Last night, Black entertainers, activists, civil rights leaders and DeKalb County, Georgia residents gathered for the “Real Strategy For Change” event to address the rampant police brutality in Black neighborhoods.
David Banner and Lyfe Jennings Butt Heads Over Expression of Black Rage at Town Hall, Reconcile After
The event, hosted by Atlanta radio host Rickey Smiley, took place at the House of Hope church in Decatur, Georgia.
According to WSB-TV Channel 2 News, the shootings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, were the main reasons activists and leaders called this community meeting.
The daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Bernice King, rappers 2 Chainz and Jeezy, actor Tyrese, rapper David Banner and singer Lyfe Jennings served as panelists.
“We have got to find a way to get on one accord in our approach,” says King in the news clip.
The panelists discussed community policing, financial independence and Black unity as a strategy to end police brutality.
“We’re getting a chance to really see what these people have been doing to our people since the beginning,” adds Jeezy.
The event comes after a week of continual protests by Atlanta’s Black Lives Matter activists and supporters.
Everything seemed fine at first until WSB-TV captured a heated exchange amidst the peaceful planning.
The passion of Banner and Jennings came to a head when discussing Black people arming themselves:
“There’s a lot of people in the community, and one thing I don’t want them doing is repressing their feelings,” states DeKalb County Public Safety Director Dr. Cedric Alexander.
