“Today, as we all pause to commemorate the life of George Floyd, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to his family and loved ones. I stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and all of those engaging in civil disobedience against police brutality and the abuse of black bodies across the country and around the world." Photo courtesy Stephen Wilson

“Today, as we all pause to commemorate the life of George Floyd, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to his family and loved ones. I stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and all of those engaging in civil disobedience against police brutality and the abuse of black bodies across the country and around the world. We are collectively in mourning and still grappling with the trauma of hundreds of years of systemic oppression. We must dismantle the systems that have historically oppressed us and build institutions rooted in justice and equity in their place. We owe this to our children. We owe this to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and every other unsung victim of police brutality.

As demonstrations continue to sweep the nation, some of our own residents have spoken out against the injustices that they have experienced at the hands of law enforcement. We acknowledge the pain of the family of the late Mario Clark whose life was taken during an encounter with Jackson police officers. While I swiftly supported the termination of the JPD officers involved, that decision that was later reversed by the civil service commission. Since then, the Jackson Police Department has referred the case to the District Attorney and the administration has exercised all of its authority and power to support an objective review of this case. We remain focused on building a police department based on trust, integrity, and community collaboration. We remain dedicated to justice.

As the son of two fearless activists, I strive to continue a legacy of activism against the actions, systems, policies, and practices that threaten and suppress the human rights of all people. I am committed to the principles of human rights for human beings and will never cease to fight for justice in every aspect of my work.”