Dear E4E Members, non-members, and the Bridgeport Community:
On Tuesday evening, 16-year old Jayson Negron was gunned down by Bridgeport Police. Jayson was a graduate of Fairchild Wheeler Multi-Magnet and a current student at Bunnell High School in Stratford. He was unarmed.
According to the Connecticut Post, this makes the 11th homicide in Bridgeport just this year.
While some may ask for details to better understand the circumstances around this unspeakable outcome, I encourage you to begin with the facts: this was one more state-sanctioned, extrajudicial killing in the uncountable number of state-sanctioned extrajudicial killings of Black and brown bodies in this country. There are no details that ever justify police acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
Although Educators for Excellence-CT is an education-focused organization, we understand the importance of community, safety, and justice beyond the classroom. We also understand that entire communities are impacted when events like these occur.
I implore you to understand unconditionally that a similar event would almost have certainly had a far different outcome in the neighboring towns of Trumbull and Fairfield. If we are unable or unwilling to consider race as the antagonist in this story than we are complicit in and responsible for the continued racism and oppression of marginalized peoples in the US and globally.
Lastly, we must never forget that our success and liberation is intimately and inextricably tied to that of our most vulnerable communities. We should always operate from a place of critical self-reflection and ask ourselves: how do I and the many identities I hold present in this space? What is my positional power in this setting? How can I relinquish that power to historically marginalized groups in order to disrupt the status quo and demand justice and equity in our schools and beyond.
Please connect to the following organizations to stay updated on how you can serve as allies to and advocates for justice in the killing of Jayson Negron.
http://www.ctcore-organizenow.org/http://www.maketheroadct.org/who_we_arehttps://www.acluct.org/Resources for white accountability:
In solidarity,
Suri Seymour
Bridgeport Outreach Director
Educators for Excellence-Connecticut
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