Nashawn Williams Press Conference Keeps Issue of Justice Alive

Nashawn Williams and his family gathered with allies this morning for a press conference on
the steps of the Charter Oak Cultural Center to express our collective outrage at the lack of
even one arrest in the brutal hate-crime assault on Nashawn last October.

Nashawn, 16, spoke briefly before being overcome by emotion as his mother watched sobbing
in the background. Cornell Lewis, founder of the Men of Color Initiative, with his hand on
Nashawn’s shoulder, comforted the young man as he spoke.

Cornell said, “Shame on America” for the racist assault perpetrated by K-Nation that inflicted
such physical and emotional injury on a young African-American man and his family.

Former Mayor Thirman Milner stated Nashawn was not just another statistic of violence but a
human being with a family that is hurting. He spoke of how much work still needs to be done
to make real the vision of the Civil Rights Movement which worked among other things to
end overt racist violence against racial minorities. He contrasted the outpouring of solidarity
for the Petit family with the virtually absent outrage by Connecticut people over Nashawn’s
assault.

Kamora Herrington, activist and organizer with True Colors, emceed the press conference and,
departing from a prepared speech, compared the grief of Nashawn’s mother to that of Emmett
Till’s mother. She challenged those gathered to do at least one thing in their work or local
community to raise consciousness about Nashawn’s quest for justice and to end racism and
hate crimes.

Rabbi Donna Berman, executive director of the Charter Oak Cultural Center, said that not only
was the attack on Nashawn racist, but the structural racism that simmers below the surface of
society was evident in the lack of outrage by the Plainfield community, particularly its
religious leadership. Community conversations on racism have taken place in Plainfield since
Nashawn’s assault. Ordinary people seem to be aware that a racist atmosphere exists but
appear not to know how to effectively address it. Donna challenged all in attendance to work
for justice and for a world free of bigotry and violence.

This writer, director of People of Faith, wondered aloud whether the Plainfield Police
Department, which has had the assistance of the FBI, was protecting the perpetrators rather
than seeking justice for the victim and called for an investigation by Attorney General Richard
Blumenthal and the State Police.

In closing, Kamora pledged the continuing support of the coalition seeking justice for Nashawn
and promised the Plainfield community that although its Police Department considers the case
closed, we allies don’t. And we will be back!

Media coverage of the press conference included Hartford Undercurrents, Channels 3 and 61
and, I believe, the Hartford Courant.

It was heartening to see and hear vocal queer allies of Nashawn. Certainly the experiences of
disrespect, bigotry and hate-crimes is common to people of  of color and/or queer people.

Follow-up plans are underway in the quest for Justice for Nashawn and will be posted as they
become available.