Dozens of friends, advocates and community stakeholders gathered to unite in solidarity with the family of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., at the White Plains Public Safety Building, 77 South Lexington Avenue in White Plains, honoring his memory and advocating for accountability in the face of police violence on Sunday, November 19, 2023.
“I’ve been on a 12-year journey marked by the absence of accountability. A 12-year journey marked by no real mechanisms put in place to fight police misconduct, brutality, and criminality, and because of that, We are still demanding accountability, just as we have for the past 12 years, not just for Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. but for all families impacted by police violence'” Kenneth Chamberlain Jr., shared with Black Westchester.
Blacks In Law Enforcement (BLEA) NY Representative and Black Westchester Publisher Damon K. Jones hosted the 12-year commemoration of the life of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., who was killed at the hands of the White Plains Police Department. The Westchester Coalition for Police Reform (WCPR) sponsored the event.
“12 years ago, Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. was killed by police in his own home, and over a decade later, we are still fighting against police brutality,” said Congressman Jamaal Bowman Ed.D. (NY-16) shared with Black Westchester. “Police brutality has been sickening our country and taking the lives of our loved ones for decades. We must protect the Black bodies that are the most vulnerable and root out the police brutality that has spread to every corner of our country. It’s time to enact and pass federal, state, and local legislation that holds law enforcement accountable and takes a public health approach to public safety. Police cannot be the only officials involved when it comes to public safety – we need social workers, community members, doctors, and more to ensure safety for everyone. We cannot lose any more precious lives in our community and across the country to senseless police killings.”
Those in attendance included Author, Activist, Exonerated “Central Park 5” member, NYC Councilman-Elect Yusef Abdus Salaam (District 9—Harlem), U.S. Congressman Jamaal Bowman (New York’s 16th congressional district), Greenburgh Human Rights Committee Chair Rev. Lane Cobb, Civil Rights Attorneys representing the Chamberlain family, Mayo Bartlett and Haub Law Professors Randolph McLaughlin and Debra Cohen, Sandi Bernebei of the Anti-Racist Alliance, Executive Director of WESPAC Foundation Nada Khader, The Delta Sigma Theta Westchester Alumnae Chapter, Westchester Legislator Damon Maher, Community Activist Cynthia Turnquest-Jones and several others to ensure that 12 years after his violent and untimely death, the fight for full accountability continues!
“There is no justice, no accountability, and no respect. The educational system wants our children to continue in the crisis that they are in by intentionally not including history in our current books. The present-day U.S. History books are not counting Black Lives Matter as a topic. You will not find Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. or the Central Park 5 mentioned in any book. Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. was murdered 12 years ago and the Central Park 5 were wrongfully convicted 34 years ago. Textbooks are renewed or revised after every president is sworn in. Neither case has made it into any textbooks. That’s what I call no justice, no accountability, and no respect.” Cynthia Turnquest-Jones shared
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined us on Sunday afternoon as we honored the memory of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. The poignant message of accountability for families affected by police violence resonates deeply, and I am committed to playing my part in ensuring it becomes a reality,” Chamberlain Jr. shared.
Together, they stood as a catalyst for change for justice and echoed the call for accountability for all families affected by these painful circumstances.
