Civic Cocktail

Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan says the trauma of systemic racism is real and has inflicted pain on the African American community for generations. She tells host Joni Balter, "If we don't acknowledge that deep, deep truth about our country and its systems, we can't begin to heal." That healing process inched forward as protest leaders met with the Mayor to share concerns about policing and inclusion on the community police commission. Mayor Durkan also agreed it's time to review police crowd control tactics. One of those meeting with the Mayor was Andre Taylor, Executive Director of the racial justice organization Not This Time! But Taylor did not come with a list of demands. He says the current problems are much bigger than the Mayor. He encouraged Black people to stand up, realize their own power and genius and get things done. Taylor also encouraged, what he called, his "White allies" to use their passion and privilege to infiltrate their own communities and work for change.