Saginaw Citizens United for Equity and Justice is a newly formed coalition of involved leaders and citizens who will pursue exactly those, equity and social justice.
A top first priority for Citizens United is to help to fine-tune a proposed City of Saginaw ordinance to create a Citizens-Police Advisory Commission, which would monitor local law enforcement. This takes place as part of a national movement for reform. Think of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and many others whose lives have been lost. Or not so long ago, Saginaw’s own Milton Hall.
Members have asked young Brandell Adams to serve as the startup chairman. You may recognize his name as a candidate for the open 95th District State House seat, for which Amos O’Neal won the nomination back in August. Brandell is a 2008 Bridgeport High School grad who also attended Bridgeport Middle and Central Middle, as well as Brucker Elementary and Loomis Elementary. He recently achieved a bachelor’s degree from Saginaw Valley State University and now is pursuing a law degree. His mother, Prescilla “Peaches” Adams, is a retired local nurse.
Brandell Adams describes himself as someone who aims “to work for solutions, rather than just complaining” in the spirit of community unity. To keep current with the proposed law enforcement advisory panel and with other Citizens United activities, including upcoming meetings, check the coalition’s Facebook page.
Youth also is represented in Citizens United through parent activists Hattie and Norman Norwood and through Michelle McCoy, now The Michigan Banner’s editor-in-chief. Comparative old-timers include Terry Pruitt, our Saginaw NAACP president; Karen Lawrence-Webster, CPA also affiliated with the Saginaw branch; Evelyn McGovern from Women of Colors; the Rev. Charles Coleman from the Board of Education and from the Ezekiel Project; Arletta French, a retired social worker; and Vicki Hill, gospel lady from KISS-107. And also, of course, yours truly, the author of this writeup and others through the past summer, imploring a need for a civilian review board. Like Brandell says, don’t just be complainers.
Vicki wiil serve as vice-chair, Evelyn as secretary and Michelle as treasurer, while Hattie will take the lead in drafting signs and forms to gather citizen complaints.
Local officials who have taken the lead in preparing the first draft of the ordinance include City Council members Jamie Forbes, former Ezekiel director, and Annie Boensch, along with City Manager Tim Morales. To view a copy, see pages 28-32 of the meeting agenda. https://www.saginaw-mi.com/pdfs/cityCouncil/agendas/09-28-2020.pdf
Membership in Citizens United is open to all. Meetings carry the option of participating in-person or online.
If you or someone you know desires an investigation of an encounter with a police officer, send a note to the FB site, Saginaw Citizens United for Equity and Justice or email saginawcitizensunited@gmail.com.
