I happened to make eye contact with Valerie Castile, mother of Philando Castile, after she finished her speech at the Governor’s mansion following her son’s death.
My camera was turned away from the speakers and shooting the crowds to share their grief. I wasn’t making videos for social media, I was making a piece for the comfort of the family.
Ms. Castile had just finished speaking to the assembled crowd and walked, head down, with her body guards along the Governor’s wall. When she looked up, she made long eye contact with me.
This emotional charge changed me forever.
That week, I produced a 9:11 video I’ve only shown to Ms. Castile’s family.
The Fairgrounds (Inside and Out)
The 2020 Minneapolis Holiday shooting made me decide the time is right to release it publicly.
This video was about grief, tragedy, and disparity in Minnesota. It is not about race.
The First Amendment, If You Will
On January 20th, 2020 #1202020 the Minneapolis Television Network honored its founder, Ron Edwards.
Mr. Edwards had a reputation for showing up early and showing up often. This is how he managed producing weekly television and radio shows for 35 years. The only thing Mr. Edwards ever showed up late to was his own funeral.
Mr. Edwards was an ardent supporter of the First Amendment. He made this video just before he died, to expose the City’s closure of the Minneapolis Television Network, the Minneapolis Free Speech Zone. The place that he had helped bring to life 40 years earlier.
In the video, he issues prophetic warnings about what happens when the powers that be censor free speech as Minneapolis was about to do.
Mr. Edwards lay in state for a week, but the day of his funeral, his body was still being delivered to Shiloh Temple on West Broadway, 10 minutes after the start time.
Mr. Edwards was responsible for the Minneapolis Fire Department getting integrated. His funeral was attended by every DFL Politician. Mr. Al Flowers kept all the white people off the stage, except Senator-Mayor Jacob Frey.
Ron would have fucking hated every minute of it.
Mr. Edwards showed up, not once, but constantly when asked, sometimes when not, for decades. Much of this was hard work, I know because I attended the Mohamed Noor trial for him. It was grueling, horrible work, to get there early enough to sit in that courtroom, to watch Minnesota’s first and only police trial.
I knew going in he would get off because Minneapolis Police are never held to account.
Wow, guilty. A $20 million settlement for a yoga teacher. Philando Castile, who served food to kids, got $3 million.
People are going to be mad about that, I know because I knew Mr. Edwards who made much of this change.
Mr. Edwards was trained in the 1960’s by Saul Alinsky, along with a number of other Black Nationalists from around the country. When they got together, the self proclaimed leaders of the group decided everyone should reject their “slave” name and adopt a new “Afrocentric” name, Mr. Edwards refused.
Mr. Edwards was not universally liked by his colleagues in the Minnesota “Civil Rights Industrial Complex,” but he was universally respected. Mr. Edwards’ discipline made him a powerful and patient force, making sure his community had access to the resources of the City of Minneapolis.
Patience is not exactly the strategy for the group of subtle rackets being run by the diverse set of social justice activists Mr. Edwards referred to as “The Millennials.” These young folks are very active and connected to a nationwide network called Anti-Racist Action, you’ve probably seen on the news.
These people are not Mr. Edwards. He was disciplined, well-ordered, persistent, and consistently dedicated to making sure his people had a seat at the table.
Mr. Edwards and I did not always see eye-to-eye. He demanded respect and he also gave it, but it had to be earned. I’d like to think I earned his respect attending and reporting on the Mohamed Noor murder trial of Justine Damond, but it was always difficult to tell with Ron.
I’ve been watching Minnesota’s activists and police for a long time. I’ve written over a dozen articles on Minnesota Policing since Philando Castile’s Death. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Minnesotans were collectively impacted by the death of Philando Castile. Mr. Edwards death of a mysterious viral flu on Martin Luther King Day, #1202020 will also be missed.
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar entered Mr. Edwards into the Congressional Record. Printed Below:
HONORING MR. RONALD EDWARDS
HON. ILHAN OMAR OF MINNESOTA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Monday, February 3, 2020
Ms. OMAR.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to mourn the passing of a prominent Civil Rights activist, leader and advocate Ronald Edwards. He truly loved Minneapolis and is deeply appreciated and treasured by the people of Minneapolis. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, during the Jim Crow segregation era, Mr. Edwards had early experiences of racial inequality growing up in the south. Mr. Edwards moved to the Twin Cities with his father, who worked on the railroad. Mr. Edwards always fought against racial inequality and injustices not only for the Black community but for everyone. During his lifetime, Mr. Edwards was the longest-serving chair of the Minneapolis Urban League, was prominent leader for the Minneapolis NAACP, led the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, and also sat on numerous civic boards and panels. For the past ten years, Mr. Edwards co-hosted a radio program where he used his platform to hold people in power and in the community accountable. Mr. Edwards was deeply dedicated to his family, friends, and community. He fought passionately for the Minneapolis community and used his tight connections within our neighborhoods to help those in need. I ask that we remember the spirit and passion for equality and justice that Ronald Edwards helped shape in the city of Minneapolis.
