“I’m Norman Clement and I’m going to Newark on July 25,” said Norman Clement of the Penobscot Nation and Native activist in New England.
“I’ll be coming from New Haven, CT, to Newark, NJ, to march against police brutality. I’m an organizer here in New Haven against police brutality. It’s important for as many people to get there as possible.”
“A little known fact is the number of Natives killed by the police and I will be on a panel tomorrow on the growing #NativeLivesMatter movement. Incarceration rates are out of control, like out west the incarceration rates are up to 40 percent and Natives only make up 2 percent of the population,” explained Norman. He added that African Americans experience the the largest number of police murders while Natives have the highest rate of police murder in addition to both being a target for mass incarceration.
“I read an article about Red Nation standing with the Black community in the aftermath of the racist murders in Charleston. I belong to the Tribal Council here in New Haven and there is a need for more fightback together. Right after Michael Brown was murdered there were several Natives murdered by the police and no one knows any of those names,” commented Norman.
“Joy Ann Sherman, Lakota; Christina Tahhahwah, Comanche; Myles Roughsurface, Dineh; Allen Locke, Lakota; Naverone Christian Landon Woods, Gitxsan First Nation; and an unnamed Hoopa Native in California were all murdered like Michael Browan, but the media are not covering these stories,” commented Norman.
“We suffer the same problems—what’s happening to the Black community is happening to Natives since the settlers landed here,” commented Norman on the potential for even greater unity in action among those impacted by racism.
“We are intertwined and there’s no separting us from them,” concluded Norman.
For more information on the march visit the People’s Organization for Progress website or call 973-801-0001
