A Black trans woman wins a $1.5 million dollar verdict against Atlanta police, Da Brat & Judy drop pictures from their wedding day & we salute the National Black Justice Coalition during our Black History Month Spotlight – Thursday, February 24, 2022
A Black trans woman was falsely accused of holding drugs and wrongly held in jail for six months. Well a grand jury just sided in her favor and awarded her $1.5 million dollars. Da Brat & Judy dropped some of the most beautiful pictures from their wedding day and we salute the National Black Justice Coalition during our Black History Month Spotlight.
00:00 – Welcome & Intro
00:32 – Rate & Review Queer News Ad
00:59 – Intro Music
01:40 – A Black trans woman was falsely accused of holding drugs and wrongly held in jail for six months. Well a grand jury just sided in her favor and awarded her $1.5 million dollars.
04:25 – Da Brat & Judy dropped some of the most beautiful pictures from their wedding day
05:36 – We salute National Black Justice Coalition during our Black History month spotlight
07:02 – Anna’s Got A Word
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Da Brat Marries ‘Twin Flame’ Judy Dupart on 2/22/22: ‘We Get to Show the World We’re a Union’
Family, this is your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn here with our queer news from today.
A Black trans woman was falsely accused of holding drugs and wrongly held in jail for six months. Well a grand jury just sided in her favor and awarded her $1.5 million dollars. Da Brat & Judy dropped some of the most beautiful pictures from their wedding day and we salute the National Black Justice Coalition during our Black History Month Spotlight.
Our leading story today is out of Atlanta, Georgia where after seven years Ju’Zema Goldring was awarded $1.5 million dollars after a grand jury found she was wrongfully arrested by two Atlanta cops. Ju’Zema, a Black trans woman, was clearly profiled back in 2015 when Atlanta police stopped & searched her belongings in a popular queer neighborhood. During the search the officers Vladimir Henry and Juan Restrepo taunted her with “transgender slurs” before “invasively” searching her dress as well. When asked why she was stopped they claimed jaywalking. Well during their search they found a stress ball which they cut open and accused Ju’Zema of having cocaine inside. In real life there wasn’t anything inside but they decided to haul her off to jail where they conducted multiple drug tests on the ball which all came back negative. You’d like they would let her go but they did not. She actually heard one of the offers tell Vladimir to “Give it up, buddy” but clearly he was on one that day. He then proceeded to tell her that she’d have to wait in jail till the drug results came and y’all she remained there for six months because she couldn’t pay the $25,000 dollar bond. Family, the results came in on November 17th and she didn’t get out till March 22nd. Ju’Zema’s lawyers said that the ordeal she’s been through has had a “tremendous negative impact” and that she now struggles with nightmares and mental health issues after “being locked up as an innocent person for 23 hours a day.”
The judge had a lot to say as well. He said there were “two seeming injustices” in Goldring’s case. The first was that Atlanta police admitted to arresting people for jaywalking, when police energy “could be better spent on more pressing activities, such as addressing violent crimes”. The second was that the Atlanta Police Department officers work under a system that gives them points for making arrests. “The court is concerned that such a system may create perverse incentives for officers.” Ummm you think. Getting points for arrests sounds like a terrible practice.
One of Ju’Zema’s attorney said this, “There’s nothing about this that makes this all just go away…It’s just a portion of what she needs to restore her and make her whole. And this verdict, unfortunately, won’t do that.” Well he said that perfectly and we are sending Ju’Zema a lot of love & healing energy because we know money can’t heal any hurt but rather can rather help open up new opportunities. I hope she finds that for herself.
Now, yesterday Da Brat & Judy dropped the pics and videos from their beautiful wedding ceremony held at the Horse Mansion in Fairburn, Georgia. According to People magazine, the couple arrived in Cinderella esque horse drawn carriages and walked down the aisle together to the tune of “Here and Now” by Luther Vandross. Jermaine Dupri escorted Brat while Judy’s brother escorted her to the aisle. They were surrounded by one hundred of their closest friends and family. Brat said, “I met somebody that made me want to be so out loud and tell everybody and scream it from the mountaintops. So, I’m very grateful for that. It was like a weight lifted. I promise you, she was sent to me by God.” See this is why I’m rooting for them. Now Brat Love Judy was renewed for season 2 and the wedding will be part of the show. If you want to see the pics for yourself I’ve included a link to Judy’s IG and to the People article. Congratulations again fam. Wishing y’all many many years of happiness.
Its Black History Month and in every episode this month we’ve been celebrating & honoring those living at the intersections of being Black & Queer. With that our Black History spotlight today is on the National Black Justice Coalition.
Since 2003, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) has been America’s leading national civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black LGBTQ people, including people living with HIV/AIDS through coalition building, federal policy change, research, and education. NBJC envisions a world where all people are fully empowered to participate safely, openly, and honestly in family, faith, and community, regardless of race, class, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Back in the day I attended the NBJC gatherings and Out on the HIll was definitely a favorite. In 2015, I was part of the inaugural cohort of 100 Black LGBTQ/SGL emerging leaders to watch. This organization is doing the work and if you want to learn more I’ve included their site in the show notes. Consider giving too. You already know I believe in the three T’s; time, talent & treasure. We all have at least one of the three and organizations like NBJC have proven they will be good stewards. NBJC we see you & we salute you.
Let’s end today’s podcast with a word about change. Y’all know the Einstein quote that says, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Yea we all do it. We stay wanting things to be different but don’t do anything different to that would equate to having different outcomes. For example, I want to be more fit but I don’t make time to move my body consistently. So how in the world will I actually become more fit. It won’t happen. And let’s be clear I am talking to myself. I challenge you today to think about the things you want to change in your life and what if anything you’re really doing about it. You have to stop the insanity and change it up. Take a risk. Step out on faith. Trust your faith and create the change you want to see. You got this. Till tomorrow family, peace.
Sources
Black trans woman awarded $1.5 million after being wrongfully jailed on ‘bogus’ drugs charges
