After watching her mother and dozens of other women across Stockton, Calif., lose their sons to gun violence, Tashante McCoy set out to offer support for other women and facilitate conversations between families and law enforcement. Ms. McCoy’s experience is common among many families affected by gun violence. The disconnect between families and police departments frequently widens as investigations are inconclusive and a predominant narrative persists to make the victims appear guilty in their own deaths.
Through her work, Ms. McCoy met Eric Jones, Stockton’s chief of police, who was already creating a new policing model for Stockton. Together, they created racial reconciliation sessions between law enforcement and community called “courageous conversations,” to understand why trust in the police department was low in communities of color and acknowledge the concerns of the families.
Coverage for the New York Times Student Journalism Institute, 2021
