AKRON, Ohio — In the week since a special grand jury declined to charge the officers involved in the deadly shooting of Jayland Walker, protests and conversations have happened daily around Akron.
Monday, Akron faith leaders hosted their fifth community discussion since the grand jury decision. The session inside the non-denominational church House of Prayer for All People was the first time media were allowed to film the event.
“It’s a consensus that our community is fractured. It’s a consensus that people are hurting,” said Pastor R. Stacey Jenkins.
He posed several questions to the crowd of several dozen about how they were feeling, what they were thinking and what they needed to move forward.
The answers shared by audience members ranged from fear to anger to calls for new city leadership.
“I’m tired of being pissed off. I’m tired of being hurt. I’m tired of people getting murdered. I am tired and there is no diplomatic way of talking about it. There is no right in this. It’s not right,” said one woman.
Another added, “This is 2023. Are you kidding me? They marched years ago when I was a child.”
Some attendees shared their concerns about police-community relations and fear for their children’s interactions with officers because of what they believe is racial bias within the Akron Police Department.
“[I’m] seriously concerned,” said Karen Smith. “I have sons, I have grandchildren. What do they have to look forward to?”
“There is no trust,” Carla Polk added of the relationship with Akron police and city leaders. “And without that, you have nothing.”
The audience included faith leaders, some members of the church, as well as people from many walks of life.
“We get judged by the color of our skin. And it shouldn’t be that way,” said one man.
A woman said, “I know I’m a white female. But my sons are Black and somebody has to stand up for them.”
Another person noted, “The power is in our unity. It has to be.”
The hour-long discussion, at times, crescendoed into yelling or cascaded into tears.
“Don’t tell me we don’t need sessions like this where we can come in, out of a mad world, and really begin the process of healing and becoming whole again,” one man observed.
Others pointed out the absence of city leaders from the discussion.
“If the right people are listening, it could be productive. But we don’t know if they’re listening or not,” Smith said.
Some said it will take more discussion and collaboration at all levels to effect change.
“Justice would be different for the Walker family. Justice would be different for the 8 officers,” said Pastor Jenkins. “But we know that when it’s all said and done that we have a God who is justice, who is love. And as long as we continue to show that for one another, for each other, our community, our city, even our state will come out of this much better.”
The next community discussion is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25th at the Macedonia Baptist Church on McKinley Avenue in Akron.
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