AND WE’RE BACK in our first official Mainline Podcast (link in bio!) since the uprisings began to take place in Atlanta! In this episode, Aja is joined by local #blacklivesmatter protestor and community member DJ Thomas to discuss the city of Atlanta’s response to the protests and the movement as a whole, particularly following the police shooting and death of Rayshard Brooks. The two discuss Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms specifically and how what has taken form on the ground differs greatly than how it is portrayed in the national media’s spotlight.
Before the interview, Aja spends some time to discuss the June 13 drive-by shooting in Edgewood — the night after Brooks was killed by APD officers and the same night the Wendy’s on University was burned down — which has up until this point received very minimal media coverage. Semaj Jones, 17, and Christopher Weaver, 25, both lost their lives that night while five others were severely injured. APD has remain tight-lipped on the investigation. Today, Aja visited the cop watch house in the neighborhood to learn more about community efforts that are working to essentially police the police in what is already a highly trafficked area when it comes to police brutality, mistreatment, and regular violation of due process. Everything is connected. Black Lives Matter is everything. Listen to learn why.
