Racially Charged: America’s Misdemeanor Problem – Letter from Anwar Peace of the Spokane Human Rights Commission

On May 19th, the Social Justice Film Festival, Spokane Meaningful Movies, Meaningful Movies Tacoma and the Meaningful Movies Project hosted an impactful and thought-provoking event about the film Racially Charged: America’s Misdemeanor Problem. Two wonderful speakers, Kendrick Washington of ACLU Washington and Anwar Peace of the Spokane Human Rights Commission were able to participate in a panel moderated by Barb Stuebing of Spokane Meaningful Movies.

The Meaningful Movies Project is proud to be partnering with the Social Justice Film Festival and Meaningful Movies Tacoma and Spokane on a series of prisoner rights events. This wonderful event was the first in that series. We are also excited about another event for Racially Charged: America’s Misdemeanor Problem which will be happening on June 6th. We are thrilled that Fix Democracy First will also be cohosting that event, as well as the previously mentioned partners! 

Hello All,

  I want to apologize for not getting back to you sooner, because I did want to thank you all for having me be a part of the Meaningful Movies Panel on 5/19/21. I believe that having this powerful documentary shown to the public and as well as having the series of panel discussions around Washington State is having a major impact in our communities, so please continue to do these kinds of events. 

  I also want to thank the Meaningful Movies Project for allowing me the “safe space” for me to share my story of my recent “Jaywalking-Case” as well as my long-documented history of having to deal with these types of Misdemeanor-Charges/Arrests. I recognize that I’m kind of an outliner when it comes to misdemeanor charges/arrests as well as being able to walk away from those arrests with my life, in fact an attorney of mine I had to hire 15 years ago called me a type of “Canary-In-The-Coal-Mine” when it comes to unconstitutional policing. 

  That attorney might be right about me and that is why I have always acknowledged that I have been luckily and blessed to be able to walk away from these situations with my life, because the “Canary-In-The-Coal-Mine” has to die before people actually believe that there might be a problem. There have been too many “Canaries-In-The-Coal-Mine” that have died because of police officers abusing their power, so thank you all for shining a light on this “Misdemeanor-Problem”.

  I also wanted to let you know that within the next 2 weeks I will be having a “Mediation-Meeting” with Officer Shawn Maguire with an “outside city mediator” that will take place inside the Spokane City Hall, because of my “Jaywalking-Arrest” of Officer Maguire and that Officer Maguire is a new officer to the department. The “Jaywalking-Charge” was drop by the Police Chief and the Police Chief filed a police complaint against Officer Maguire on my behalf, which has allowed me to have the Mediation-Meeting” with Officer Maguire. This will be the 2nd time that I have had a “Mediation-Meeting” with a Spokane Police Officer because the Police Chief’s involvement in a case. The last time was reported on both in the Sunday Paper for the Spokesman-Review newspaper as well that same day in the Sunday Paper in Seattle in the “World/ National Section”, here is the links: ‘Why are you trying to get me fired?’: Ex-activist re-engages after interaction with Spokane police | The Spokesman-Review and ‘Why are you trying to get me fired?’: Former Seattle activist now engaged in battle with Spokane police. 

  I told an Inlander Newspaper Reporter that I had lunch with the Police Chief recently and that reporter then asked how that I came about having lunch with the Police Chief and I told the reporter about my recent “Jaywalking-Arrest”, so that reporter is digging into my arrest. In fact, that reporter did a story about Spokane Police being the 3rd deadliest police force in the nation, because I told that reporter that I called the Police Chief out at that lunch I had with him about those statistics. That reporter will be doing a story about my “Jaywalking-Case”, but before that he has done a story that has done some foreshadowing between me and this Police Chief which as follows:  How SPD compares to other departments | Local News | Spokane | The Pacific Northwest Inlander | News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and the Inland Northwest. Also this next week the Spokesman-Review newspaper will be doing a in-depth news article about my “Jaywalking-Arrest” as well as the state of police reform in Spokane.

I would love for me and the City of Spokane Human Rights Commission to work closely with the Meaningful Movies Project to effect positive changes in our Community. Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for your time, take care and have a good day.