NYBAJ Takes United Justice Coalition: Connect for Change
By Jewel Benton Photos by Bill Allen
The famous phrase “No Justice, No Peace” could describe the opening panel at the fourth annual United Justice Coalition (UJC) Summit, presented by the charitable organization along with Roc Nation. On Saturday, October 17, thousands gathered at New York City’s cultural center, The Shed, for discourse on criminal justice reform, mental health, and education. The summit featured Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Charlamagne Tha God, Tamika Mallory, and Angela Rye, among dozens of other social justice leaders.
Rye moderated a stirring panel featuring Nicole Paultre Bell, Tiffany Crutcher, Sue-Anne Robinson (a senior attorney at Ben Crump Law), and Vellesiya Wiley. The discussion took an emotional turn when Wiley spoke about her first and only child, Kohen Wiley, who was shot and killed by a police officer in June during an alleged shoplifting pursuit. As of late October, the police officer has resigned.
Those on stage and in the audience alike were moved to tears as Wiley reflected on her pain.
“I feel like this should be the biggest story,” she said, sharing that she was still grieving.
While the room empathized, this story especially resonated with attendees who were mothers, like Amara C. “For her to say she gets upset when she sees other parents with their kids is as real as it gets. It’s just cruel to have your child taken away from you.”
When asked how best to support her, Wiley’s plea was clear: amplify Kohen’s story. In the days since, more than forty outlets did just that--reinforcing the United Justice Coalition’s commitment to turning shared grief into advancing justice.
