Presidential Award for Officer Al Staples

Thank you to the FOP for giving me the opportunity tonight to publicly sing the praises of one of my heroes – Cincinnati Police Officer – Alphonso Staples.

Good evening everyone, my name is Whitney Austin and I am one of the survivors from the September 6th 2018 mass shooting on Fountain Square. If you have heard my story, yes, I am the woman who survived twelve bullets. I think it’s likely, hope it’s likely that you have, considering I left my profession as a product manager at Fifth Third Bank to pursue the job I’ve been called to do – advocate and fight for solutions that can make all of us safer. This gig, the Executive Director of Whitney/Strong, provides ample opportunities to tell my story but most of the time it’s a sound byte here or a sentence there – never enough time to give Officer Staples, Al to me, the adulation he deserves. 

Luckily for me, you guys decided to give him this award – The Lifetime Presidential Achievement Award. Now I’ve been given the perfect opportunity to share with all of you why Al fits the definition of hero so well, not just because of his actions on September 6th but because of how he interacts with the world each and every day. He is also averse to public praise, so I apologize Al, this won’t be easy for you. I’d talk about Toyeas, Chilton, Etter, and Kaminsky but they aren’t getting an award tonight.

So, let’s talk about what being a hero means. The Webster Dictionary tells us that a hero is as follows:

1. A mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability. 
   
   I’m not going to give Al the mythological title, but he is certainly a legendary figure within this city. Have you seen the Singing Mural on Central Pkwy? It’s Al and all of his legendary buddies – Elton John, Mr. Rogers, etc. This community saw the value in Al far before I came into the picture.
   
   Endowed with great strength or ability. Absolutely, that’s Al. From the moment I was shot the first time to the moment the Cincinnati Police Department arrived on Fountain Square, one minute elapsed. That timeframe still feels impossible to me considering the many, many thoughts I had in such a short span of time. I’ll spare you the details but after frenetically running through all options for survival and coming up empty-handed, I resigned myself to death. 
   
   I imagine that some of you in this room have faced that moment. If yes, maybe you can relate to the emotional pain that hits as you begin to process what you’re leaving behind. In my case, a husband and two small children. The emotional pain was unbearable. Unbelievably, I didn’t have to sit with it for more than just a few seconds. One minute was up and Al caught my eye. 
   
   This is where his great strength and ability came in. The moment our eyes locked my adrenaline pumping resumed and my brain communicated clear directions: “You are living not dying.” I still remember the fear in his eyes but even more prominent, the love and compassion he directed toward me without even saying a word. 
   
   I was behaving stupidly, refusing to play dead, hollering at him to save me because I had children at home who needed their mother. I don’t remember exactly what he said in those moments, but his eyes conveyed everything I needed to survive. I wish you could have all been privy to that moment of heroism. I wish you could bottle it up and implant it into the brains of every officer across this country. His strength and ability are a shining example of what all officers should aspire to each day.
   

2. An illustrious warrior. This one is too much. If you want to be an illustrious warrior, Al, I’ll support you. I just do not have any evidence to share with the audience.
   

3. A person admired for achievements and noble qualities. It took some time to sort out who Al was and then connect with him in-person. In fact, our first meeting was a month after the shooting when I needed to return to the hospital for a second surgery on my right arm. I had learned that Al sang in a gospel quintet and that the whole group wanted to come up to the hospital room and serenade me. Imagine that happening today!
   
   They sang beautifully but more importantly, it was this magical moment where we were together again, face to face, but under entirely different circumstances. Still, it was enough time to log away more behaviors, more characteristics that were helping me assemble a full picture of the man, Alphonso Staples. From that interaction I gathered humility, dedication to faith, deep and loyal friendships, light-heartedness, and extreme warmth. I barely knew this man but that was not apparent in the moment. It felt like we had known each other for years.
   
   Over the coming weeks and months, this picture of Al continued to build. Stories regarding his time spent in OTR and the many people he connected to and made feel safe. The banker at the branch downtown who needed a familiar face after the shooting and Al was there to comfort her. You know someone is a hometown hero when you begin to build up your network of volunteers and supporters for gun violence prevention and people start giving you stories of Al’s random acts of kindness for the Cincinnati Children’s Theatre and more. Or the authentic and loving relationship he has with the other officers that saved my life. It didn’t take long for me to realize my hero didn’t just become an exceptional human being in that moment, he has been an exceptional human being for a very long time. How lucky am I to be tied to him for life?
   

4. One who shows great courage. I will never stop saying this. It is not normal to run into danger. I am constantly complimented for my bravery, for my ability to stay calm under pressure and survive something so horrific. My response is always the same – praise the police officers. I unknowingly found myself in that situation. They knowingly entered. Al chose to crouch down just mere feet away from me. This is bravery!
   
   There is a lot of scrutiny placed on police officers in this moment in history. My organization is focused on reducing gun violence of all kinds, placing me in a position to feel quite intimately the pain that comes with the kinds of gun violence that disproportionately impacts communities of color. I believe that there is real work that needs to be done to address systemic racism and inequity and we all have much room for improvement. I am sorry that this movement has, at times, broadly painted law enforcement in such a negative light. I cannot tell you explicitly what steps should be taken to reverse that criticism but I can remind you that officers like Al and the others that saved me on that day, are the kind of officers that the country is clamoring for. Al Staples is your North Star. 
   

5. The central figure in an event, period, or movement. 100% – he is the central figure of September 6th and not just for me. He has since become a beloved member of my family – just ask him how often my Dad calls to tell him he loves him. Or about the cat we adopted and named Alphonso. Or how my children pretend to be lions on the phone every time they talk – it is an inside joke that developed due to Al’s disdain in having a cat named after him. Or how he and my husband can now joke about how I demanded he give me his phone so that I could tell Waller the unfiltered version of what had happened as we sat waiting for the ambulance. Even other survivors from September 6th have been drawn to him for support and friendship. His role on that day has been memorialized for decades to come, something that he greatly deserves. 

And while he was the central figure on September 6th, he is now a central figure in my life and for that I am so grateful. You will never know all the wonderful things about him because that his nature. He is a true hero who walks the walk of servanthood daily. Congratulations Al. You deserve this and so much more.

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Stop the Violence, Put the Beef on the Grill

The thoughts of Raven Sanders, interviewed by W/S Board Member Terrell Williams

For three years straight, it seemed like my family and friends were dropping like bowling pins and the bowling ball always seemed to be a gun. Why were so many people I knew dying from gun violence? Since a young age, gun violence has constantly followed me around like a shadow. It feels unescapable. It’s been said that the more something happens to you, the more you get used to it. However, that isn’t true when we’re talking about the pain you feel from losing someone to gun violence.  No mother or father should have to bury their child due to gun violence. The way I see it, too often, parents are watering graveyards with their tears while their children’s bodies act as fertilizer.

In 2014, the pot boiled over. Bullets claimed another friend’s life, Quinton “Joc” Logan. I couldn’t take it anymore.  Standing by and doing nothing was no longer an option.  Being an in-the-moment activist wasn’t an option either. There had to be something long-term. That’s when Stop the Violence, Put the Beef on the Grill was born.

Stop the Violence, Put the Beef on the Grill is an annual event for the community that focuses on preventing all types of violence while providing free food, games, prizes, and live performances. This event promotes peace, love, and unity. Look at it as a time of encouragement and a celebration. Encouraging our community to stand up against violence and celebrating the lives lost to violence as well as the ones who are currently fighting to prevent violence. I intend to host Stop the Violence, Put the Beef on the Grill for many years to come, God willing.

Everyone is encouraged to join us for an eventful day. 

Details for 2020 Stop the Violence, Put the Beef on the Grill

• Date: Sunday, July 19, 2020

• Location: Shawnee Park 4501 W Broadway, Louisville, KY 40211

• Time: 12-7 PM

• Free Food, Games, Prizes, & Live Performances

• Masks are Highly Encouraged

For more information about becoming a donor, vendor, or sponsor, email Raven at ravensanders76@gmail.com. 

Proudly Supporting a Local "Life Builder"

Recently, our Whitney/Strong board members have been thinking about and discussing ways that we can positively contribute to the Black Lives Matter movement.  Last week, we watched a webinar for non-profit organizations, and one of their suggestions was to evaluate who we support and work with.  Immediately, I proudly thought of Pivot to Peace.

Pivot to Peace is a hospital-based initiative that intervenes when a person has been shot or stabbed and helps that survivor successfully reintegrate back into their community. Without programs like Pivot to Peace, the re-injury rate for victims who return to the same environment where they were injured is significant. That’s why programs like Pivot are life savers. For me, Pivot to Peace wasn’t only a life saver, but a life builder as well. When I first became aware of Pivot, I had just been told by doctors that due to my injuries, it was likely I would never be able to walk again. I was no longer capable of performing my job duties; therefore, I was forced to search for new income. Mentally, I was discombobulated. The life I knew had vanished.

When life turns upside down, finding a starting point can feel like an insurmountable task. However, Ms. Deborah, KJ Fields, and Derrick Mitchell – Pivot to Peace staff – helped me develop and carry out a plan that has catapulted my life in a direction I never saw coming. But the thing I cherish most is the support and love I have received from them. I will never forget when they came and prayed with my family when we were all in a room together for the first time. I will never forget Derrick stopping by the hospital for my therapy appointments or coming by to play 2K with me to keep my mind off things or how he helped me enroll into college. I will never forget how KJ made me feel like family from the first day we met or how he has connected me to a multitude of people and opportunities or how he helped me find a paying job. I will never forget how Ms. Deborah dug into her OWN pockets to help me pay for the medicine I needed or how she takes it upon herself to get involved with what Whitney Strong supports, like CALM training, or how she constantly pushes me to become a better version of myself.

Pivot to Peace is a vital component to our Louisville community, especially our Black population. In fact, Pivot’s most recently published report showed that 92% of the Pivot to Peace participants were Black. Despite this heart-wrenching reality, Pivot to Peace has a 96% success rate. Rarely do participants get reinjured after they have decided to join the Pivot family. However, even with all of this success, far too often Pivot to Peace and other similar initiatives aren’t given the attention and resources they deserve. I know firsthand the potential that Pivot to Peace has. People may not realize it, but when they look at me, they see a piece of Pivot. Pivot is fighting every day to support the many Black lives in our own backyard. Today, I’m delighted and proud to share that the Whitney/Strong Board has decided to make a monetary donation to this strong pillar in the city of Louisville. - Terrell Williams (Whitney/Strong Board Member and gun violence survivor)

Our Commitment to Equity

We have shared many of these thoughts with you in previous email and blog posts. I felt it was important to repeat those messages here while sharing our ongoing commitment to equality and equity.

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On the day we organized, Whitney/Strong made a commitment to fight all forms of gun violence. While much public attention is directed at mass shootings, we hold gun violence of any kind within our purview - including gun violence at the hands of police.

At first, the thought of speaking out against police gun violence was difficult for me, someone who’s alive due to the heroic efforts of the Cincinnati Police Department. However, the task is made less challenging as I witness the courage and bravery of so many – police and civilians alike – who demand that we meet this national moment. 

To do this, we must begin by confronting the binary narrative playing out in front of us. This narrative tries to force us into either demanding justice for Black lives OR supporting law enforcement – not both. To be clear, you can both respect members of law enforcement and believe that policies must be examined to eliminate racial disparities. 

We will always speak up when something is wrong, even when it is challenging to do so. This is one of those times. Whitney/Strong stands firmly against racism, discrimination, inequality, and inequity. These beliefs are intertwined in our mission.

At this critical juncture, we want to share our action plan to fight racial injustice.

• We have and will continue to share stories of the impact of gun violence in communities of color. It is our hope that doing so will humanize the victims and invoke empathy and discomfort so strong that it’s impossible to ignore the depth and breadth of the pain Black people experience due to gun violence.

• We know that stories are not enough. To honor these victims, we will continue to find ways to bring our Save a Life Series to neighborhoods most at-risk for gun violence, including communities of color. This program brings together evidence-based measures like Stop the Bleed and safe storage training. These events give us an opportunity to listen, learn, and connect with local leaders and members of the community.  

• We are steadfast in championing responsible gun ownership solutions such as bi-partisan-supported legislation to de-escalate moments of crisis and suicide prevention programs designed to reduce access to lethal means. We will continue and expand our current efforts to distribute gun locks throughout our communities.

• We will use our relationships with law enforcement to find areas for improvement and will think critically about where we fit in. Work must be done to eradicate racism in all its forms, policing included, and we pledge to be a part of the solution.

Like all of our work, this action plan will continue to grow and evolve. We acknowledge that we don't have all the answers right now.  Whitney/Strong is committed to listening, learning, engaging in conversation, and finding meaningful ways to stand up for racial justice and lasting equity.

Let me end where I began. As an organization, we are incredibly grateful to our law enforcement partners for their role in implementing our strategic priorities, including Stop the Bleed training and gun lock distribution. Unquestionably, I am alive and able to do this work today because of the heroic police officers who responded with selfless disregard for the danger they faced. I am still in awe of their bravery and humanity in that moment. Let us hold that moment as our North Star and insist that those same values are universally applied - especially to our Black brothers and sisters.  

I encourage each of you to think about your own plans of action and the steps you can take to fight for equity. We welcome your partnership and participation in our journey to create meaningful change. - Whitney

We can do better together.

Save A Life Series - Terrell Williams

For far too long, my community has been plagued with gun violence, and many people including myself, have lost loved ones due to this public health issue. While it may take the city a while to alleviate this problem, something that can be done to help immediately to save lives from gun violence is the Whitney/Strong Save a Life Series.

The two major components of the Save a Life Series are Stop the Bleed training and Firearm Safety training. Stop the Bleed training is a skillset that I believe all residents of West and South Louisville need. Often, a gunshot wound becomes fatal because of exsanguination—death from too much blood loss. Regardless of how fast or slow emergency responders arrive at an emergency, bystanders will always be the first people on the scene. I think back to when I was laying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds, bleeding out, and being surrounded by 10+ people. Even though I was surrounded by multiple people, none of them knew what to do. They were all just staring at me hopelessly. I’m extremely blessed and fortunate to still be here today. However, I think about the countless number of people who weren’t as fortunate as me. Were people staring at them hopelessly in their time of suffering too? That’s why Stop the Bleed is important to me. It gives people the power to take control of what may seem like an uncontrollable situation.

Firearm safety training is equally as important as Stop the Bleed training. Our firearm safety training teaches individuals the proper way firearms should be stored, the proper way firearms should be handled, and how to prevent accidental death or injury. It is well-known that many of the gun-related deaths that occur in my neighborhood, and others like it, involve kids who shouldn’t have access to these firearms. As adults, we must acknowledge and take some responsibility in the role we play when it comes to youth gun violence. Whether it’s taking our firearms out of our cars at night, or ensuring we use gun locks, or teaching our youth the dangers of firearms, we have to start taking steps in the right direction to prevent these senseless gun-related injuries. The Whitney/Strong Save a Life Series is a step in the right direction! 

So, why should you attend a Save a Life session? Because you will gain the necessary tools and knowledge to save a life! You can help prevent someone from going through the pain of losing a son, brother, sister, daughter, father, mother, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, friend, or neighbor. The Whitney/Strong Save a Life Series will benefit not only West and South Louisville, but it will act as a model for other communities in the U.S. who experience similar trauma. Together, we can do better!   

Survivor Stories

A Way to Cure The Helplessness - Director of Market Research, Brooke Edge

I know my story is similar to many others in the Whitney/Strong circle—I got a call from a friend one morning at work, asking if I knew about Whitney. I then joined the expanding concentric circles of concern, sitting paralyzed at my desk waiting for updates, watching press conferences, and just crying.

I also shared the overwhelming feelings of both fear and helplessness that so many did that day. Now I realize how many others—strangers, yet now members of the same tribe of gun violence victims—face that horrible sequence of events every day. Everyone reading this post knows how Whitney’s story has progressed, and how she was seemingly superpowered by those 12 bullets to take on the challenge of making our world safer. But every time there is another shooting—mass, domestic, school, whatever—I think about the friends getting calls, sitting paralyzed, waiting for updates, crying, and feeling terrifyingly helpless.

Those circles keep getting larger, expanding further and becoming more impactful with every shooting. Having a loved one shot is awful. It is life changing. It affects the way you see the world around you, the way you see other people, and the way you see yourself. In the case of so many who love Whitney Austin, it changes how we relate to guns.

Even the gun owners among us were suddenly faced on September 6, 2018 with the very cold reality of what a person who could not act responsibly or reasonably with a firearm can do. Every shooting enlightens more people to outcomes of that awful situation. But—the more people join this awful, expanding circle, the more people there are who want to see change. Whitney/Strong is living proof—a young organization fed by the energy, dollars, and spirit of people personally rocked by gun violence tearing into their world and vowing to prevent that violence from continuing to grow unchecked.

I am immeasurably grateful that my dear friend is still here, that I can still wave to her in the school carpool line, still text to see what she’s up to this weekend, and still call to confirm our morning walks. I’m even more grateful that she’s also now my friend who I can join on a plane to D.C. to introduce Whitney/Strong to legislators, can text to say “Good luck today!” when she’s got a speaking engagement, and can see regularly at board meetings to talk about Whitney/Strong wins. Not everyone is so lucky; not everyone’s day of getting that call turns out with prayers of thanks for survival. But the more of those calls get made, the more people are transformed into agents of change. And Whitney/Strong is here to welcome them, and provide a way to cure the helplessness.