By Floyd Alvin Galloway
“Uncle Bobby” Johnson, Dorothy King-Jernegan, Wanda Johnson, Oscar Grant’s mother, and Beatrice X following the premier of Fruitvale Station.
No one wishes to have his or her personal tragedy portrayed in a movie. It is difficult and an emotional roller-coaster. The heart wrenching experience is the constant reminder of the loved one that is no longer with your family, sharing in the life moments.
But for the family of Oscar Grant III that is the challenge they chose to experience because they wanted people to know the real Oscar. His family won’t let his death be in vain and hope his story will help others.
The highly acclaimed movie “Fruitvale Station,” starring Michael B. Jordan (“Friday Night Lights”), took the Grand Jury and Audience Awards in its category at the Sundance Film Festival and received the Prize of the Future at Cannes. It will open in Phoenix and nationwide July 26.
“Fruitvale Station” is a “heart-wrenching and hauntingly detailed”, as some have described it, portrayal of Oscar Grant III’s last day alive.
The unarmed and physically restrained 22- year old African-American Oakland native was fatally shot in the back by Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer Johannes Mehserle.
Witnesses using cell phone cameras captured Grant’s final moments on video. Two officers are seen pinning the young man down, face-first on the upper level of the Fruitvale BART Station in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day 2009. Then one of them shoots Grant in the back, at point-blank range.
Centered are Trayvon Martin’s older brother (Jahvaris Fulton) and mother Sybrina Fulton, receiving support from Oscar Grant’s aunt and uncle Beatrice X (Beechie) and Cephus Johnson. Oscar Grant’s family has developed a foundation to help other families who are victims of gun violence.
Protests ignited around the country, galvanizing support for justice for Grant’s death. Mehserle was eventually convicted of involuntary man- slaughter, but only served 11 months in jail.
“This is bigger than Oscar,” says Uncle Cephus Johnson.
Out of his death they have developed a mission to assist others. Oscar’s death shook up his family, just as Trayvon’s death shook his family to the core.
“Through many prayers we have been able to get through this,” said Johnson in a phone interview.
Having seen the film six times he says it never gets easier. Johnson says the racist judicial system attacks Black and Brown victims.
“They’re human beings. After Oscar died he was demonized in the court and in the media. Just like they’re doing to Trayvon Martin,” Johnson noted.
Grant had some challenges in life, not unlike many of us, but he was working through them.
“The movie gives Oscar a voice. It shows his love for his mother, his love for his daughter, his love for his brother, his love for his community,” stated Johnson.
Cephus Johnson with Grant’s daughter Tatiana Grant.
Several filmmakers had approached the family to tell Grant’s story. When first time film director, Ryan Coogler, 27, met with Grant’s family, Johnson says they knew he was the right person to do the film. “He really wanted to learn who Oscar was. He spent so much time with us that we really consider him as part of our family now.”
Johnson’s wife, Sister Beatrice X (Beechie as she is known by her Phoenix family and friends), who was born and raised in Phoenix, shared a statement from Coogler on why he made the movie. “He shared that the movie is about humanity. What he wanted to do is raise the bar for humanity. To have people look at their interactions and how their relationships are.
”Too often people are stripped of their humanity and violated by those that think they are in charge.
“He shared he has to worry about the police killing him and those that look like him killing him. And so this movie is about humanity. It’s about anybody raising the bar on human relations,” ex- pressed Sister Beatrice.
Noting the names of several young Black and Hispanic males killed by police and “wanna-be- cops”, since Grants death. “It is a consistent violation of our rights. It is conversation we must have to stop this, Johnson said.” Johnson and Sister Beatrice have been very active in fighting police brutality across the nation and have assisted other victims of gun violence by police.
According to Johnson of over 500 killings by Police officers, security guards, or self-appointed vigilantes killed at least 313 African-Americans in 2012.
Johnson is the founder of the Oscar Grant Foundation. The foundation offers support to families of victims of gun violence.
“It was founded specifically to develop a Family First Responders Crisis Team. To bridge the gap between the extended family’s natural emotional response and that of objective caring and knowledgeable individuals who can make appropriate services and resources available to the families in need.
“To provide comfort, needs assessment, emergency counseling and resource referral information to assist the family through the initial after- math of a traumatic event caused by violence and treatment for the emotion- al injuries sustained at the hands of law enforcement officers.”
They have been supportive of the Trayvon Martin’s family and others. “I received a call on Oscar’s birthday that Trayvon Martin had been killed.”
When a person is the victim of a police shooting the resources afforded others dries up according to Johnson. We had to find out a lot things on our own. So we help others navigate the system.
Sister Beatrice says the support from her hometown has been great. “I want to thank my Phoenix family for all the support they have given us, Joy and Bobby of Bobby C’s, the American Legion, Cloves (Campbell), Councilmen (Mike) Johnson, Yvette Pearson- Jackson, Thurman and Dorrana Stewart of the Peace Fest and many others.
Coogler was about the same age as Grant, hung out in the same neighborhoods. It struck Mr. Coogler, as it did thousands of other young African-American men in the East Bay, that what had happened to Grant could just as easily have happened to him.
“Fruitvale Station” is a movie everyone needs to see. To learn more about the Oscar Grant Foundation, visit Oscargrantfoundation.com email oscargrantfoundation@gmail.com.