
HCF Founder, President and CEO Demetrius Johnson, Jr., issued the following statement on Tyre Nichols:
“The HCF family is distraught by the horrific video of the brutally dehumanizing beating that caused the death of Tyre Nichols in the hands of Memphis police after a simply traffic stop. The policeman dragged, pepper sprayed, and even threw fists for a situation that could’ve been reconciled peacefully.
The unnecessary beating of Tyre Nichols brought anger, pain, and suffering to so many American who tragically have lost someone due to brutality in this nation and in this world. And we are so disheartened that this continues to happen to those who do not deserve it.
We are so saddened to learn that Tyre is no longer with us, and our hearts are with his family, friends, and loved ones as we continue to process the grief of such a painful moment to witness in our lifetime. As Bernice King stated, “Human beings deserve to be treated with respect, including by police officers.”
We stand in solidity with others and call for justice. Justice must not only call for accountability for the officers but accountability for everyone. It applies to police officers, higher education professionals, corporate professionals, those who execute mass shootings, etc. Life is precious, and we must employ a Beloved Community Mindset as MLK did to transform and defeat unjust systems and evil that continue to affect the world where we courageously live.
Let’s stand up for love and support each other during difficult times. We ask that you practice safe activism as we call for justice for Tyre Nichols and his family. We ask that government officials not take this situation lightly but take action to reform legislative efforts and accountability in American policing. We can do better for fair human rights, and this must not continue to happen.
We live in a world that respects power above all things. Power, intelligently directed, can lead to more freedom. Unwisely directed, it can be dreadful, destructive force,” said Mary McLeod Bethune in her Last Will & Testament.”
About the HBCU Campaign Fund
The HBCU Campaign Fund (HCF) was founded in 2012 and is a non-profit educational organization that remains a strong advocate for students and higher education. The mission of HCF is to support the significance and raise funds for scholarships, programs, and for private and public HBCUs and MSIs. For more information, visit www.hbcucampaignfund.org.
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