My name is Marquis Olison. I am a community organizer. In 2008 I was a super volunteer for Barack Obama’s campaign for president. In 2010 I was the California State Volunteer Coordinator for the DNC. I consulted with and held trainings for the California #Resistance groups in Southern California. I am a graduate of Northwestern University. I am a son, a brother, and a friend to thousands of people. Most recently, the Standard Hotel and The West Hollywood Sheriffs looked past all of those accomplishments and focused on one attribute: My Black Skin.
Like many other black people, I have been stopped, accosted, harassed for doing things that people of other races do freely.
When I was 12 Years Old, I was stopped by police while walking to my aunt’s home.
When I was 16 Years Old, I was stopped by police while riding my bike home from work.
When I was 28 Years Old, I was stopped and questioned by police while standing outside the apartment building I managed.
When I was 29 Years Old, I was stopped by police while riding in the passenger side of a car in Orange County. I was the only black passenger. I was the only one the police were interested in checking if they had warrants.
My 19 year old God Son was riding with 4 white friends in Texas. He was on the passenger side. He was the only one that the police asked to step out of the vehicle and searched.
Most recently I was at The Standard Hotel in West Hollywood. The Standard Hotel prides itself on its progressive values and party atmosphere. I was there with my white friend, and while we were all being loud and having fun (as everyone else does) I was stopped, questioned, asked to leave. I refused. I paid for the room, and I know my rights. I video taped the entire interaction (I was an Associate Producer for The Jerry Springer Show during the “Springer Cam” era)
I am in fact pro-police. I have a brother who is a police officer and another brother who aspires to be a police officer. I have two siblings who have served in the US military. What I am against is BAD POLICE OFFICERS. Law Enforcement who use their authority to bully and kill people of color. I am also against people and establishments that use the systems of rules and law enforcement to give power to their racist inclinations. I am against is the creation of rules and codes of conduct which target people of any one race, or rules that are meant to cover everyone and are only enforced against black people. (Braids or Dreadlock codes in schools, or malls who have “Hoodie Laws”)
I have established a GoFundMe to cover the legal costs of fighting my case. I am also starting an organization to bring awareness around these issues. Our goal is to hold several monolog shows around the country where Black People tell the stories of when they were stopped, harassed, or detained for doing things everyday people do. By bringing awareness and humanity around these issues we can make people see us as people worthy of living and existing.
www.gofundme.com/…
Thank you for reading. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for your help. We should all be equal and free.