Stephon Clark’s mother appears in new NFL PSA about police brutality

By Blue Telusma

·July 28, 2020

People attend a vigil for Stephon Clark, the young black man killed by police last month in Sacramento, on the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King on April 4, 2018 in New York City. Tensions have flared in Sacramento and across the nation after an independent autopsy revealed that police officers shot Clark at least seven times in the back on March 18 while responding to reports of someone smashing car windows in his neighborhood. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

This week the NFL surprised many when it released a new anti-police brutality PSA highlighting the story of 22-year-old Stephon Clark, who in March 2018 was fatally shot by officers in his grandmother’s backyard.

At the time of the shooting authorities said they were responding to a call about a disturbance and shot the young man because they believed he was armed. But an investigation later confirmed that Clark only had a cellphone in his possession.

This new PSA released on Tuesday is part of the NFL’s joint venture with Roc Nation, The Responsibility Program and falls under the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative to address systemic oppression.

The partnership between Jay Z and the league has long since been a topic of heated debate in the Black community, but adding credibility to this newest offering is the fact that it is narrated by Stephon’s mother, Se’Quette Clark.

“With sincerity and gratitude, I would like to thank Roc Nation and the NFL for choosing to honor the life of my son, Stephon Clark, who was unjustly stolen from us on March 18, 2018 by Sac PD officers Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet who are still employed and patrolling our streets,” Clark said in a statement. “As a mother, I can’t help the immense feeling of pride; knowing my son’s life will affect so many people for generations to come.”

This PSA is the fifth released under this partnership with the NFL.

“We want to continue to raise awareness for victims of systemic racism to ensure their stories are not forgotten,” the NFL’s Anna Isaacson said in a press release. “As part of Inspire Change, we will use our platform to recognize these individuals throughout history and support organizations that foster positive relationships between law enforcement and their communities.”

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