Voice of the People, Fighting for the People
Updated: Feb 4
For centuries, people of color have had to fight for inclusion. It almost seems to be a never-ending battle. Luckily, some are willing to take a stance for what is right.
As the city of Los Angeles gets ready for the 47th Annual NAACP Image Awards Friday, February 5, 2016, the “voice of the people” and talk show host, Roland S. Martin has taped a special Hollywood edition of TV One’s hit morning news show, “News One Now”. The segment features a panel discussion with members of Justice League NYC, known as a criminal justice task force and a leader in the Movement for Racial Equality. The panel consisted of Tamika Malloryno, Carmen Perez, and Mysonne. These revolutionary members are using their distinct platforms as agents of change. Each are fearlessly and selflessly advocating for justice and equality in their community and beyond.
Justice League NYC was co-founded by Carmen Perez and Marvin Bing, Jr. in 2013 as a task force of “The Gathering for Justice.” When asked how they came together, Perez said, “The way in which I envisioned Justice League was, I admired people out in the field that were my age, and I wanted to create a platform for my generation to really come together collectively and to build power.” She continued, “The people that you see here (Tamika and Mysonne), are individuals that are champions in their own way, their own right and their own lane. When we come together, we could really win. We actually have a whole collective that is flying in from New York City at this moment. Marvin Bing identified several individuals, and I identified several individuals, and we brought them together. We have been a family ever since.”
In April 2015, Justice League NYC led a nine day, 250-mile march from New York City to Washington, D.C. to deliver to Congress three federal bills to end racial profiling, stop the militarization of police and interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline. Justice League NYC continues to keep public pressure on high-level city, state and federal officials, by engaging in substantive policy discussions with stakeholders, and building power on the streets with strategic community mobilization.
This year, the Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors, Roslyn M. Brock, will be presenting the prestigious Chairman’s Award to Justice League NYC, because of their commitment in the ongoing fight for equality.
Justice League NYC member Mysonne described being honored as “great” and an “honor.”
“It is great. Coming from where I come from, the streets and poverty, wanting to be like a super hero; being called ‘The Justice League’, is pretty much like being a super hero. I want to see change by showing and making life better for the next generation. It is an honor that somebody can actually honor you for doing what you think is right.”
As for Carmen, “As a Latina woman, to be on stage at the NAACP, being honored is something I never dreamt of. I cannot imagine that.” She proudly continued, “I was telling them last night at dinner, that my family does not even know (about the honor). My mother, she speaks Spanish and I do not really know how to share with her these amazing things that I am going through. I do not know how to translate it for her, but I did try to say it in English for her, and she of course is always proud. Very similar to Mysonne, I come from the hood, and I am a representation of all those young people that see themselves within me, Tamika and Mysonne. So they can say, “One day, I can be there too,” because there is so much hopelessness in our communities, but for us, that is the biggest reward. We then can go back into a detention center or our communities and say, “It is because of you…”
The Justice League NYC segment on TV One’s, “News One Now” with Roland Martin is set to air February 4, 2016 at 7:00 A.M. For more information on the Justice League NYC, you can find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/justiceleagueNYC or contact them at nyjusticeleague@gmail.com