Community Voice: To the Black, Brown and Indigenous Mothers Who Have Lost a Child to the Violence of Policing
By Jasmine Rubalcava
Jasmine Rubalcava’s son, Tonalli Luna, at a march for Adam Toledo. Photo provided by Jasmine Rubalcava.
Image description: In the foreground is a red cloth wagon with a child in a yellow shirt sitting inside. He is wearing a black hat, black mask and holding up a sign of an illustration of Adam Toledo and reads “Justice for Adam Toledo”.
Dear Elizabeth Toledo - and all the Black, Brown and Indigenous mothers who have lost a child to the violence of policing:
In case no one has reaffirmed this before, what happened was not your fault. You are a great mother and your best was enough. Adam didn’t deserve to die, no one does. Whether he complied with police orders or not, nothing he could have done that night can justify his death. Time and again, we have seen how nothing our communities do or don’t do, keeps us safe or alive at the hands of the police. The police killed Adam with his hands up; they killed Daunte Wright during a traffic stop; they killed Tamir Rice while he was playing in the park; they killed Ma’Khia Bryant when she called for help; they killed Laquan McDonald while he was running for his life; they killed Breonna Taylor while she was sleeping in her own home. Black, Brown and Indigenous people are killed by the police state despite our efforts to keep them safe. This we know to be true. Adam did not deserve to be taken away from you.
Our communities will always be unsafe until the police are abolished. Police don’t keep our communities safe, they kill us and our children and they will continue to do so until the end of their existence. The only sustainable way forward is to build a world free of police and I.C.E. - they also violently take our children. Let's imagine a world where our communities have what they need; where we take care of each other, dream together, build together. Let's imagine that another world is possible. Let’s do this together, and now, so that our children can live free, happy, and grow old.
All mothers were summoned when the police murdered Adam Toledo. All mothers are summoned every time a child is taken from us at the hands of the police. We do not get to question or judge the actions of parents when the police kill our children.
In many ways, Adam’s death felt too close to home. I live just a few blocks from where Adam took his last breath and I too have a son. He’s a beautiful Brown boy just like Adam. When I read the hurtful comments questioning why Adam was out late and questioning his actions and yours, I hurt with you. I want you to know that I stand with you today and until the end.
Señora Toledo, on this Mother’s Day, I want you to know that you are enough. You did enough. You are a great mother.
In solidarity and with a heavy heart,
Jasmine
A mother from La Villita
Jasmine Rubalcava is a mother from La Villita, an abolitionist and youth advocate and educator in District 201 Morton High Schools.
Our “Community Voice” section gives Cicero and Berwyn residents an opportunity to share their thoughts, experiences and opinions. Information is fact-checked for accuracy. To contribute a “Community Voice” article email info@ciceroindependiente.com.
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