Dear Columbus, Consider this a love letter, even if it begins with a harsh reality. A little over a week ago, a police officer stood in front of cameras and lied. He lied loudly into a microphone, attempting to plant evidence on my character by fabricating the cost of my suit and the brand of my shoes, all to set up a rehearsed line calling me a “poverty pimp.” For those unfamiliar with the term, a “poverty pimp” is someone accused of profiting personally from the communities

The era of assuming federal law will protect us is over. The era of protecting ourselves begins now.

What is being fought for and built in Columbus requires no one's permission. Partnership is the offer. Progress is the guarantee. Fear and division protect no one. Collective power, the kind that moved legislation forward with advocates and law enforcement on the same side, is what saves lives.