“Different Things To Different People”: How Calls to ‘Defund the Police’ Could Play Out

As protests continue in the US, some demonstrators are now calling to ‘defund the police.’ And those calls are already having an impact. Cities like Minneapolis, New York, and Los Angeles are considering some major changes to their police departments. We’ll break down what it actually means to defund the police, and why some protestors say that doesn’t go far enough. 

Also: we’re still in a global pandemic. But many public health experts don’t think protests should stop. We’ll explain why medical professionals say it’s important that demonstrators are still able to protest against racism and police brutality.

And finally, you may have seen that viral video from former NFL athlete Emmanuel Acho, host of the new online series, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.” We spoke to Acho about why these conversations are necessary, and how he plans to grow the series. 

On this episode, you’ll hear from: 

• Lynda Garcia, Policing Campaign Director for The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, former trial attorney in the Special Litigation Section in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice
• Kimberly Burke, research fellow at the Center for Policing Equity
• Dr. Jaime Slaughter-Acey, social epidemiologist and Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota
• Emmanuel Acho, former NFL athlete, current NFL analyst and host and creator of “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.” 

Let us know what questions you have about what’s going on in the news right now. Email us at audio@theskimm.com or call and leave us a voicemail at: 646-461-6370. You might hear your message on the show. 

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