Handsup United Case Study

HandsUp United, a social justice activist organization, is a tributary from the Black Lives Movement and its leader is Tef Poe, a St. Louis Rap Artist. This organization spawned from the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager from Ferguson, Missouri. Eyewitnesses used their cell phones and other social media outlets (e.g. Twitter) to expose the inhumane treatment of black men by police and to catalyze the national exposure of this tragedy. Furthermore, HandsUp United initially organized to pursue justice for Michael Brown, while also helping to prevent similar situations from occurring nationwide. Their strategy was to address and demand accountability from the Ferguson Police department along with numerous police departments

HandsUp United’s current vision encompasses healing the world, not solely Ferguson and America. Their vision is as follows: “We are striving for a world where we deal with harm in our communities through healing, love, and kinship”. The aforementioned means an end to state sponsored violence, including the excessive use of force by law enforcement. In addition, HandsUp United is “committed to an America that comes to terms with the trauma of its painful history and finds true reconciliation for it”. Therefore, mass incarceration and the criminalization of black and brown people must forever end, leaving in its place a culture that embraces our histories and stories. This, too, means an end to racial bias and white supremacy. In addition, HandsUp United’s dreams are directly linked with those resisting militarism and war and state repression around the world. They will “achieve this new beloved community hand in hand, step by step, in global solidarity with all people committed to lasting peace and full

Louis suburbs where Michael Brown was murdered. Palestinians expressed their condolences, concerns, and opinions on Twitter. Rajai Abukhalil, a physician in the West Bank, wrote “Dear #Ferguson. The Tear Gas used against you was probably tested on us first day by Israel. No worries, Stay Strong. Love, #Palestine”. A Palestinian student named Mariam Barghouti also tweeted, “Solidarity with Ferguson. Remember to not touch your face when tear-gassed or put water on it. Instead use milk or coke!” A powerful image of a Palestinian man holding a sign, which stated “The Palestinian people know what it means to be shot while unarmed because of your ethnicity”, also exploded on Twitter. Black-Palestinian solidarity spread throughout various cities in America: Seattle, DC, Houston, Chicago, Miami, and Columbus. Most of the Black-Palestinian solidarity in American cities was shown in signs and chants at demonstrations. In fact, Tara Thompson, the co-founder of HandsUp United, told the website Electronic Intifada, “Palestinians were the first to reach out, sharing ways to protect Ferguson protestors from tear