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She's not from Detroit and neither are her cohorts but through the internet they have galvanized to form the International Aiyana Alliance. It's their response to the killing of 7-year-old Aiyana Jones, who was fatally shot during a search raid performed by Detroit police in late May.
"When you're a mom, that mother lionness instinct comes out in you and you're just like 'no this is unacceptable,'" Allison, Founder of the International Aiyana Alliance, said. "I started grieving for this child even though I had never met her." The group recently held a peace march in Detroit to support the community and send an important message to the world.
"I wanted, initially, to present a visual image for people to see that when you kill a child, that child is connected to a mother who is connected to a father; a grandfather; a community," she said. "It's a ripple in the pond effect; that pain and grief spreads. It spread to me and my home."
Chanting and marching with posters that read "Redeem Aiyana's Dream", a group of nearly 150 people marched from Grand Circus Park to the Detroit City County building on Woodward in Detroit. Front and center were Allison and her daughter.
"As the crowd began to grow I thought wow we had all skin colors from all over the country here saying we're with you. Let's go. It was overwhelming." Allison said.
Usually selective with her daughter's news consumption, Allison said she felt it was important to inform and involve her daughter in the entire process.
Usually selective with her daughter's news consumption, Allison said she felt it was important to inform and involve her daughter in the entire process.
"She asked me why I was crying. As I began to explain the story to her, I started realizing my child isn't safe," she said.
Feeling compelled to protect the innocence of her daughter and other children, Allison posted information about holding a march in Detroit on Facebook and within 2 days was shocked at the response she received. She also started a Facebook group which had acquired over 200 fans from all over the world, including: Paris, Peru and Germany.
Despite the fact that she had never organized a march, Allison immediately kicked into auto-pilot and began researching, mapquesting and reaching out to all her Detroit connections. She wanted to make sure the underlying issues surrounding Aiyana's death would not be swept under the rug.
Feeling compelled to protect the innocence of her daughter and other children, Allison posted information about holding a march in Detroit on Facebook and within 2 days was shocked at the response she received. She also started a Facebook group which had acquired over 200 fans from all over the world, including: Paris, Peru and Germany.
"I said to myself, what are we going to do with these people, they want to be a part of helping the circumstances," Allison said.
Despite the fact that she had never organized a march, Allison immediately kicked into auto-pilot and began researching, mapquesting and reaching out to all her Detroit connections. She wanted to make sure the underlying issues surrounding Aiyana's death would not be swept under the rug.
"They need to re-visit and review this no-knock raids policy and tactics, look at the math and how many innocent people that have been killed and say is this working," Allison said.
Her mission is to get the attention of decision-makers in Washington to revise the legislation granting police no-knock search warrants; a usually rare, circumstantial type of warrant that does not require police to announce themselves prior to entering a home.
There has been a history of fatal mistakes associated with no-knock search warrant operations in the past. It has been reported by other news outlets that Detroit Police were issued a no-knock search warrant in the case of Aiyana Jones; however, the Michigan State Police have not confirmed or negated these allegations.
Her mission is to get the attention of decision-makers in Washington to revise the legislation granting police no-knock search warrants; a usually rare, circumstantial type of warrant that does not require police to announce themselves prior to entering a home.
There has been a history of fatal mistakes associated with no-knock search warrant operations in the past. It has been reported by other news outlets that Detroit Police were issued a no-knock search warrant in the case of Aiyana Jones; however, the Michigan State Police have not confirmed or negated these allegations.
In the interim Allison and members from the International Aiyana Alliance find solace in embracing Detroit and taking part in its restoration through community building. She hopes to develop economic empowerment classes for people in the city.
"I'll be back with nothing but love and support for my people," she said. "It [the march] was a wonderful example of what the human spirit is really about. Most people want the same thing regardless of skin color."
Comments: (10)
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By: Sophia on 7/08/2010 5:44PM
Good for her!! Im glad someone took this issue a step further. Personally I was surprised there wasn't an outcry from the Black celebrtities community.
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By: jacki on 7/08/2010 6:09PM
When I read this story about this child, It made be very sad. We are going backwards, these accidents only happen to Black and Hispanic people. Nothing has changed, it's just worded differently.
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By: Mia P on 7/08/2010 6:39PM
Black celebrities are not going to do anything that why people like Shawn combs, Jay c and and wife and will and jada we should not buy are go see anything they do and oparh either because they don't care and we better get in together because it will be a race war and black women are going to have to rely on each other because our men are gone.
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By: michelle jones on 7/08/2010 6:59PM
Right on Mia and Jacki!! You both are so right!! What has happened to us as a people?? And Sophia you are telling it like it is also. Why was there no outcry from the Black church. It is sad.
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By: Rita71 on 7/09/2010 12:16AM
Diddy, Jay Z, Bey etc...are not judges, law enforcement or civil rights activist. They are entertainers and business people. They do what they do.
There was a dominoe effect that led to this child's death and bad judgement was involved "all" the way around! There is more to this horror story than has been reported. That "could" be the reason why these celebrities and people from that community haven't jumped up and become outspoken.
The events that led to this child's death is shameful. So many, too many adults failed this child before the police arrived on the scene. Last, the trigger happy policeman shouldn't even be allowed to be billy club carrying mall cop.
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By: cclark06 on 7/10/2010 8:38PM
JZ and Puffy contribute to these young kids shooting Guns AND..might I add prophet off of the poor kids who live in poverty that buy their music.
Uhmmmmmm....To Deep or What!
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By: Duwan Coleman on 7/09/2010 9:29AM
We as a people in the United States can’t afford not to get involve in police no-knock search warrants. We can do roll call on all the senseless killings of Black People by police in America. When a African American is killed we all should be outraged and get involve. The list of African Americans killings by police and law agencies go back over two hundred years. With the; I can get away with it attitude, it will happen over and over again. We need to have zero tolerance from now- on.
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By: MsHuNNii on 7/09/2010 9:10PM
Wow what about the curcumstances behind this little girl getting killed. If her father wasn't harboring a thug @$$ criminal this little girl wouldn't been a victim. And what about the 17 year old boy that was murdered by her father's friend and aunt boyfriend, he was somebodies child also. This is sad but these people need to clean their own neighborhoods and drop that no snitching crap first before they start trying too tell somebody how too do their jobs. I bet these same people marching have not a word to say when Mookie kills innocent children in a driveby.
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By: Wow do u know how to read on 7/10/2010 2:30AM
Uhmm mshunni you obviously didnt read the dam story its obvious with your response. Aiyana were in an apartment below the apartment they were seeking was upstair and her family was not involved in the incident nor related to the coward who killed the 17 yr child just for what some cowards call mad dogging him.
Now do yourself and us all a favor before you speak/type on anymore topic that are related to real life events do your research because your assumption makes you the first three letters of that word
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By: cclark06 on 7/10/2010 8:37PM
ONE OF THE SADDEST STORIES i HAVE EVER READ. GOD BLESS THAT BABY. ONE THING TO REMEMBER FOR ALL INVOLVED "YOU REEP WHAT YOU SOW"
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