One thing that we can do is make sure we have an avenue that prevents — Derecka Purnell

"I had to understand the history of police inadequacy to these harms and then learn that, well, the police werent created to respond to these harms in"

"The police cant fight patriarchy. They perpetuate it in so many circumstances."

"A lot of the times the people who make the decision to kill people - if they make that decision, its because of patriarchy. Its because theyre trying to control someone elses sexuality, especially if its a woman, and they are concerned about, shes going to sleep with someone else - or if theyre concerned someone else is going to try to sleep with her. So then that leads to a homicide. Or its two men who are fighting or going back and forth, and one feels as if their manhood has been disrespected. And so we see the No. 1 reason for certain kind of homicides is a petty argument that escalates."

"why all these killings happening in the first place? Why are people conditioned to kill each other? Why is it true in the United States but not true in other parts of the world?"

"as a trained lawyer, what I try to do is use my legal skills to help organizers figure out how to wage campaigns against oppressive institutions. Sometimes that means reducing power for the police. Sometimes it means trying to close a jail or a prison."

"why do we have to run from cops in our neighborhood and then go to school and run from, quote, "school resource officers," unquote, in order to learn, in order to get an education?...I watched that from sixth grade all the way until I graduated high school."