At Indiana University Northwest, four teens walked onto the stage of the school’s main theater, settling into the red chairs arranged for them. To their left stood Emerald Garner, the 32-year-old daughter of the late Eric Garner, who died after being put in a chokehold by a New York City cop in 2014. She’d selected them out of a crowd of students to join her in a candid conversation — she didn’t want those attending to feel like they were in school, and she didn’t want to rehash her trauma.
Instead, Garner, who was speaking at the university Thursday as part of a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration, wanted to hear from the youth. Together, they discussed what defines activism, how to work through difficult emotions, and ways to move forward after experiencing distressing situations.
“If you were in my shoes, what would you do?” she asked the teens.
A high school junior answered, “I would probably just never stop fighting, even until my last breath; I would just keep fighting.”
Protesting came up most in the students’ answers, though they admitted it was hard to know what they would do, and one student pointed out the cycle that occurs after police brutality incidents. “We grieve about it, we protest, we have politicians’ words, and then there’s nothing, and it starts all over again.”
One of the seniors said he’d probably want revenge, not justice. Garner said she understood.
Three years after Garner’s father was killed, her sister died at age 27 from a heart attack. Garner said her sister, Erica Garner, was a powerhouse and fearless in her pursuit to receive justice for their father. When Erica died, her two children went under Garner’s care. Her father’s death broke apart her family, she said. There was a lot to be angry about.
Garner picked the mantle of advocacy that her sister had started. She formed a nonprofit, We Can’t Breathe Inc., learned how to press for change from those at the National Action Network, and eventually, through her efforts, the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act was enacted in New York on June 8, 2020 — amid worldwide demonstrations stemming from the murder of George Floyd by a Minnesota cop a month earlier.
It was re-traumatizing to see another unarmed Black man killed on video by a white officer. She knew she couldn’t be at every protest or march, and she didn’t want to be, either. She said she wanted to heal and no longer see herself as a victim. That inspired her memoir, “Finding My Voice: On Grieving My Father, Eric Garner, and Pushing For Justice.”
Garner put her pain into words and laid her memories on the page. She said she’s a different person since releasing her memoir, and encourages others to find support systems and figure out what makes them happy to promote healing.
Back on stage, Garner asked the teens what made them happy. Performing, one senior said.
Being with their bandmates, another student said. Garner told them, and the audience, to hold onto those moments, and for those struggling, she said she almost always answers the phone.
“Call me, and I’ll talk you down,” Garner said.
Her nonprofit offers a hotline, “Justice After 5,” where young people can call in and receive support in moments of crisis. The organization also offers leadership development, safety skills training, and a summer employment program to youth.
After the talk, attendees received signed copies of Garner’s memoir and were able to take pictures with and chat even more with Garner.
IUN freshman and Gary native Aaliyah Davis was grateful that Garner visited her hometown, especially because the city is predominantly Black, and said the talk resonated with her because of the care Garner put into engaging the students.
Davis’ friend and IUN freshman Destiny Young added she appreciated hearing someone speak about police brutality because it happens so often, and that she was looking forward to learning more about handling trauma through Garner’s book.
On the inside of Davis’ copy, Garner wrote her simple message: “Keep shining.”