Prison reform seems to be the forgotten social injustice among most politicians, but with a judicial system failing many African Americans and filing prisons with many innocent men and women like Kalief Browder, it is time for a change.
According to published reports, Akeem Browder, Kalief’s older brother is hoping to accomplish a real change with the prison system by running for Mayor of New York.
Browder who will be running against current Mayor Bill deBlasio, says he feels that Mayor de Blasio is not living up to his campaign promises to shut down Rikers Island. The infamous prison is known as one of the worst prisons in the United States. Approximately 85% of Rikers Island prison population has not been convicted a crime, with most inmates being pretrial or remanded.
Akeem’s brother Kalief is just one of many tragic stories of black males caught up in a failing system for a crime he was never convicted of. The youngest Browder was arrested when he was just 16-years-old for a robbery he says he never committed. Since he was unable to raise the money needed to post his bail, he spent three years on Rikers Island in New York and never received his day in court. Two of those three years was in solitary confinement. He endured harassment and violent attacks from prisoners and guards. He attempted to commit suicide several times before he was released. Once he was released, he struggled with his mental health issues that eventually led to him take his own life at only 22-years-old.
In addition to prison reform, Akeem also feels that Mayor de Blasio has not been handling the state’s finances properly and needs to be held accountable for his spending, stating that he is a better candidate because he can speak to the average New Yorker because he is one.
““What does running as a mayor include, talking fancy? What it actually involves is knowing the people, and I’ve done that…I’ve marched in the streets with the people in every borough.”
Akeem’s platform also includes homelessness, schools, and taxpayer spending.
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