June 1, 2020. Takoma Park City TV received a 2020 Hometown Media Award from the Alliance for Community Media Foundation. The awards program was established to honor and promote community media and local cable programs that are distributed on Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) access cable television channels.

City TV won in the $300,000-$650,000 category the Overall Excellence in Government programming, awarded to the overall production of the channel. “This is the best award we could win,” says Alvaro Calabia, production manager for City TV. He believes that “they have appreciated the diversity of programs we produce and how we try to reach all demographics in the City. Besides English and Spanish, in 2019 we produced shows in Amharic, Haitian Creole, and French. We also collaborated with the Thunderbolts to produce our first baseball games ever, and we have rooted deeper our relation with Takoma Radio, WOWD. We have a lot of partners in Takoma Park responsible for the award.” You can see City TV programs on their YouTube page.

Each year, a panel of judges evaluates over a thousand entries based on several factors including subject, experience, and budget. Awards are then presented to the most creative programs that address community needs, develop diverse community involvement, challenge conventional commercial television formats, and move viewers to experience television in a different way. Proceeds from the awards program are used exclusively for facilitating, preserving and promoting education in community media.

“The Hometown Media Awards celebrate both the excellence of work and the diversity of media that appears on community channels being produced around the country. The ACM Foundation is proud of their achievement and of how they represent their communities in their work,” said Mike Wassenaar, president & CEO, Alliance for Community Media.

Congratulations CityTV Staff!

Waking up this morning to the video of one of our officers removing a sign calling for action, was not only upsetting, it was infuriating. The taking down of the signs and the officer’s interaction with a young person is not acceptable. And, this is about much more than taking down signs.

Our job as leaders is to change laws and policies and fight against how their enforcement criminalizes black identity and actions. But we can’t stop there. We must also enact legislation that furthers equity and justice in our communities.

I thank our Police Chief and City Manager for taking swift action this morning and for the work they have been doing in the last few years to make changes in our department. And more needs to be done locally and at the state level.

I pledge to advocate and ask others to join me to push for reforms at the state level especially addressing the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights which hampers progress and necessary changes we want to make at the local level in Maryland. We have an opportunity with Del David Moon being appointed by the Speaker of State House to work with other delegates to propose reforms that will be turned into legislation for the next session.

Today, I call on residents to join me in an act of solidarity by putting up signs around town calling for justice and taking anti-racist actions to not only prevent police violence against people of color but to dismantle the very structures of white supremacy wherever they exist.

Please join me.

Update to Chief DeVaul’s Message – June 08 at 4:45pm

Redacted text of incoming call for service on June 1, 2020

The redacted text of the incoming call to our dispatch center on June 1, 2020 has been released. Last week, we wanted to respond to the incident as quickly as possible. Now as additional background information is available, we will continue to review the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident and continue to make operational improvements as appropriate.

Update to Chief DeVaul’s Message – June 04 at 5:30pm

Body Cam footage: Police Removal of Signs:

Police Chief DeVaul Interview with WJLA TV

Update to Chief DeVaul’s Message – June 02 at 12:00pm

Posted this morning – June 02 at 8:55am

We are aware of the video posted on social media of an interaction between one of our officers removing a sign calling for action from a light pole. Posting signs on light poles and other structures is illegal in Takoma Park. However, during this time of mourning and reflection, we support creating more spaces for residents to express their feelings and raise awareness with signs, posters, and other means. Understanding this need, City Manager Suzanne Ludlow will be putting out an emergency order overriding the posting of sign restriction. We encourage residents to post signs throughout the city.

We have addressed this incident with the involved officer and will be discussing it with all of our staff. As I have stated numerous times, we want to be part of the solution, not the problem. The removal of signs is not part of the solution and for that, I apologize. We all understand that tensions are running high across the country and in Takoma Park. Let’s find a way to learn from this incident and take steps to bring us together.

We are reeling, hurting, and angry. I am urging Takoma Park residents to put signs up across the City. Let’s show the world and each other what we are hoping for and working for, how we are grieving and raging and loving, and working to make this world a just and welcoming place for all.

I am suspending the rules against posting signs in the City right of way. For safety reasons, we will move signs if they are in an unsafe location such as covering a traffic sign or blocking sightlines at an intersection.

Let’s put up the posters, draw with chalk on the sidewalks and show who we are!

This week, the plight of being black in America has hit me like a ton of bricks. As a black woman, I know all too well that racism exists. I’ve seen the looks that some give when they make assumptions about you. I’ve been forced to assimilate and change aspects of who I am to make white people feel more comfortable in my presence. I’ve had awkward conversations with my niece and nephews, well before they were of age to understand, about how to behave so that “people” don’t think that they are criminals. “Don’t touch anything unless you plan to buy it.” “You can borrow the car, but remember if you get stopped by the police to do as you are told. If you are ever arrested, be polite, don’t resist, or say anything.”

However, this week, I realized that despite the preparation that we give black children so that they can survive an encounter with the police, black people are not safe in America. The case of Ahmaud Arbery proves that we can’t jog in our own neighborhood. Breonna Taylor’s death shows that we can’t sleep in our houses. George Floyd’s murder illustrates that even if you don’t resist arrest, you can be killed by individuals who took an oath to protect you.

I am grateful for the work that the City of Takoma Park is doing to acknowledge racism and put systems in place to promote equality. Takoma Park Police Chief DeVaul is changing the culture of policing in the City of Takoma Park; including actively recruiting a diverse police force. The City’s commitment to race equity is shown by the training of staff, and their proactive work to serve residents and small business owners who have less access to power and resources. This work in the Police Department and throughout the City is critical and will continue.

Yet, we must also recognize that we are fighting hate and a system that allows those who hate to prosper. Nelson Mandela said “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.” As a community, we must vow to teach love.

Specifically, you must:

• Talk about racism and police brutality with your family.
• Speak up when you see or experience racism.
• Seek out opportunities to encourage and promote diversity, particularly among elected officials.
• Advocate at all levels of government for policies that promote equality and reverse systems that disadvantage people of color.

One of my favorite albums is Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder. In the song, Love’s in Need of Love Today, Stevie Wonder sings “Love’s in need of love today. Don’t delay. Send yours in right away. Hate’s goin’ round. Breaking many hearts. Stop it, please. Before it’s gone too far.”

The hate has gone too far. But, there is still time to make things right. Please join me in vowing to teach love. Together, we can fight racism.

You are invited to join us tonight, at 6pm for a Moment for Reflection and a Call to Action!

Read Chief DeVaul’s message to the community.