Words By Dom Jones to the Daughter of Oscar Grant

Dear Tatiana:

to Oscar Grant's Daughter

I was a little girl when my father died of cancer
So when I learned of you... I cried
We both lost our knight and shining armors to diseases
Yours taken as a result of diseased humanity
I cried 'cause I don't want it to be your legacy
To grow up knowing he was stripped of loving you
Through your first broken heart
Your last day of high school
Your walk down the aisle
Your first child
This is not a club I ever wanted you to join
I don't know you
I just know the gaping hole you'll end up carrying
For more than the 2 to 4 his murderer will get
I wish I could carry your grief
Could have been on the platform
Could have taken the bullet
I would have taken the bullet
So neither one of us would have to live a fatherless life
I'm caught between rage and guttural pain
Screaming high pitched, inaudible, something like opera
All 'cause I can't forget Oscar, no Academy
I just wanna put you back with your family
And I don't know you
I just know the unanswered questions that will eat at you
Wondering why racism is why he ain't seeing you
Wondering how a human life is only worth a deuce and a letter
After the fact, after the shot, after the stormy weather
I hope you never have to hop a train
Wish you never had to face the bitter taste of knowing all you have is pop's remains
I wish you could feel his embrace
I wish it was last year, he was still here, wish it all erased
I wish I could make this tragedy right
And neither one of us would have to live a fatherless life...

WRENAGADE RESPONSE

Injustice has many layers.

We sleep on it and then it wakes up up on another perspective of the tragedy

I had almost let my rage for the incident that occurred atFruitvale Bart station become dormant

I was so clear how I felt about it

so active in the moment close to it

That with time I numbed myself from thinking

I still had more to learn about how injustice

continues

Months later after hundreds of people have said

this Murder is not OK, no longer can in be so systematic

So normal for a young innocent life to be taken away

Based on his race, and then based on that the murderer is trained to kill, no consequence.

This tragedy was like a wound in every body's heart that had just begun to heal,

But then a jury to a few moments to continue the injustice.

Rip my heart out.

So tell Tatiana who now is fatherless

What her pops is worth to you

You may have tried to succeeded at dehumanizing

Oscar who now is a poster who everyone claims to be

As a way to honor his memory

But you cannot paint his daughter as less than human

This is not just about BART

or a slap in the face verdict

Its how to sustain hope when the tides are against you

And not just hope but belief turned to action

To spark a change.

We are not all on the front line

But I pray we still are awake

to have warrior heart

Beating in our chests

Like drums

Never giving up until

The battle is won

Until that day comes...