In the early hours of 2009, 22-year-old Oscar Grant was fatally shot by a Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer at the Fruitvale station in Oakland, California. The shooting was captured on cellphone video and made headlines nationwide, leading to a national conversation about police brutality. The officer who shot Grant was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served 11 months in prison out of a two-year sentence.

In the following years, as more police killings made the news, Grant’s mother, Wanda Johnson, decided to turn her pain and grief into a purpose. She became an integral part of a movement made up of mothers like her, whose sons were killed by police, to help them find justice and ensure that their children are not forgotten. The number of members continues to grow steadily every year.

Published on: Reveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting
Roles: Director, Producer, Cinematographer and Editor
*2018 Gracie Award for Original Online Programming - Video Series “The Aftermath”