Page 8 The Skanner January 3, 2018
News
Erica Garner Remembered for her Relentless
Campaign for Justice
Activist Erica Garner, Daughter of Eric Garner, Died December 30
rica Garner, who became
an activist for all who were
wronged by the American
justice system, died on Sat-
urday, December 30.
She was 27.
A Twitter account associated
with Erica Garner spoke of her
compassion for humanity. CNN
reported that her family is con-
trolling the account.
“When you report this you re-
member she was human: mother,
daughter, sister, aunt,” Garner’s
account tweeted. “Her heart was
bigger than the world. It really, re-
ally was. She cared when most peo-
ple wouldn’t have. She was good.
She only pursued right, no matter
what. No one gave her justice.”
Garner famously and fiercely
sought justice for her father, Eric
Garner, who died from a police
chokehold in Staten Island, New
York on July 17, 2014.
She led marches and demon-
strations in New York City and
other places, and even appeared
on national television imploring
the Department of Justice to re-
view the circumstances that led
up to her father’s death.
Erica Garner’s mother, Esaw
Snipes, said, “She was a fighter,
she was a warrior and she lost the
battle. She never recovered from
when her father died,” according
to CNN.
Snipes said that Garner suf-
fered from the effects of an en-
larged heart after giving birth to
her son three months ago, CNN
reported.
“I warned her everyday, you
have to slow down, you have to re-
lax and slow down,” Snipes said.
According to Erica Garner’s
E
AP PHOTO/AMANDA MEYERS, FILE
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Contributor
In this April 27, 2015 file photo, Erica Garner,
daughter of Eric Garner, poses for a photo as
she attends the funeral for Freddie Gray in
Baltimore. Garner, daughter of Black Lives
Matter icon Eric Garner died in New York on
Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017, after a weeklong
hospital stay following a heart attack.
Twitter account, the activist went
into cardiac arrest and suffered
major brain damage from a lack
of oxygen.
In a statement about Erica Gar-
ner’s work as an advocate for
criminal justice reform, Rev. Al
Sharpton called her a warrior.
Sharpton famously joined the
Garner family in their push for
justice against the New York City
Police Department.
“Many will say that Erica died of
a heart attack, but that’s only par-
tially true because her heart was
already broken when she couldn’t
get justice for her father,” Sharp-
ton said. “Her heart was attacked
by a system that would choke her
dad and not hold accountable
those that did it.”
On a summer day in July 2014,
officers approached Eric Garner
whom they said was selling loose
cigarettes near a store in Staten
Island.
A video released showed Officer
Daniel Pantaleo grabbing Gar-
ner from behind and applying a
chokehold while other officers
helped tackle Garner, whom fam-
ily members said had asthma.
On the video, in a plea that has
resonated around the world, Gar-
ner is heard saying, “I can’t breathe.
I can’t breathe,” repeatedly.
He died shortly after the inci-
dent. A grand jury failed to indict
Pantaleo and, in 2015, the city set-
tled a civil claim by Garner’s fam-
ily against New York for nearly
$6 million.
Before and despite the settle-
ment, Erica Garner pushed for
justice and, with a national plat-
form, her voice became as big as
any in the fight for freedom, jus-
tice and equality.
“I had the honor of getting to
know Erica and I was inspired by
the commitment she made work-
ing towards a more just world for
her children and future genera-
tions,” Vermont Sen. Bernie Sand-
ers tweeted. “She was a fighter for
justice and will not be forgotten.”
Erica Garner supported Sand-
ers’ 2016 campaign for president,
even appearing in an ad for his
campaign.
“Though Erica didn’t ask to be
an activist, she responded to the
personal tragedy of seeing her
father die while being arrested
in New York City by becoming a
leading proponent for criminal
justice reform and for an end to
police brutality,” Sanders said.
The police “killed her unarmed,
nonviolent father with an illegal
chokehold and got off with nary a
word,” activist Brittany Packnett
wrote in a Twitter post. “Erica had
to fight for justice. Then for her
own life…she didn’t deserve this,
her father didn’t deserve this. Her
family doesn’t deserve this. All
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Want to Keep Your 2018
New Year’s Resolution?
Your Pet Can Help!
Dr. Streeter and her dog Sheba
By Jasmine Streeter, DVM
Special to The Skanner
News
or many of us, living
a healthier lifestyle
and getting fit is at
the top of our 2018
New Year’s resolution.
According to Statistic
Brain Research Institute,
41 percent of Ameri-
cans made a resolution
for 2017, but only 9 per-
cent were successful in
achieving their goals.
This year to beat the
odds, I encourage you to
get a little help from one
of your most loyal fans
and cheerleaders: your
pet.
Walking 30 minutes
a day with your pet, at
least three times a week,
is one of the easiest hab-
its to incorporate into a
new fitness regime. Low-
er blood pressure, in-
creased mental well-be-
ing, and weight loss are
well-established health
benefits of walking.
Some of you will prefer
to immerse yourself in a
forest walk (forest bath-
ing), while others may
prefer a busy downtown
power stroll. Whatever
decision you make, en-
joy each step you take
together. It will be for the
better.
Consider taking an
active role in free play
instead of throwing the
ball from the lawn chair.
Get a workout in by play-
ing tug-of-war. Run some
sprints as you race to
capture the tennis ball or
try playing tag for a total
body workout. Break a
sweat, wear yourself out,
and then unwind with a
cool glass of water. You’ll
boost immunity, increase
your stamina and feel
more relaxed in the long
run.
Create a weekly feed-
ing and bedtime sched-
ule that includes you
and your pet. Consis-
tency and planning are
extremely
important
in accomplishing goals.
Create designated eating
times and incorporate
portion control while
preparing meals to set
F
you and your pet up for
success. There are count-
less measuring cups,
bowls, spoons and scales
available for purchase
to help you feed the ap-
propriate amount. Count
treats and go for health-
ier options like veggies
and fruits instead of
foods high in carbohy-
drates, fats and sugars.
Make sure you and your
furry ones head to bed
early and aim for 7-8
hours of sleep for opti-
mum productivity and
alertness.
“
Medi-
tation,
prayer and
reflection
are great
habits to
include
your pet in
this year
Meditation, prayer and
reflection are great hab-
its to include your pet
in this year. Create a re-
flection space in the most
peaceful part of your
home and encourage
your pets to sit down or
lie quietly with you when
in this area. Having your
pets calming presence
may be just what you
need to help you clear
the clutter of the day’s
thoughts and focus on
what really matters.
Lastly, be confident and
positive in your actions
and thoughts. What you
believe you achieve, and
I know this year can be
the year you change your
life for the better. Grab
some confidence from
the happy panting or
purring critter next to
you and get going. I be-
lieve in 2018 we can keep
our resolution, I know
the payout will be grand.
I say to you, this year try
it out with a leash or paw
in one hand.
Reach Dr. Jasmine at
drjasmine@theskanner.
com.