Ayoola Laleye | Reporter

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With the increasing tension between the black community and law enforcement, Avon’s African Diaspora club tries to create a line of discussion between the community and law enforcement through their Be the Change workshop. On September 24, the club’s fourth annual workshop, African Diaspora invited five members of law enforcement to participate in a panel discussion over zoom. The officers involved were: Chief Chase Lyday, Trooper Hope Mueller, Chief Brian Nugent, and Avon High School’s very own resource officers, Officer Tyler Jean and Terance Smith. 

The discussion was composed of questions developed by Avon High School students: the topics of these questions ranging from “getting to know you” questions to more serious questions regarding police brutality. During the discussion, attendees got into the topic of “the talk.” “The talk” refers to when black parents have to sit their black children down and inform them of the necessary precautions they need to take if they are ever pulled over by the police to ensure they never become the next hashtag of the BLM movement. 

Overall, the workshop allowed the community to get more insight on the viewpoints and experiences of law enforcement.  

“Hopefully [the attendees] see how Avon is being the change in our community and that gap has decreased between officers and the [black] community,” African Diaspora sponsor Ranielle Moore said.