A Word: More Than A Hashtag

Slate Books

Slate Podcasts

Arts

3.8 • 546 Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2023

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Police killings of Black men have their own grim, but established, rituals in American society. But what happens to those who survive police violence? On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Leon Ford, who survived being shot multiple times by Pittsburgh police more than a decade ago. In his new memoir An Unspeakable Hope, Ford candidly describes his legal, physical, and mental health challenges, and why he eventually dedicated himself to working with police, including reaching out to the man who shot him. He also discusses The Hear Foundation—his non-profit group that builds partnerships between the community and police—and his complicated views of politics, gun violence, and activism. Guest: Activist Leon Ford, co-founder of The Hear Foundation, and author of An Unspeakable Hope: Brutality, Forgiveness, and Building a Better Future for My Son Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is a word, a podcast from Slate.
0:04.2	I'm your host, Jason Johnson.
0:05.7	By now, we're all familiar with the grim rituals of fatal police encounters with black men.
0:11.6	The hashtags, the protests, the calls for accountability, that may or may not be answered.
0:16.2	But what happens to the victims who survive?
0:19.1	And how can they move forward with their lives?
0:21.8	Had it not been for the birth of my son, I don't think I would be here today because his life gave me the will to live.
0:32.2	Leon Ford, the author of An Unstoppable Hope, coming up on a word with me, Jason Johnson. Stay with us.
0:44.4	Welcome to a Word, a podcast about race and politics and everything else. I'm your host, Jason
0:48.6	Johnson. On November 11, 2012, Leon Ford was on his way to his grandmother's house when a traffic stop changed his life.
0:58.0	The 19-year-old was pulled over, and even though he was not the suspect police were looking for,
1:03.2	they shot Leon Ford five times in the chest.
1:06.3	He was partially paralyzed and now uses a wheelchair to move around.
1:09.9	For many people, this would have been the end of their public lives.
1:12.7	But for Leon Ford, it was the beginning of a new journey.
1:16.1	He became an advocate for building community and ending gun violence,
1:19.7	delivered a TED talk on transforming pain into purpose,
1:22.3	and co-founded the Hear Foundation,
1:25.5	an organization that aims to bring Pittsburgh residents and police together
1:28.7	to build a safer and healthier community. He's also the author of a new memoir, an unspeakable
1:35.4	hope, brutality, forgiveness, and building a better future for my son. Leon, it's great to talk to you
1:41.3	again after almost 10 years. Welcome to a word. Thanks for having me. It's a pleasure to have the opportunity to share my story.
	...

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