Update on Suspiciously Sitting While Black and Autistic

(TW for references to violence)

My previous post about 18-year-old Neli Latson described the series of events which led to his being beaten, jailed, and faced with serious criminal charges simply because someone found "suspicious" the sight of a young, black, autistic man sitting on the grass waiting for the library to open. So suspicious did that seem to this person that they imagined a "possible", though non-existent, gun in his possession.

A number of Shakers were very interested in Neli's plight, and wanted to know what they could do to help. Neli's mom, Lisa Alexander, has begun an email campaign to try to bring attention from the news media to her son's situation. At her website, A Voice for Neli, she has compiled a long list of email addresses of news people, along with an email which you can copy and paste to send to them.

And here you will find a video Lisa made on a recent visit to Neli in the institution where he's been placed for a 30-day mental health evaluation. In this video, Neli tells the story of how he was vilified, assaulted and arrested, then assaulted some more.

It. Will. Make. You. Sick. Trigger Warning on this video for descriptions of violence (not graphic), racism, misogyny and despicable inhumanity. But by all means watch it if you can, and share far and wide Neli's story and Lisa's email campaign on his behalf.