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Mother Fights for Police Body-Cam Footage of Son’s Death

WASHINGTON INFORMER — More than a year after her son died in a police-involved shooting, Kenithia Alston said she still has questions about that fateful evening that the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has not been willing to answer. In August, after what would’ve been Marqueese Alston’s 24th birthday, the Alston matriarch’s focus has pivoted to securing the police body camera footage that would reveal key details about her son’s final moments, including the number of officers on the scene, the amount of times he got hit, and whether he opened fire first.

Published

7 years ago

October 29, 2019

Oakland Post

Kenethia Alston (Courtesy photo | Facebook)

By Sam P. K. Collins

More than a year after her son died in a police-involved shooting, Kenithia Alston said she still has questions about that fateful evening that the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has not been willing to answer.

In August, after what would’ve been Marqueese Alston’s 24th birthday, the Alston matriarch’s focus has pivoted to securing the police body camera footage that would reveal key details about her son’s final moments, including the number of officers on the scene, the amount of times he got hit, and whether he opened fire first.

Alston contends that MPD officials and, to a degree, the Office of the Attorney General Karl Racine have been elusive and uncooperative, opting at the last minute to reveal a small portion of the video from that night rather than the totality of the recordings from the multiple officers of the scene.

“We assumed that we would have gotten to see more than five minutes. They crafted what they had shown us, and included informational slides within the five-minute video footage,” Kenithia Alston said of her meeting with MPD Internal Affairs.

On Monday, she counted among several people who testified about MPD’s body-camera program during the D.C. Council Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety’s oversight roundtable.

In her statement, Alston explained the labyrinth-like process she endured with MPD General Counsel and DC Office of Risk Management before watching what she described as the paltry amount of video evidence related to her son’s shooting.

She said that MPD officials misled the family into believing that the decedent’s mother, father, siblings, and supporters would be able to watch before reneging on that condition in the hours leading up to viewing.

“What we saw didn’t reflect what MPD Chief Peter Newsham said about Marqueese shooting at police,” Kenithia Alston continued, also referencing social media videos countering MPD’s account.

The Night in Question

On June 12, 2018, Marqueese Alston counted among a group of young men that officers in a marked patrol car saw in the Washington Highlands neighborhood of Southeast. A chase ensued shortly after, during which officers killed Alston, 22.

Days later, Newsham told reporters that Alston, wearing an ankle monitor at the time, fired at the two officers who ran after him. MPD officials also announced the recovery of a gun and ammunition at the scene.

MPD recently denied the Alston family’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the footage, on the grounds that the investigation is ongoing. Efforts to push for a public release have also fallen short. The Alston family’s story bears similarity to that of the families of the late Jeffrey Price and D’Quan Young, both of whom also lost their lives in police-involved shootings last year.

An MPD media relations official didn’t return The Informer’s request for comment regarding the status of the Alston shooting investigation and the availability of body camera footage from the incident.

D.C. law allows people, their families, and an attorney to view body-camera footage at a time scheduled by MPD at one of its precincts. Following the denial of a viewing, people can file a FOIA request, just as Alston had done. Since the inception of its body camera program five years ago, MPD has denied nearly all requests to view body-camera footage.

In 2014, the department launched 400 cameras under the first phase of its body-camera pilot program. In 2015, 500 more cameras hit the streets. In late 2016, MPD deployed 2.800 body cameras, what had been considered the largest influx nationwide at that point.

As of late 2018, more than 3,100 body cameras have been assigned to officers. D.C. law currently mandates that Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), in concert with an oversight agency, makes data available about the body camera program. This includes the hours of body-camera footage collected, how many times body cameras failed and reasons why, the frequency of internal investigations into body camera footage, and the use of body camera footage in internal affairs investigations.

A D.C. Council roundtable in Room 412 of the Wilson Building on Monday allowed for testimony from nearly two dozen public witnesses about what they described as lapses in compliance in various aspects of the body-camera program.

During her testimony, Emily Gunston of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee (WLC), who has been working on behalf of the Alston family, offered to help write legislation she said could hold MPD more accountable in releasing body camera footage.

“On top of the pain of watching her son be killed, Kenithia Alston endured it without the support of her family and attorney when she was with the police who killed her son,” said Gunston, deputy legal director of WLC Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. “It’s fair to give Ms. Alston basic information.

“Other departments handle this differently in very simple ways,” Gunston said. “There was no reason why MPD couldn’t contact her and explain [what happened to her son]. If they had done that, we would be in a different position, but Ms. Alston is here to tell her story again. Surely now, they would’ve taken steps to allow the release of the video.”

This post originally appeared in The Washington Informer.

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Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled

BLACKPRESS USA NEWSWIRE — “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”
The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

5 days ago

June 8, 2026

Oakland Post

By National Women’s Law Center

The National Women’s Law Center released its annual State Child Care Assistance Policies report, finding that the number of children placed on waiting lists for federally funded child care assistance nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025 — and that number has only continued to grow.

The report serves as a key resource for state lawmakers, advocates, and policymakers by tracking state child care assistance policies and identifying where states are strengthening support for families and early educators — or falling behind.

“This deeply troubling increase in the number of children on child care waiting lists is the result of a failure to invest in this crucial sector,” said Karen Schulman, senior director of state child care policy and author of the report. “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”

Key findings in the report related to waiting lists for child care assistance include:

• 17 states had waiting lists or a freeze on intake for child care assistance in February 2025, up from 13 states in February 2024.

• Approximately 106,700 children nationwide were added to waiting lists between February 2024 and February 2025, bringing the total to 225,500 children in February 2025 — a 90 percent increase compared to February 2024.

• The numbers climbed even further between February 2025 and summer/fall 2025, with more than 175,000 additional children added to state waiting lists in just a few months — a 78 percent increase.

• At least seven states newly began placing families on waiting lists or freezing intake, while at least 10 additional states saw their waiting lists grow, after February 2025.

The report also includes state-by-state data on key child care assistance policies, including income eligibility limits, parent copayments, provider payment rates, and eligibility policies for parents searching for work.

Click the link to learn more: Warning Signs: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2025.

The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy

ROLLING OUT — Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport.
The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

The seven-time major champion read frustration, not a real goodbye, in the world No. 1’s words

By David Kesiena | Rolling Out

When the world’s top-ranked player said she wanted to walk away from the sport, Venus Williams chose empathy over alarm.

Aryna Sabalenka’s blunt remark after her French Open quarterfinal collapse rattled plenty of fans, but Williams heard something different in it. The seven-time Grand Slam champion treated the comment as the raw reaction of a hurting athlete rather than a serious signal about her future.

The collapse that triggered the comment

Sabalenka looked headed for a routine win over Diana Shnaider. She took the opening set 6-3 and built a commanding lead in the second, climbing to 4-1 and later serving for the match at 5-4 while sitting just two points from victory.

Then everything unraveled. Shnaider stormed back to steal the second set 7-5 and bageled the world No. 1 in the third, with Sabalenka dropping 12 of the final 13 games in gusty conditions that reached around 26 mph. The 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 result sent Shnaider into her first Grand Slam semifinal and extended Sabalenka’s long wait for a maiden Roland Garros title.

In the aftermath, Sabalenka did not soften her feelings. She told reporters she had no thoughts and no emotions left and felt like quitting on the spot. She described being stuck in a deep, dark mental hole during the match, unable to find her way back.

What Venus Williams said about Sabalenka

Williams reacted with understanding. She admitted the moment made her sad and said she had been swept up in Sabalenka’s emotions, feeling a surge of empathy for her. She praised the Belarusian for laying everything bare on court, where every feeling shows.

Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport. Rather than scold her, Williams offered a gentle observation about the rhythm of professional tennis. She suggested players might benefit from a little more time to gather themselves before stepping in front of the cameras, a quiet acknowledgment that athletes are routinely asked to dissect painful defeats before the sting has faded.

Sabalenka walks it back

The story did not end on that bleak note. Within days, Sabalenka signaled she was not actually quitting, framing the press-conference outburst as heat-of-the-moment honesty rather than a plan. At the time of the loss she had also left the door open, saying she would see how she felt in a few days and hoped to get back on track mentally. The walk-back lined up with how Williams had read the situation from the start.

It is not the first time a Paris quarterfinal has pushed Sabalenka to her limit. In 2024 she exited at the same stage and skipped her press conference entirely because of illness, with the tour later releasing her quotes on her behalf. The pattern underscores how heavily this particular tournament has weighed on her despite deep runs in recent years.

For now, attention shifts to the grass. Wimbledon offers Sabalenka a quick chance to reset, and a strong showing there would turn this French Open meltdown into a footnote rather than a turning point.

Originally published by Rolling Out — https://rollingout.com.

The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue

THE CAROLINIAN — Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.
The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

By Judaea Ingram | Special to The Carolinian

RALEIGH, N.C. – Music filled the air as families danced through the crowd, children gathered around activity stations, and community members explored wellness resources from local organizations. Black-owned businesses lined the streets while people stopped for chair massages, conversations, and moments of connection inside the wellness suite.

At the center of the event stood a simple but powerful reminder:

“You Matter.”

For Darkness RISING, those words represent far more than a slogan. They reflect the organization’s mission to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community while creating spaces centered on healing, honesty, and hope.

Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.

The organization hosts a variety of programs and events throughout the year, including block parties, wellness workshops, mixers, kickoff events, community classes, and Darkness RISING: Live — a free annual arts and wellness festival now celebrating its ninth year.

The festival combines entertainment with healing-centered resources, featuring live music, dancing, singing, food trucks, Black vendors, children’s activities, mental health resources, wellness spaces, and opportunities for open conversations about mental health.

While the events may feel celebratory on the surface, organizers say the deeper purpose is creating safe spaces where people can feel comfortable discussing mental health without fear of judgment.

Darkness RISING also provides free nationwide resources, including a Black Mental Health Resource Packet, a Black Mental Health Provider Database, and its “Find Me a Therapist” initiative, which helps connect individuals with culturally competent care.

The organization’s work is rooted in addressing longstanding inequities that continue impacting mental health access within Black communities.

Historically, segregation, redlining, racial discrimination, incarceration, poverty, and unequal healthcare access have contributed to higher rates of behavioral health challenges while simultaneously limiting access to proper treatment and support. Darkness RISING approaches those issues through what organizers describe as a transformative justice lens, focusing on healing rather than punishment and creating equitable wellness opportunities for marginalized communities.

Its REBUILD program specifically supports justice-involved and formerly incarcerated people of color through free therapy and wellness support, while the REBUILD Youth program focuses on young people impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs.

For Rudolph, therapy became life-changing after decades of incarceration and years of rejection after returning home.

“Came home in 2015, started my own computer company, investing in real estate, did the normal thing and got some jobs here and there and was met with rejection after rejection and people telling me I am not a good person,” Rudolph shared. “Even had a rejection in church.”

He said one of the hardest battles became overcoming the mental barriers created during incarceration.

“I got in touch with a couple of friends, and they explained to me how I had to get over the mental hurdles and get rid of the way my prison mindset was in order to survive and become successful,” he said.

Rudolph later moved to North Carolina hoping for a fresh start, but the struggle continued.

“Things were looking bad,” he said. “Could not get a job. The struggle was real.”

Eventually, therapy and support through organizations like Darkness RISING helped begin his healing process. He said working alongside other justice-involved men through therapy gave him the ability to rebuild mentally while finding community with people who understood his experiences.

Stories like Rudolph’s reflect the foundation behind Darkness RISING’s mission: ensuring people feel seen, supported, and worthy of healing regardless of their background or circumstances.

Community members who attend the organization’s events often describe them as emotionally transformative.

Some participants say Darkness RISING encouraged them to seek therapy for the first time, while others say the organization gave them a safe space to openly discuss struggles they previously kept hidden.

“I have been encouraged by the beautiful, generous, brave and open individuals who come together and use their talents to create art, share personal experiences and provide hope to those who may be struggling with mental health,” one participant shared.

By combining art, wellness, education, and community outreach, Darkness RISING continues changing how mental health conversations happen within the Black community.

Not through silence.

But through healing, honesty, connection, and joy.

Originally published by The Carolinian — https://caro.news.

The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.