The parking lots and streets surrounding West Side Missionary Baptist Church on Page Boulevard were packed Tuesday night.
People of all stripes and vocations-young, older, politically activated and religious-responded to Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s call for a public gathering.
Those expecting a rally in support of Gardner got much more.
The “criminal justice reform,” event featured numerous speakers and a roundtable discussion on how “systems (criminal, legal and educational)” all play roles in who is allotted or denied “justice.”
Many of the speakers spoke to the efforts of state officials to remove Gardner from office. These attempts, some said, are orchestrated to disenfranchise people who voted overwhelmingly for Gardner in 2016 and again in 2020.
City License collector Mavis Thompson was the first speaker to attack Attorney General Andrew Bailey and his lawsuit which features a “quo warranto” maneuver. The tactic usually employed to resolve a dispute over a person’s legal right to hold public office has rarely been used against elected officials in Missouri.
“It is extraordinary, extreme and virtually never used… it’s an attempt to remove our circuit attorney, twice elected by the people of St. Louis,” Thompson said. “The process clearly attacks our intelligence. It says we are not smart enough to elect the people of our choosing. It doesn’t sit right with me, and it shouldn’t sit right with ya’ll either.”
“Black voters’ matter,” added speaker, Rev. Karla Frye, head of the African Methodist Episcopal Alliance. “If it didn’t, they wouldn’t be coming for who we elected.”
The first hour of the rally featured local spiritual leaders who outlined the role religious institutions play or should play in the fight for equal justice.
Speaking directly to Gardner, Rabbi Susan Talve, founder of Central Reform Congregation in midtown St. Louis, recalled their first meeting before she was elected.
“You told me your vision and I said, ‘ooh, boy, we’re going to need the church to be on fire!’” Talve continued; “You had a vision of change. You had a vision that was going to take care of people who end up in prison who should not be there…and we are here to tell you that we’re behind you!”
With the setting sunlight beaming through the church’s multi-colored stained-glass windows, the audience repeatedly rose to their feet with thunderous applause and church-like commentaries.
“Amen! We’re praying for you! Bless her heart. Lord knows what she’s been going through.”
A panel discussion ensued about an hour into the event. Dr. Christi Griffin, founder and president of the Ethics Project moderated the conversation between members of the legal, philanthropic, mental health, labor, employment and trade union fields.
After Lew Moye, former president of the Black Trade Unionist, thanked Gardner for going after “rouge police,” he spoke to another accomplishment-Gardner’s “Diversion Program,” created to minimize court involvement and unnecessary incarceration. After outlining how the program works in unison with the trade union’s diversity programs, Moye spoke to the bigger picture.
The criminal justice system is “corrupt, failed and rigged,”Moye shouted before explaining why he stands with Circuit Attorney Gardner.
“I support her as a young, Black woman who is demonstrating for the world to see how she has the tenacity, strength and courage to lead the reform of the criminal justice system.”
Panelist Sal Martinez, CEO, Employment Connection also credited Gardner’s office for coordinating with his program aimed at assisting recovering substance abusers, the homeless, high school dropouts, women on welfare, U.S. veterans, and non-custodial fathers find employment.
Another panelist, Serena Muhammad, deputy director of the St. Louis Mental Health board, stressed the need for St. Louisans to know how “systems” work.
“Systems don’t auto-correct,” Muhammad said. “We have to understand what these systems are supposed to deliver and when they don’t, we have to show up and hold them accountable.”
Orchestrated or not, the event which served more as a civics lesson and a template for community, church and people-inspired activism, seemed to be the perfect set-up for Gardner who took the stage about two hours after the rally began.
Before a Q&A-style sit-down with Gardner, Redditt Hudson, a CAO staffer who left the St. Louis police force in 1999, credited previous speakers for laying a “solid foundation” for their discussion. Hudson began with personal revelations about his boss, Gardner.
“Never in my life in public service have I ever been associated with a more courageous, committed, steadfast and honest person,” Hudson said. “It’s remarkable to see her day in day out dealing with these political attacks. Her resilience and strength should be an example for everybody in this room.”
Perhaps fired up by the crowd and previous testimonials, Gardner didn’t demonstrate her usual measured and cautious public persona.
“Y’all gonna make me cry but ganstas don’t cry,” she told a receptive audience.
She then immediately attacked Bailey’s “quo warranto” lawsuit.
“It’s baseless, it’s foolishness…but you know what…let’s go. Let’s go!”
Perhaps Garner was referring to her legal team which includes Ronald Sullivan Jr., the high-profile Harvard law professor who assisted Gardner in her failed attempt to prosecute former Gov. Eric Greitens in an invasion of privacy case.
Gardner predicted the media will depict the rally as her attempt to “race bait.”
“You know what, they made it about race, not me,” Gardner said referring to what she defined as unprecedented attacks against the city’s first Black female prosecutor.
Keeping with the theme of the event, Gardner talked about her alternative approaches to addressing crime in the city and the criminal justice system.
“We know what the number one cause of crime is…poverty,” Gardner stated. “If we give people the right opportunities to thrive, they will be great. They want you to believe we’re not great. They want you to believe that what the circuit attorney is doing is not great. But you know what, I’m about representing the people and the people want change!”
Speaking to the recent mass shooting at a Nashville school, Gardner noted how her Republican opponents are more concerned with protecting guns than children. She said the regional conversation needs to change.
“Let’s talk about giving these kids a future. We want a community that embraces all young people,” Gardner said, adding: “But for the grace of God, I had a mother and a father and grandparents who steered me in the right direction. We have situations where people have made the wrong decisions and are forever gone. Together, we must embrace all communities-Blacks, whites, Hispanics…everybody.
Referring to previous speakers, Gardner added her thoughts on changing systems.
“When you try to change systems…well you know what happens,” she said. “I’m the circuit attorney that brought a health system inside the circuit attorney’s office to address cycles of victimization. I’m the circuit attorney that’s bringing in specialists to address addictions to give people the opportunity to thrive. I’m the person who tries to hook them up with a job and education so they can get something out of these systems.”
Near the end of the event, Gardner spoke confidently about surviving recent court battles and her plans for next year.
“I’m going to run again, so I don’t want you guys to worry.”
