A Black Mother’s Survival Guide for Her Teenage Son [themarshallproject.org]

Alicia Doktor 2/20/185:45 AM

My son is big for his age. At only 16, he’s already 6 feet 4 inches and 225 pounds. As he grew, I began to have a lot of anxiety because I knew he could get mistaken as an adult. And being an adult black male in St. Louis — like anywhere in America — can be uniquely dangerous, especially when the police are involved.

So recently my son and I began having The Conversation: What to do if he gets stopped by a police officer.

No matter what’s going on, I tell him, stay quiet. Keep your eyes down. Lower your shoulders. Let the air out of your chest. Get the bass out of your voice. Sound as much like a child as possible. And above all, do not make any sudden moves.

[For more on this story by MEREDITH WALKER as told to ALYSIA SANTO, go to https://www.themarshallproject...age-son?ref=hp-1-121]

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