Oral History Interview with Taylor Stratman

Partial Transcript: So, if you wouldn't mind to go ahead, restate your name and then give your age and your birthplace.

Segment Synopsis: Stratman is twenty three years old and was born and raised in Louisville. Stratman attended St. Athanasius Parish School and Meercy Academy in Louisville before earning a BA in social work from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU.) Stratman is currently working to earn her MA in social work from EKU. As an undergraduate, Stratman worked at the EKU Center for the Arts selling tickets for events, and also was a peer tutor at the EKU Student Success Center and completed her social work practicum there. Additionally, Stratman worked as a tutor at EKU's Bratzke Student-Athlete Academic Success Center and served as a mentor in an Upward Bound program for low-income high school students.

Keywords: Bratzke Student-Athlete Academic Success Center; EKU Center for the Arts; EKU Student Success Center; Mercy Academy (Louisville, Ky.); St. Athanasius Parish School (Louisville, Ky.)

Subjects: Eastern Kentucky University; Education; Education--Higher; Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.; Practicums; Social workers; Students; Undergraduate; Upward Bound Program (U.S.); Work

Partial Transcript: So, now we're gonna get into a little bit more about the protest . . .

Segment Synopsis: Stratman attended a racial justice protest in Richmond during early June of 2020. Stratman found out about the protest through social media and attended with her roommate. Stratman wanted to protest because she could not stop thinking about the killings of George Floyd and in particular, Breonna Taylor. As a Louisvillian, the killing of Breonna Taylor was very impactful for Stratman, especially since her Black friends from her hometown were very upset. Stratman wanted to contribute to the Black Lives Matter Movement in some way and felt that protesting in a small town like Richmond was important because it showed people of color living in Richmond that they were supported by their community. Initially, Stratman was hesitant about protesting due to the media portrayals of the Louisville protests as dangerous. Once Stratman arrived at the Richmond protest, her reservations dissipated since the Richmond police were assisting to block off streets and the organizers of the protest had managed to cultivate a calm atmosphere.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (BLM); BLM; Breonna Taylor; Concern; George Floyd; Louisville Metro Police Department; Media; People of color; Richmond Police Department; Small towns; Supportive

Subjects: African Americans; Black lives matter movement; Blacks; COVID-19 (Disease); COVID-19 pandemic, 2020-; Danger; Emotions; Facebook (Electronic resource); Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Participation; Partners; Police; Protests (Negotiable instruments); Racial justice; Richmond (Ky.); Roommates; Safety; Social media; Twitter

Partial Transcript: How had COVID-19 impacted the way you were living your life in terms of work, school, and social life?

Segment Synopsis: Once the initial lockdowns in the spring of 2020 began in Kentucky, Stratman began working and taking classes remotely. Stratman stayed home most of the time practicing hobbies such as gardening and wore a mask when out in public. Since Stratman had more free time, she followed the news about the killing of Breonna Taylor and the subsequent protests in Louisville more closely than she otherwise would have. After attending the protest, Stratman began to interact with more people outside of her immediate household and resumed working and attending classes on campus.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; EKU; EKU Student Success Center; Family; Isolation; News; Remote work

Subjects: Black lives matter movement; COVID-19 (Disease); COVID-19 pandemic, 2020-; Eastern Kentucky University; Gardening; Home; Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Masks; Partners; Podcasts; Protests (Negotiable instruments); Racial justice; Social distancing (Public health); Work

Partial Transcript: So, what made you feel like breaking public health protocols--um--against larger public gatherings--um--was needed in reference to the 2020 protests . . .

Segment Synopsis: Ultimately, Stratman made the decision to break public health measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 because in her view, the issue of police brutality had been occurring since before the pandemic and was the more pressing issue for people of color. Additionally, Stratman did not see her family in the summer of 2020 and did not otherwise come into direct contact with vulnerable populations that are particularly susceptible to a severe case of COVID-19 upon contracting the disease. Stratman adds that the protestors in Richmond were adhering to public health measures at the time such as social distancing and wearing masks. Stratman speculates that more people may have attended the protests if there was not a pandemic occurring. After attending the protests, Stratman continued to refrain from eating at restaurants and wore a mask in public indoor spaces. Stratman also found it difficult to determine which public health protocols to help slow the spread of COVID-19 were truly necessary, since there was so much misinformation and confusion around the disease early in the pandemic.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Caution; Isolation; News; Outdoor gatherings; People of color; Remote work

Subjects: Black lives matter movement; COVID-19 (Disease); COVID-19 pandemic, 2020-; Danger; Death; Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Masks; Police brutality; Protests (Negotiable instruments); Public health; Racial justice; Richmond (Ky.); Risk; Safety; Social distancing (Public health); Trust

Partial Transcript: --Um--so outside of . . . outside of that, what were your thoughts--um--the day before the protest . . .

Segment Synopsis: Before the protest, Stratman was nervous because she had never been to a demonstration before. Despite her slight apprehension at attending the protest, Stratman felt obligated to be there since she did not want to look back with regret in the future for not taking a stand against police brutality. Walking to the protest, Stratman and her roommate talked with a Black retired teacher and felt a congenial atmosphere developing as they neared the protest. Stratman adds that the organizers of the Richmond protest cooperated heavily with the Richmond Police Department to ensure that the protest would be as safe as possible. Overall, Stratman describes the atmosphere of the protest as one of excitement and optimism. Stratman recalls the mayor of Richmond speaking and the protest organizers leading in chants that were common at other Black Lives Matter Movement protests throughout the U.S. Stratman adds that she learned some tips via TikTok videos on how to protect yourself at protests in larger cities with greater risk of facing antagonism than she experienced in Richmond.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Excitement; Friends; Mayor; Nervous; Organizers; Richmond Police Department (Ky.)

Subjects: African Americans; Blacks; Crowds; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Legacy; Marching; Police; Police brutality; Protests (Negotiable instruments); Richmond (Ky.); Teachers; TikTok (Electronic resource); Violence

Partial Transcript: --Um--but did you face or did you see anyone face any threats of violence or intimidation by anti-protestors or people who were there who didn't support what was going on, if there were any?

Segment Synopsis: Stratman found out via social media that many of her friends protesting in Louisville experienced police brutality when peacefully protesting. For instance, a friend was shot with rubber bullets by a police officer while protesting. Stratman says that her perception of the Louisville protests was different than the media narrative about the event, in that Stratman viewed the police as the aggressors rather than the protestors themselves.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Friends; Injuries; Louisville Metro Police Department; Media; Rubber bullets

Subjects: Black lives matter movement; Bruises; Facebook (Electronic resource); Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Perception; Picketing; Police; Police brutality; Protests (Negotiable instruments); Racial justice; Safety; Social media; Twitter; Violence

Partial Transcript: . . . Like, do you remember a pivotal moment where you were like, now's the time or this is why I need to get involved?

Segment Synopsis: One of the primary reasons that Stratman decided to participate in the racial justice protests is that the killing of Breonna Taylor deeply impacted her as a Louisvillian. Stratman says that she came to the realization that the same system of oppression and racial injustice that killed Breonna Taylor had benefitted Stratman because of her white privilege. Stratman says that she is ashamed to admit that her initial reaction to the killing of Breonna Taylor was one of shock. Stratman felt ashamed that she did not realize that incidents of police brutality and violence could occur right in her hometown.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Breonna Taylor; Hometown; Louisville Metro Police Department

Subjects: Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Motivation; Protests (Negotiable instruments); Shock; White privilege (Social structure)

Partial Transcript: So, Breonna Taylor, how do you understand and value--Breonna Taylor's life and death . . . what about her death was uniquely motivating, in what ways? Were there other people's lives and deaths that were also meaningful to you.

Segment Synopsis: Stratman found the Breonna Taylor case to be impactful not only because it happened in her hometown, but also due to the violent nature of her death Police officers indiscriminately shot multiple rounds of gunfire into her apartment with no warning. Stratman heard differing accounts of the circumstances that led to Breonna Taylor's death, but believes that Taylor was a victim of police violence regardless of how the exact events that transpired. Stratman says that she experienced a cognitive dissonance, in which her interactions with the Louisville Metro Police Department were generally positive, but officers in the same uniform were also capable of such brutality. Stratman also mentions the killings of Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, and Tamir Rice at the hands of police in the early 2010s as an additional impetus to protest against police brutality.

Keywords: Accusations; Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Boyfriend; Breonna Taylor; EMTs; Ferguson (Mo.)--Race relations; Hometown; Injustice; Louisville Metro Police Department; Media; Michael Brown; Sandra Bland; Tamir Rice

Subjects: African Americans; Black lives matter movement; Blacks; Cognitive dissonance; Discrimination; Ferguson (Mo.); Firearms; Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Motivation; Police brutality; Protection; Racial justice; Racism; Safety; Violence

Partial Transcript: . . . Were you directly in any way involved in the . . . BLM . . . as in the organization . . .

Segment Synopsis: Stratman was not part of the Black Lives Matter organization, but continued to be supportive of its goals on social media. Stratman also made a conscious effort to retweet Black content creators on Twitter. Stratman believes the goals of the Black Lives Matter organization are to essentially create a more equal society for people of color and to remove some of the systematic barriers to achieving equality for all marginalized populations in the U.S.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; News; People of color; Supportive

Subjects: African Americans; Black lives matter movement; Blacks; Equality; Racial justice; Social media; Twitter

Partial Transcript: So, next I wanna ask you about two phrases that were commonly heard around--uh--the times of the protest . . . and I just want you to tell me your thoughts on them . . . and those two phrases are first, Blue Lives Matter and then second, Defund the Police.

Segment Synopsis: Stratman disagrees with the premise of Blue Lives Matter, since police officers can shed their identity at the end of the day, while people of color are never given a break from the systemic racism they must navigate in all aspects of their lives. Stratman has mixed feelings about the Defund the Police Movement. On the one hand, Stratman believes that the police as a whole are not fulfilling their mission to keep the public safe when police brutality is so pervasive in the American police force. Stratman is also unsure of how to go about changing the character and structure of police forces and wants to keep an open mind in regard to the specific methods for police reform.

Keywords: Blue Lives Matter; Defund the police movement; People of color; Systemic racism

Subjects: African Americans; Americans; Blacks; Change; Identity; Life; Money; Police; Police brutality; Safety

Partial Transcript: What do you think a potential fix or a different avenue to handling this situation looks like?

Segment Synopsis: Stratman believes that one of the main issues with police training is that it is ingrained in officers to be on the defensive at all times. Stratman thinks that the role and power of police need to be re-evaluated. Stratman has observed that many police officers have narcissistic personality traits, which can be a volatile combination with the amount of power bestowed upon police officers. Stratman says that police officers need to trained in how to deescalate situations in which a person is experiencing a mental health crisis. Additionally, Stratman would like for police departments to provide training in psychology and criminal justice. Stratman believes that having police officers show empathy towards people can help in reducing police brutality. Stratman also thinks police officers should learn about police brutality and how it disproportionately affects Black communities.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Blue Lives Matter; Marginalized populations; People of color; Systemic racism; Wellness checks

Subjects: African Americans; Black lives matter movement; Blacks; Bullets; Criminal justice; Education--Higher; Empathy; Law; Law enforcement; Mental health; Narcissism; Police; Police brutality; Power; Protection; Psychology; Racial justice; Social workers; Training; Trauma; Understanding; Violence; Weapons

Partial Transcript: How did participating in the protests of 2020 impact the relationship with your friends or your family or your community?

Segment Synopsis: Fortunately, Stratman did not experience any significant backlash from her friends or family from participating in the protest. Stratman recalls that her mother and grandmother were a bit concerned about her safety while protesting, but were supportive of the goals of the protest. Stratman was praised by her supervisor, a Black woman, for reposting content from Black creators on social media about a year after the protests occurred.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Family; Friends; Supportive

Subjects: Black lives matter movement; Grandparents; Interpersonal relations; Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Mother; Protests (Negotiable instruments); Proud; Richmond (Ky.); Safety; Social media; Supervisors

Partial Transcript: Was the media accurate, in your opinion, of their detailing of the events and attitudes protestors--um--around the protests?

Segment Synopsis: In Stratman's view, the local news media coverage of the Louisville protests was as non-biased as possible given the circumstances. Stratman describes the Fox News coverage of the protests as inaccurate. Stratman's parents live outside of downtown Louisville and experienced no violence or disturbances in their neighborhood (Fox News attempted to portray Louisville in a state of anarchy during the protests.) Stratman adds that her mother was a teacher who worked at a school with lots of racial diversity and many teachers were concerned about their student's well-being during this time.

Keywords: Bias; Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Breonna Taylor; Iroquois Park (Louisville, Ky.); Local news; Media; Okolona (Louisville, Ky.)

Subjects: Communities; Diversity; Fox News; Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Neighborhoods; Parents; Protests (Negotiable instruments); Schools; Students; Teachers

Partial Transcript: What would you say the difference was between--uh--big news outlets and your firsthand experiences here in Richmond?

Segment Synopsis: Stratman compares her experiences of the racial justice protests in Richmond to that of the protests in Louisville. Stratman believes that the Louisville Metro Police Department's response to the protests was very poor since many protestors were injured, with some even being killed. Stratman found that the Louisville Metro Police Department were unwilling to work with the protestors to ensure a safe environment in which to protest. On the other hand, Stratman says that the Richmond Police were very communicative and transparent with the protest organizers. Stratman believes that there was more of a fear-based response by leaders in Louisville Metro Government. Addiitonally, Stratman thinks that having a Black mayor and providing organizers with a fundamental level of respect and humanity helped the protest in Richmond to be a success, factors that were severely lacking in the response to protests by police and political leaders in Louisville.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Injuries; Louisville Metro Police Department; Mayor; Media; News; Protestors; Richmond Police Department

Subjects: Black lives matter movement; Communication; Cooperation; Death; Fear; Humanity; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Protests (Negotiable instruments); Respect; Richmond (Ky.); Safety

Partial Transcript: So, what did you wanna see as an outcome from the protest in Richmond?

Segment Synopsis: Stratman shares that one result of the protest she would have liked to seen is the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor sent to jail. Stratman also hoped to see criminal justice reform resulting from the protests. On a more personal level, Stratman wanted people of color in Richmond to feel supported by the town at large because of the well attended racial justice protest. Two years on, Stratman is still in favor of criminal justice reform and believes that more needs to be done to help people of color in society. Stratman discusses Breonna's Law, which banned no-knock warrants in cities like Louisville.

Keywords: Black Lives Matter (Organization); BLM; Breonna Taylor; Breonna's Law; Louisville Metro Police Department; No-knock warrants; People of color; Supportive

Subjects: Black lives matter movement; Change; Criminal justice; Crowds; Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Marches; Police; Protests (Negotiable instruments); Richmond (Ky.); White privilege (Social structure)