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Period: to
Prison occupancy increases
The number of people in prison in the state of California increased by 500%. Eventually, the state is forced to reduce the number of people locked up. Black folks hoped this would eventually end the civil rights crisis of their time. White people have a lot of advantages in prison. -
1984- Highest rate of unemployment
Black Los Angeles experiences the highest rates of unemployment, surging up to 16.7% while whites fell slightly to 8%. -
1986- Patrisse
In 1986, Patrisse is only three years old. Ronald Reagan reenergizes the drug war that was started in 1971 by Richard Nixon. The police were further militarized in their communities, which resulted in the percentage of black and Latinx men who were incarcerated to increase. -
1993- Mante and Paul get arrested
Patrisse is nine years old at the time she witnesses her brothers get arrested. While sitting with their friends and talking, Paul and Mante get approached by police and are thrown against the fence. They are violently searched and prodded. -
1994- Patrisse finds out about her bio father
During this time, Patrisse is in sixth grade and is informed by her mother that her biological father is Gabriel, not Alton. She still considers Alton to be her father, as he is the only father she knows. -
1997- Patrisse is arrested
When she is only twelve years old, Patrisse is arrested for the first time under the suspicion of having weed on her during school. While other white kids always had weed on them and smoked in the bathroom, they were never as suspected or caught as often as black students. Patrisse did not have any weed on her. -
1999- Monte and Gabriel are in jail
This is the first time Monte is arrested for erratic behavior. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia, while Gabriel was arrested for suspected drug abuse, but it's not confirmed. Patrisse is sixteen. -
2003- Monte is released from prison
Patrisse graduates from high school in 2001, and two years later Monte is released from prison in a terrible state; both physically and mentally. Monte was basically thrown out with little to no clothes, dirty, and borderline nonverbal. He was swollen and bruised all over. -
2003- Gabriel comes home
Patrisse is twenty years old. Gabriel comes back home and even goes to 12-step meetings with him hoping to encourage sobering up. Patrisse mentions she never actually comes out as Queer to Gabriel, but she does not think she needs to. -
2009- First full Christmas
Patrisse's grandmother's house is full for the first time in a long time. The entire family shows up and shares their love with each other immensely. -
2009- Gabriel Passes away
Gabriel had been staying in a shelter with other people. He tried to call Patrisse to tell her that he did not feel well, but she did not answer the call, so he left a voicemail. -
2010- Honor the life of Gabriel Brignac
Patrisse and her family honor Gabriel's life. He gets a powder blue casket from Patrisse because she knows he loves blue. The funeral is beautiful and they sing "Amazing Grace" and remember the man he was. -
2014- Mike Brown's Murder
Mike Brown is fatally shot by police officer Darren Wilson. Mike is unarmed and with his friend Dorian Johnson at the time of his murder. He asked the boys to get out of the street. The officer and Brown had an altercation through the open window of his car, and during this time Wilson fired two shots at Brown. The boys tried to flee, but Wilson exited his car to chase them. Witnesses said Brown said, "Don't shoot!" This resulted in the well-known line "Hands up, don't shoot!" -
2014- Tamir Rice's Murder
Tamir Rice is fatally shot in 2014 by a white police officer while playing with a pellet gun outside a recreation center. This took place in Cleveland, Ohio. Both officers involved had no charges. When she arrived at the scene, police officers had the audacity to tell her to calm down or else they would put her in the back of the cop car.