I Stand With Patricia Okoumou

Patricia Okoumou, the woman who climbed the Statue of Liberty to protest the appalling U.S. family separation policy at the Southern border, was sentenced to five years of probation and 200 hours of community service. I'm guessing they're not going to subtract the hours she spent on the Statue of Liberty doing service to the entire country.

It's bullshit that she was charged with anything in the first place, but a relief that she will not have to serve any prison time.

She also showed up to the sentencing with tape over her mouth to protest the violation of freedom of speech that was her conviction and vowed to continue protesting. She is an incredibly brave woman, risking so much as a black woman standing up to police during her Statue of Liberty protest, and I will stand with her at every turn. We should all be thankful that Patricia Okoumou is out there fighting for our rights, fighting for what's right, and fighting for a more just and less cruel world.

Portrait of @POkoumou while on house arrest at her Staten Island apartment #PatriciaOkoumou #theresapatriciaokoumou #ladyliberty pic.twitter.com/P5CeiIffZo

— Avery Leigh White (@averyleighwhite) March 19, 2019

Thank you, Ms. Okoumou. I hope to be as brave as you one day.