SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In March 2018, Sacramento made national headlines after the deadly police shooting of Stephon Clark.
Clark’s death and the subsequent community outcry thrust his family into the national spotlight. But at the center of that tragedy, a father, brother and son died. Two years later, his family is doing what they can to heal and move forward.
SeQuette Clark, Stephon’s mother, said her family experienced enough loss before Stephon was shot and killed by Sacramento police. But, she said her faith in God helped her get through the tough times.
"I buried three of my eight children," SeQuette said. "And that's a lot in a lifetime."
Stevante Clark, Stephon's brother, has been the most visible of the Clark family since his brother's death. In the time following Stephon's death, the Stevante and his family formed the I Am Sac Foundation, a community action group working to preserve the memory of Stephon while helping to better the community he was a part of.
Now, Stevante says it’s time for him to take a step back from being the acting CEO at the foundation. His goal is to focus on finally healing. And that’s where SeQuette comes in.
"Stevante worked though all of his stuff publicly. He's still working through it publicly. That works for him. That doesn't work for me," SeQuette said.
At first, SeQuette admits she was nervous about taking such a public role in community activism. But she says the goal of the I Am Sac Foundation resonates with her strongly enough she had to act.
"We are here to provide resources for the community to prevent something like what happened to Stephon from ever happening again," SeQuette said.
From I Am Sac Foundation's voter drives and community clean-ups, distributing personal protective equipment and food giveaways, the organization maintained its activism this past summer with Black Lives Matter protests, keeping the still-grieving family busy. It's all done in an effort to heal.
"I could choose to focus on the unfairness or I can channel that energy into making sure that it stops," SeQuette said. "I am making change in my city and in my nation."
SeQuette added that the work she's able to do now is only because of the power of forgiveness. She said she's been able to forgive Officers Robinet and Mercadel, the officers who shot and killed Stephon, and Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who declined to press charges against the officers.
"Once I did that, I released them so I don't have to carry them," SeQuette said.." I don't have to walk around with that injustice in my heart. I can walk around with purpose instead."
SeQuette says working with other families who have lost loved ones at the hands of law enforcement or in custody has brought a sense of community for her.
"We are a fragile people," SeQuette said. "We are emotional. And we should be handled with care."
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