APD asks witnesses to come forward on third anniversary of David Josiah Lawson’s death
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JOSIAH LAWSON HOMICIDE OCCURRED THREE YEARS AGO
On this day three years ago HSU Student David Josiah Lawson was murdered in Arcata. This case remains under investigation and the Arcata Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance during the on-going investigation. On April 15, 2017, while attending a house party on Spear Avenue, Josiah was stabbed during an altercation. Josiah was pronounced deceased shortly thereafter at Mad River Community Hospital.
Witnesses described upwards of 100 people in attendance at the house party. Many of those who were present have not been identified nor have they been interviewed by Detectives from the Arcata Police Department. The completion of this investigation is dependent on a number of factors including interviewing all people who were present at some point during the party or who have information that can corroborate what occurred that night.
The Arcata Police Department established a 24 hour confidential tip line for community members to provide information relative to this investigation. The phone number is (707) 825-2590. Community members can also call the APD’s Dispatch Center at (707) 822-2424.
Keeping Josiah’s memory alive is paramount to this case. The Arcata Police Department will continue to investigate this case and will continue to work all investigative leads until justice prevails.
Attached in a separate email is a Public Service Announcement developed in partnership with DJ’s Mother, Charmaine Lawson, the Arcata Police Department, the Eureka Broadcasting Company and the City of Arcata’s IT Department. The PSA link is Facebook compatible. All are encouraged to share this link with anyone in order to never forget DJ and to encourage community members who have any information at all regarding who else was in attendance at the party and/or the events that led to DJ’s death, to come forward.
Public service announcement video reposted by the North Coast Journal:
Living in a community full of love, fear and a growing void of justice
Thirty-three months after a black HSU student was murdered in the city of Arcata, a circle of family, friends, students and community members huddled together, clasped hands and shouted his name.
“Justice for David Josiah Lawson,” the group said loud and clear over and over from the steps of the Arcata City Hall. The sun had set hours ago, and a winter wind was biting at those gathered in attendance, but weather wouldn’t stop the crowd.
“The vibe itself is very upbeat considering the weather,” said attendee Andre Ramos, who wore a heavy winter coat and a beanie pulled over his ears.
Every month since the murder of David Josiah Lawson, a crowd has gathered around Charmaine Lawson, the mother of Josiah Lawson, and together they demand justice for Josiah. Lawson remains steadfast in her belief that justice will happen. She makes the journey all the way up to Humboldt from her home in Southern California to remind those in power that she will make it happen.
“It will happen,” Lawson said. “I serve a mighty god. As long as I have breath in my body I will continue to be here.”
“There are beautiful, amazing, wonderful, compassionate people here. There is love within this community, but there is evil and darkness here.”
Charmaine Lawson
To Lawson, this was an open and shut case. The original suspect, former Mckinleyville resident Kyle Christopher Zoellner, was apprehended the night of the murder. Lawson said the murder weapon was also found. She said DNA evidence should presumably solve this case.
“Why we’re still here? Dumbfounded,” Lawson said.
As the months go by, more and more students move to Humboldt to attend Humboldt State University. Yet Lawson is concerned these students don’t know the situation they’re moving into.
HSU has a much higher population of people of color than the surrounding community. Most HSU students come from Los Angeles or the Bay Area and the small-town culture of Humboldt is different from what they’re used to. Lawson wants to ensure that all students who start the next step of their lives in Humboldt make it out again, but she feels that students of color simply aren’t welcome.
“If you’re a student of color, be careful,” Lawson said. “There are beautiful, amazing, wonderful, compassionate people here. There is love within this community, but there is evil and darkness here.”
Kwame Achebe, a San Diego native, agreed. Achebe has attended every vigil since the murder, but his voice still shook when talking about what happened. He chose his words carefully but spoke with a grim humor when recounting one of his first experiences in Humboldt.
“What’s funny is in San Diego I’m pretty light skinned,” Achebe said with a laugh. “In San Diego I’d have to be convincing people I was black. I didn’t need to convince anybody here. My first day at Arcata High I was greeted as ‘the nigger,’ OK? I was greeted as ‘the nigger.’”
Achebe said his experiences in Humboldt have told him that this isn’t an aberration.
“For us not to have justice 33 months after the murder of a young black man? It’s not out of the norm at all,” Achebe said.
Achebe said the elected leaders of Arcata don’t care about what happened to Josiah Lawson, so it’s up to the people.
“I’ve been out here from the very beginning. I see the look on their faces when they’re addressing us. They have no souls in their eyes,” Achebe said. “They don’t care.”
Part of the goal of the Justice for Josiah movement is justice in the form of political change, not just for Josiah Lawson, but for the whole system. Lawson vowed to keep working to elect people who she thinks will be able to uphold justice.
“I will continue to call people in power out that are elected officials who are not doing their jobs and make sure we get people with integrity and love and compassion in seats,” Lawson said.
Over the course of the almost three-year history of this case, it has faced numerous setbacks. The case against Zoellner was dismissed in 2017. In 2019, a criminal grand jury decided not to indict anyone for the murder of Josiah Lawson, and the California Attorney General declined to take the case.
“Justice for me is having Kyle Christopher Zoellner arrested for the murder of my son David Josiah Lawson and held accountable for his actions,” Lawson said.
The history of the case shows that a system that could bring about the justice that Lawson wants is not the one Humboldt has, but Lawson is convinced it will one day. Until then, Lawson is concerned for the students of color in the here and now.
“Don’t go anywhere alone in this town,” Lawson said. “Stick together so someone can tell your story if you’re not able to.”
‘Who Killed Josiah’ examines the consequences of a divided community and the effect David Josiah Lawson’s death had on his family
In Humboldt County there are some people that don’t know about David Josiah Lawson, but others will remember his name and story for the rest of their lives.
When Karen Foshay, an executive producer for KCET – a television station in Southern California, heard about Lawson’s murder she felt she had to follow the story. Foshay produced the 29-minute episode “Who Killed Josiah?” for KCET’s news documentary series SOCAL Connected.
After three months of working on the news documentary, “Who Killed Josiah” premiered on KCET’s website, kcet.org, and YouTube on Oct. 22 and will air on KCET-HD and KCETLINK on Nov. 12, 13, 14 and 16.
Foshay’s husband attended Humboldt State University as an undergrad. In January, when she and her husband were passing through Humboldt, she found herself on the scene covering a national news story when two local girls went missing from their backyard.
“Along the way I meet a photojournalist who told me about an LA student who was killed up here,” Foshay said. “I looked into it and I was really interested. Not the death itself, but what this death did for the area.”
“We couldn’t paint the community as racist. We had to be fair and give their voices and experiences justice.”
Karen Foshay
The episode follows the murder of David Josiah Lawson, a 19-year-old Humboldt State University student, who was stabbed at an off-campus party on April 15, 2017. The show examines the consequences of a divided community and the effect Lawson’s death had on his family.
Foshay said that part of the reason she pursued Lawson’s story is because he moved to Humboldt from Perris, a city in Riverside County. She added that she understands many students move to Humboldt from Southern California. When she and her crew were investigating, they had to consider HSU’s policies, recruiting methods and how the institution approached the death of a student.
When the crew collected more information, they weren’t able to separate Lawson’s story from the area.
“The scenery and landscape is the backdrop,” Foshay said. “Rugged, scary, and drop dead gorgeous which frames the mystery of the story.”
The crew filmed at familiar places in Humboldt, such as HSU’s campus, Eureka and Moonstone Beach. The crew also interviewed recognizable local faces, such as Lawson’s mother Charmaine Lawson, photojournalist Mark McKenna and former KHSU Office Manager Lorna Byrant.
Photo courtesy of Karen Foshay
Toward the end of their investigation, Foshay said that she and her crew obtained four hours worth of dash cam footage that captured dramatic moments of the night of the murder, as well as a call a police officer made to Charmaine breaking the news of her son’s death.
“You have to keep asking questions and digging,” Foshay said.
“Who Killed Josiah?” depicts an emotional and complex story that provides a variety of perspectives from Lawson’s family and the community at large.
Foshay said that she wanted to respect the strong feelings on both sides.
“We couldn’t paint the community as racist,” Foshay said. “We had to be fair and give their voices and experiences justice.”
Charmaine Lawson, mother of David Josiah Lawson: In response to APD’s Press Release
Dear Humboldt County Community Members,
I, Charmaine Lawson (Mother of DJ Lawson), was disheartened and outraged at the press release issued yesterday from the Arcata Police Department (APD). For the first time after almost two years of allegedly investigating the murder of my first born son, APD set up a 24-hour tip line and released images of potential witnesses. Why weren’t these actions taken two years ago? And, why is the APD primarily releasing images of African American attendees of the party?
As a Mother who raised two ambitious, amazing, brilliant, outstanding, young Black men (that both went to college), I am deeply disturbed by the recent actions of the APD. When I viewed the blurry images from the press release, all I saw was Black and Brown young people leaving the scene. Why didn’t the officers on the scene that night obtain their names, contact information and statements at the time of the murder? Why – after two years – is the APD just now trying to identify people in attendance at the birthday party? This is beyond negligent.
I was told by the three chiefs of police from APD and a city official that Kyle Zoellner’s DNA is on the knife that was used to murder my son. It is time that Humboldt County residents call out and address the Arcata City officials and Humboldt County DA Maggie Fleming regarding DNA evidence appearing on the knife that wasused to murder a young college student. I cannot bring my son back, but we can help take a murderer off the streets. Why should a murderer walk the streets with your loved ones? If he killed once, he will kill again. Do you feel safer as a result of the actions the APD has taken in connection with this case? If not, then I encourage you to demand answers from your local representatives.
***I demand that the DA’s office hand over a copy of the official Grand Jury transcript to my lawyers.***
This case must be immediately turned over to the CA Department Of Justice (DOJ). DA Fleming has previously called in the FBI and State Attorney General for help during the Sheriff’s Office corruption investigation. Fleming emphasized the urgency of the need for assistance to these outside agencies during that investigation. Why did she not push for the DOJ to take over the investigation of the murder of my son (especially after she failed to present adequate and/or sufficient evidence at both the preliminary hearing and grand jury proceedings)? The DOJ will not decline a county official request.
I have been informed that there are only two major DNA contributors on the knife. DNA does not LIE. But, the DA has decided that in order to take any further action on this case the investigators need to find an eye witness. In other words, District Attorney Fleming wants the public to believe that eyewitness testimony is more reliable than the results of scientific DNA forensic testing. This is beyond absurd.
● Ann O’keefe was 11 years old when she was strangled to death in Southern California in 1973. DNA evidence brought her murderer to justice about 3 weeks ago.
● Anna Hiavka was found murdered in Portland in 1979. DNA evidence identified her killer as Jerry “Animal” McFadden.
● Grim Sleeper, serial killer Lonnie Franklin, responsible for decades of murders, was caught through DNA evidence.
● The Golden State Killer – 13 murder counts from 1970s to the 1980s – was caught through DNA evidence.
These are just a few examples of how DNA evidence can identify a person(s) responsible for committing crimes. How long will I have to grieve before my son’s murderer is brought to justice?
Two years ago, my son and his friends were leaving a birthday party when they were approached by a young woman and her friends about a missing cell phone. My son lost his life over a cell phone. A phone that was later found by Lila Ortega.
I will fight for justice for my son. I will fight for justice in Humboldt County. There are many murder cases on DA Fleming’s desk that she is unwilling to prosecute. I am fighting for those families as well. The failure of the APD to protect and serve this community is an issue that is greater than my son. I will not accept the lack of justice for families (like mine) that have suffered as a result of incompetence, lack of proper training, and/or intentional or negligent mishandling of serious criminal investigations. My son is not the only murder victim whose case has been buried and swept under the rug in Humboldt County, California. Enough is enough. It is time to speak truth to power.
I would like to offer my condolences and heartbreak to the family of Brandon Brocious, for the loss of your son, and miscarriage of justice today. The Lawson family stands with you. Justice for Brandon.
“To be a man is to be responsible, is to feel shame at the sight of unmerited misery” – David Josiah Lawson, my beloved DJ.
REST IN POWER MY SWEET LOVE. YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. ALWAYS AND FOREVER,
Charmaine Lawson and Communities of Color hold rally highlighting issues of racism and injustice
Even before the Humboldt County Women’s march was reinstated, Charmaine Lawson organized a march after she heard of its cancellation. Lawson is the mother of David Josiah Lawson, a student of color who was murdered on April 15, 2017, while a sophomore at Humboldt State University and whose case is yet solved. In the 21 months since her son’s murder, Lawson has been driving community outreach and organizing events in Humboldt County while living in Southern California.
“It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day so lets invite people of all backgrounds, creed, religion, sexual orientation,” Lawson said. “Let’s invite everybody out to celebrate and have a wonderful day for a people’s rally.”
Lawson reached out to her Justice For Josiah supporters the day after she heard the cancellation of the women’s march. She spoke with Rene Saucedo, a committee member at Centro del Pueblo, who Lawson said “has done a lot of our talks on race and whats going on on with DJ’s case.” From there, they reached out to the Wiyot Tribe, NAACP and Seven Generation Fund for Indigenous People, all who supported Lawson and are sponsoring the event.
“It was my vision and I said ‘we have to do something’ so lets reach out to other organizations,” Lawson said. “We immediately got responses and a few phone calls later we had an event in a week and a half.”
The original Women’s March in Humboldt County was cancelled on Dec. 28 for being “too white” and amid controversy was back on with new organizers. The cancellation made national headlines while the murder of Josiah Lawson has not. A problem which Jill Larrabee, an organizer for J4J, said is wrong with Humboldt County. During the 21 month anniversary vigil for Josiah on Jan. 15, Larrabee told the crowd of supporters of the open case, “We know it is racially charged, we have to say it especially as a white community.”
“Charmaine has formed a coalition of communities of color in Humboldt County,” Larrabee said. “A rally for justice, justice for Josiah and justice for everyone. Justice denied to one is justice denied to all.”
The past organizers of the Women’s March for Humboldt County cancelled due to a lack of diversity and said they wanted to put more energy in outreach efforts before the International Women’s March in March. Within 10 days Lawson had gained the support of diverse organizations in the community. Lawson said the people’s march on Martin Luther King Jr. Day is to show those outside Humboldt County that although it’s tucked away behind the redwood curtain, when it comes to banding together and preaching against hate the people stand united with one another. Lawson said Josiah’s case is being stalled by the office of Humboldt County District Attorney Maggie Fleming. Lawson said that on Monday they’ll, “focus on what isn’t being done and ask why they are letting a murderer walk the street.”
“No one is going to divide us and we are going to continue to push,” Lawson said. “What’s prolonging my son’s case is what Martin Luther King talked about, injustice, and that is what DJ is getting.”
The People’s Rally and March For Justice: Justice Denied To One Is Justice Denied To All will be held at on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. at the Humboldt County Courthouse.
Josiah Lawson to earn posthumous degree spring 2019
David Josiah Lawson was set to graduate from Humboldt State University with his B.A. in criminology in spring 2019. His mother, Charmaine Lawson, requested from HSU President Lisa Rossbacher that she receive his degree in his name during the spring 2019 graduation ceremony.
Charmaine Lawson said the California State University Board of Trustees Chair Adam Day had honored her request for Josiah’s honorary degree. Lawson, along with her son Anthony, and daughter Chloe, said they will walk in Josiah’s place to accept his degree and he will be commemorated.
“Josiah would have a degree if he wasn’t murdered,” Charmaine Lawson said.
Josiah Lawson was stabbed to death at an off-campus house party 19-months ago on April 15, 2017. Former interim police chief, Richard Elhe, temporarily took over after Tom Chapman resigned. Elhe told the Times-Standard the investigation was nearly wrapped up.
On Oct. 31, Elhe told the Times-Standard that the Arcata Police Department would be handing over their completed investigation to Humboldt County D.A. Maggie Fleming on Nov. 2. Ehle said he feels confident he has enough evidence for the district attorney to move forward with a charge.
Charmaine Lawson travels to CSU campuses with SQE and CFA
It has been 18 months since the death of Humboldt State University student David Josiah Lawson. His murderer still walks free and case remains open.
Charmaine Lawson, Josiah Lawson’s mother, spoke at Sacramento State on Oct. 15 on a panel with Justice for Josiah committee member Jill Larrabee, and Courtney Wagner, the director and editor of “Unsolved Hate,” a documentary of Josiah Lawson’s murder.
Sacramento State was one of many campus stops for Charmaine Lawson during “Week of Action,” an event put together by Students for Quality Education to remember Josiah and discuss safety and the CSU’s accountability of Josiah Lawson’s murder.
Twenty-one of the 23 California State University campuses participated in “Week of Action.” Lawson was invited to CSU San Francisco, Sacramento, Pomona and Fullerton.
“I never thought I’d be sitting here right now,” Charmaine Lawson said, “We have gotten so much attention because of students.”
Charmaine Lawson has also gained support of the California Faculty Administration. Charmaine Lawson said CFA has been amazing in the effort to hold the CSU accountable for Josiah Lawson’s murder and to better protect students.
Charmaine Lawson (center) said she has been greatly supported by students and CFA in trying to hold CSU accountable for the murder of her son, David Josiah Lawson, who was a HSU student. Charmaine was in Sacramento on Oct. 18, 2018 and has travelled to four other campuses during Weeek of Action. | Photo by Tony Wallin
Charmaine Lawson said that the CFA is helping by making postcards for people to sign, asking Humboldt County DA Maggie Fleming to excuse herself from the case.
“CFA has been instrumental in their action plan and their resources,” Charmaine Lawson said.
Charmaine Lawson told the crowd of CSU faculty, students and parents that she has had resistance from city officials, law enforcement and HSU administration since the beginning of the case.
For months, when the case was being first investigated, Charmaine Lawson said Lt. Todd Dokweiler told her she could only speak with police chief Tom Chapman. Charmaine Lawson said that Chapman was telling her false information and has since resigned from the police force.
“Chapman lied by saying San Jose and Eureka were helping with the case, but none of that was true,” Charmaine Lawson said.
Charmaine Lawson said Arcata City Manager Karen Diemer, defended Chapman when she confronted her about Chapman’s lies.
“She defended the presence of the city instead of exposing the city for what it really stands for,” Charmaine Lawson said. She said Diemer needs to go next.
When she tried to contact HSU President Lisa Rossbacher about her son’s murder, Charmaine Lawson said she never got a response. She said she called her twice and has yet to get a call back. Rossbacher’s resignation as HSU’s president is effective June 30, 2019.
“Lisa Rossbacher hasn’t even called me to offer her condolences,” Charmaine Lawson said.
Jill Larrabee, Justice for Josiah committee member, Margarita Berta-Avila, CFA president at Sac State, Charmaine Lawson, mother of Josiah Lawson, and Raul Tadle, faculty at Sacramento State University on Oct. 18. | Photo by Tony Wallin
Sacramento State CFA president Margarita Berta-Avila said one of the problems with the CSU system is recruiting potential students of color without informing them all the details of their possible future environment. The details that aren’t shared include the amount of students of color admitted and how isolated the area may be. Berta-Avila said there should be institutional policy guaranteeing new students will graduate and be safe.
“It shouldn’t be when someone is killed that change occurs,” Berta-Avila said.
Berta-Avila said the CFA got involved when Charmaine Lawson met with CSU Chancellor Timothy White. Berta-Avila said that when Charmaine Lawson stood in front of CSU administration to speak of her son’s murder, a police officer walked behind her and put his hand on his gun. Berta-Avila said that was the moment when CFA had to pursue action.
“The violation doesn’t stop — it continues off campus,” Berta-Avila said.
Jorge Quintana, a leader of Students for Quality Education at Sacramento State, said there is a difference between recruiting and having available space. Quintana said CSUs don’t hold safe spaces for students of color. Quintana said moving forward means addressing the shortcomings of the university regarding safety and to make sure protocol is followed.
“It is CSU’s responsibility to keep us safe,” Quintana said.
Quintana said if the HSU president didn’t call Lawson and CSU hasn’t done anything to help, then this is clearly an issue for students of color. Quintana said CSU hands are tied now that a student has died. Quintana said this is when educating students is needed.
“Whats most important is to remember Josiah,” Quintana said.
Quintana said CSU only cares when students are only doing good, but once they’re off campus or even struggling they stop caring. He said they have a choice on who gets admitted and who stays, but don’t have a choice of being students of color.
“Systemic racism and micro aggressions are happening all over CSU campuses,” Quintana said, “There are more police officers than counselors.”
Police are past their estimated time for solving the more than one-year-old crime
He was smart. He had goals. He came to Humboldt to avoid the challenges of South L.A.
These words were spoken outside of Arcata City Hall by Karim Muhammed, a friend of David Josiah Lawson. Lawson was murdered on April 15 2017 and his case still remains unsolved.
Discussion on race and safety in the community were the main subjects amongst community members on Oct. 15. Tears streamed down faces as homemade posters of Lawson were hung on the walls in front of Arcata City Hall.
Muhammed met Lawson their freshman year in the dorms at HSU. He said he misses Lawson and was at his dorm everyday.
“He was one of the first people I met when I moved to Humboldt,” Muhammed said.
Muhammed said he thought Arcata was safe compared to south L.A but that isn’t his experience. How to keep moving forward he said is to bring awareness and continue to inform incoming students about Lawson’s murder.
“We need to get it solved, get new people in power, get people informed and vote,” Muhammed said.
Muhammed said the goal is to make the community safer but many people in the community are still oblivious to the death of Lawson or they just don’t care. When he learned of the roster release of the HSU’s predominantly African American student clubs to the Arcata Police Department, Muhammed said that was a big red flag. He said this shows where they stand with the situation and further proves their indifference.
“People choose what they want to believe or they just don’t want to believe,” Muhammed said.
Meg Stofvsky, a retired school psychologist, said the vigil’s are held to continue remembering Lawson as well as inform people who are new in the area. Stofvsky was representing Charmaine, Lawson’s mother, and said Charmaine has caught the interest of the California State University system about her son’s murder. She said Charmaine has been travelling to other CSU’s to talk about safety on campus and will be in Sacramento later this week.
“We need a firm insistence we are not going to continue to let this happen,” Stofvsky said.
It has been 18 months since Lawson’s murder and Stofvsky said the county seems to be sliding backwards. She said we need to continue having resilience and hope and to keep the Arcata Police Department accountable. Stofvsky said the APD recently gave a six to eight week time limit to solve the case and that limit is up.
“We hear a lot of talk about progress from the APD but we haven’t seen any,” Stofvsky said.
When Charmaine Lawson comes into town for court hearings or monthly vigils she stays at Sharon and Michael Fennell’s house. Both are HSU alumni and have been proponents seeking justice for Lawson. Sharon Fennell, was a KHSU DJ under the name Sista Soul and said she met Charmaine at the second vigil held for Lawson.
“We show up once a month. This is a beautiful thing and Charmaine knows,” Fennell said.
Fennell offered ideas to start selling “Justice for Josiah” shirts at the HSU bookstore to continue to bring awareness of his murder. She said that way Lawson would be seen more on campus and students would be reminded of what happened. A conflict Fennell has is that students come to HSU but then leave after they graduate, which keeps Humboldt from changing.
“People need to come, stay, build businesses and change the community,” Fennell said. “If not we stay 80 percent white. Boring.”
A member of the “Justice for Josiah” movement, Jill Larrabee, said actions by CSU and California Faculty Association are starting to take hold regarding safety on campuses but society needs to change. Larrabee said we need to learn, educate, heal and grow and get more people in office.
“Humboldt County has the good ol’ boys club in power,” Larrabee said.
To move forward Larrabee said white people need to converse with other white people about racism. Larrabee said racism is still a big problem here in Arcata but more and more people are coming out and acknowledging their privilege.
“When we hear white people say we can’t guarantee safety, then we are going to demand it,” Larrabee said.
But still no justice for David Josiah Lawson and his family
On the 15th of every month for the past 17 months the advocacy organization Justice for Josiah, which is led by his mother Charmaine Lawson, holds a vigil in memory of David Josiah Lawson in the wake of his murder.
This month the vigil was held at the Manila Community Center, adjacent to Josiah Lawson and his friends most cherished beach.
“I chose this spot today because my son loved the beach,” Charmaine Lawson said. “I wanted to be in a place were my sons presences was often.”
There were around 30 to 40 in attendance. Community members, Humboldt State University faculty members and family and friends of David Josiah Lawson gathered around to eat barbecue and listen to music.
This did not detract from the seriousness of why people were gathered that day. Many wanted to talk about both the lack of transparency within the HSU administration and Arcata Police Department and overall trust in them.
Sylvia DeeRoy, a local community member and HSU alumni, said she has had enough of HSU President Lisa Rossbacher and the HSU administration’s avoidance to answer questions they deem vital for family and friends of David Josiah Lawson, and other HSU alumni.
“Ages have gone by,” Derooy said. “As an alumni (Rossbacher) doesn’t even care about me.”
The vigil happened 25 days after the Aug. 20 roster release of the HSU’s predominantly African American student clubs to the Arcata Police Department. Many community members are unaware of this but those who are seem to take a deep frustration with the events that have transpired.
Meg Stofsky a community advocate and member of the Justice for Josiah Movement, had words that seemed to resonate with many at the Vigil.
“I thinks it’s racist as hell,” Stofsky said.
Although there has been a deep mistrust of the HSU Administration and Arcata Police Department, many family and friends of Josiah say they appreciate the community support of those who know or didn’t know him.
Berenice Roman, a student at College of the Redwoods and friend of Josiah, said that although she is frustrated and this situation is difficult, she is glad some in the community are concerned and willing to support them and Josiah.
“It’s really cool that people in the community are mad about it, and are still coming to support Ms. Lawson and his friends,” Roman said. “It just makes us feel like we are not alone.”
As the day drew on, the vigil turned its sights on the remembrance of the memory of David Josiah Lawson. Charmaine Lawson, aunt of Josiah Stacey, and friends Alex Foster and Karim Muhammad led the walk to Josiah and his friends’ favorite beach.
Charmaine lead community members following the vigil and attendees chimed in harmony the ethos of these vigils and protest:
“Justice for Josiah, long live D.J. and say his name, Josiah!”
The procession winded down to the beach as their calls for justice echoed out into the humboldt-sphere. After, the vigil attendees gathered in a circle with their hands clasped together, which was formed around hearts with texts inside them that read, “Josiah” and “D.J.”
Attendees were asked to go around and say something about Josiah that they remembered, or the reasons for why they were there that day.
No one seemed to be able to get a word out without a semblance of confusion or sorrow.
The vigil ended with the symbolic throwing of roses and petals into the ocean. Although this was supposed to be the most powerful image of the vigil Charmaine Lawson’s words seemed to transcend the moment.
“I know he is not here in the physical but he’s here in spirit,” Lawson said. “I know he is shining and saying ‘Mom thank you, for not forgetting me and thank you strangers who are now family for being here and standing with my mom and our family.’”
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