Morgan Givens

My grandmother pulled me to the side. and waited until I met her eyes before she said, now Morgan, if you ever have an interaction with the police, you keep your hands where they can see them. You telegraph your movements. Tell them everything you are going to do before you do it. Do you understand me? I nodded and said I did.

My grandmother pulled me to the side. and waited until I met her eyes before she said, now Morgan, if you ever have an interaction with the police, you keep your hands where they can see them. You telegraph your movements. Tell them everything you are going to do before you do it. Do you understand me? I nodded and said I did.

My grandmother pulled me to the side. and waited until I met her eyes before she said, now Morgan, if you ever have an interaction with the police, you keep your hands where they can see them. You telegraph your movements. Tell them everything you are going to do before you do it. Do you understand me? I nodded and said I did.

because my grandma and I have been having that same conversation for years. But the fact that we talked about it so much didn't make it any less confusing because my grandma, she was the police. I'm serious. The woman had a badge, a uniform, a cop car, everything.

because my grandma and I have been having that same conversation for years. But the fact that we talked about it so much didn't make it any less confusing because my grandma, she was the police. I'm serious. The woman had a badge, a uniform, a cop car, everything.

because my grandma and I have been having that same conversation for years. But the fact that we talked about it so much didn't make it any less confusing because my grandma, she was the police. I'm serious. The woman had a badge, a uniform, a cop car, everything.

And her friends, the people who would show up at our house for backyard barbecues and cookouts, the ones who would help us move loading boxes into the backs of pickup trucks, well, they were the police too. And as a kid, I didn't really understand. Because in my mind at the time, cops were heroes. And I was being taught to fear them.

And her friends, the people who would show up at our house for backyard barbecues and cookouts, the ones who would help us move loading boxes into the backs of pickup trucks, well, they were the police too. And as a kid, I didn't really understand. Because in my mind at the time, cops were heroes. And I was being taught to fear them.

And her friends, the people who would show up at our house for backyard barbecues and cookouts, the ones who would help us move loading boxes into the backs of pickup trucks, well, they were the police too. And as a kid, I didn't really understand. Because in my mind at the time, cops were heroes. And I was being taught to fear them.

And my grandma is one of them black women they write inspirational novels and movies about. Because she was one of the first black women through the Charlotte Police Academy. And she was excellent. She was exceptional. She was perfection because she had no choice. She knew they were going to judge every black woman that came up behind her by the standards she set.

And my grandma is one of them black women they write inspirational novels and movies about. Because she was one of the first black women through the Charlotte Police Academy. And she was excellent. She was exceptional. She was perfection because she had no choice. She knew they were going to judge every black woman that came up behind her by the standards she set.

And my grandma is one of them black women they write inspirational novels and movies about. Because she was one of the first black women through the Charlotte Police Academy. And she was excellent. She was exceptional. She was perfection because she had no choice. She knew they were going to judge every black woman that came up behind her by the standards she set.

And in the inspirational movie of my grandmother's life, some well-assuming white person shows up at the end and takes all the credit. But if I'm keeping it completely 100 with y'all, white folks weren't checking for my grandma like that back then. She had to sue to get the job she had already earned when she graduated from the academy.

And in the inspirational movie of my grandmother's life, some well-assuming white person shows up at the end and takes all the credit. But if I'm keeping it completely 100 with y'all, white folks weren't checking for my grandma like that back then. She had to sue to get the job she had already earned when she graduated from the academy.

And in the inspirational movie of my grandmother's life, some well-assuming white person shows up at the end and takes all the credit. But if I'm keeping it completely 100 with y'all, white folks weren't checking for my grandma like that back then. She had to sue to get the job she had already earned when she graduated from the academy.

As if she didn't have the highest academic marks in her class. As if she weren't running laps around her training instructors. But in the end, she prevailed, and her life turned out a bit like a fairy tale, although one with some baggage, particularly for me.

As if she didn't have the highest academic marks in her class. As if she weren't running laps around her training instructors. But in the end, she prevailed, and her life turned out a bit like a fairy tale, although one with some baggage, particularly for me.

As if she didn't have the highest academic marks in her class. As if she weren't running laps around her training instructors. But in the end, she prevailed, and her life turned out a bit like a fairy tale, although one with some baggage, particularly for me.

Because it's already hard enough to live up to the expectations of our parents and our grandparents, but when your grandmother is literally Superwoman, it gets just a little bit harder. And I ain't going to stand up here in front like I don't appreciate everything she did on her path to success.

Because it's already hard enough to live up to the expectations of our parents and our grandparents, but when your grandmother is literally Superwoman, it gets just a little bit harder. And I ain't going to stand up here in front like I don't appreciate everything she did on her path to success.