Sandra Bland (Image courtesy ICA at VCU)
Nearly three years after her sister's death, Shante Needham still thinks of Sandra Bland every day. The world knows Bland as another unarmed African-American who died at the hands of police or while in police custody. But Needham knew Bland — still knows her — in a wholly different, very personal way.
"That was my little sister," she says, speaking quietly into the phone as she navigates the aisles of a store she’s stopped into on her way home from work. Recalling that “Sandy” was often outspoken online about issues of racism and social injustice, every one of Needham’s words bleeds raw emotion; at times, her voice falters. "It still hurts, and who knows if it will ever stop?"
As she continues to reckon with that pain, Needham prepares to come to Richmond tomorrow, to attend a screening of a film about her sister. The film, "Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland," examines Bland's case through interviews with her family members and legal team, and also features Bland's own voice, taken from her video blogs. The film is presented as part of the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University's Cinema Series, helmed by Associate Film Curator Enjoli Moon. After attending the “Say Her Name” premiere at Tribeca Film Festival in April, Moon says she learned much she didn’t know about Bland. She also saw an opportunity.
“I wanted to make sure that the ICA is telling stories that are sometimes challenging and difficult to digest,” says Moon of why she brought the film to Richmond and how it reflects the ICA’s vision. “These stories are our reality, and they deserve a platform. For us as an institution, it gives us a framework to shape our work, in a way that shows what this piece of art can do. This is how we can effectively use art for change.”
Needham and another of her sisters, Shavon, will attend tomorrow's screening as part of the family's efforts to educate people about Bland's death, and raise awareness about police violence issues. It's a "bittersweet" mission, Needham says.
"I'm grateful that her death has opened America's eyes to stuff that had been going on all along; we just hadn't been paying attention. I'm also sad that my sister's life is gone. I'm hoping that, one day, another family won't have to endure what we are enduring right now."
On July 10, 2015, Brian Encinia, who had been a state trooper for about a year, stopped 28-year-old Sandra Bland in Prairie View, Texas, for failing to use her turn signal. Dashboard camera video shows that what began as a traffic violation stop quickly escalated into a heated argument, and then violence: Encinia tried to yank Bland from her car, and then threatened to "light her up" with a taser. Bland was arrested, taken to Waller County jail and, three days later, in circumstances her family says they still don't understand, Sandra Bland was found dead in her cell. Authorities maintain that Bland hanged herself, an explanation her family rejects.
Bland's death, and the social media hashtag it engendered, #SayHerName, remains a touchstone in growing social movements demanding police reform, the elimination of police brutality, and justice for victims of unlawful, often deadly, police shootings. Needham hopes the film compels change, on a local and national level.
"I'm actually disgusted with the way the powers that be are handling police brutality issues. But my prayer is that one day, and one day soon, things change."
Authorities claim that Bland was depressed before her death, and have cast doubt on her mental stability, assertions that Needham says are completely unfounded.
"My sister was not diagnosed by a physician with depression. That was something she was feeling on her own," says Needham, referencing one of Bland's video blogs where she stated she was feeling depressed. Although Needham refutes the idea that Bland's mental health played a part in her death, she feels police "need some more training on how to deal with those who are mentally ill, as well as those who are unarmed. There has to be a solution that doesn't end with someone dead."
Tomorrow evening's screening will include a talk with the film's directors, Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, as well as Needham and her sister, and the family's lawyers. (The talk will be simulcast. Look for details on the ICA's website and on social media.)
The documentary, which will be aired on HBO, started production just weeks after Bland's death, says Needham.
"We were still very raw, we were still very emotional," says Needham, who admits she cried during many of her on-camera interviews. "But I was able to get out what I needed to get out. I'm pleased with the [film], because it speak volumes about Sandy."
Moon says the screening presents an opportunity for Richmond to question itself honestly. “How do we make sure our citizens are safe? How do we make sure our police are equipped with tools they need to interact safely and respectfully with all citizens?”
"I want people to remember that it's OK to stand up for what's right, and it's OK to speak up [against] what's wrong," says Needham. "That's what my sister did at 28 years old; she was speaking up and speaking out, and she was brave. The film shows that. Sandra still speaks."
Tickets for the "Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland" screening, to be held July 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the ICA at VCU, are sold out, but a waitlist is available. Those without tickets are encouraged to come at 5:30 p.m. and check availability.
