Who is Keiajah Brooks? The American activist recently went viral for her impassioned speech at the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners. Now, she’s allegedly under NFAC protection after backlash for the speech. But who is the young activist, and what do the NFAC stand for?
Who is Keiajah Brooks?
Keiajah ‘KJ’ Brooks is a 20-year-old activist from Missouri. She gained the media’s attention after reading out an open letter to the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners during their public meeting last Tuesday, 27 October.
Brooks uploaded the video to her Instagram account, and from there it was shared extensively on Twitter.
BuzzFeed News reported on 29 October that the video had been viewed over 9 million times.
In her speech, Keiajah Brooks stated: “I don’t want reform; I want to turn this building into luxury low-cost housing.” She also called out multiple officers by name, stating that they can’t use black children as a photo opportunity.
Keiajah Brooks is the co-founder of The Chingona Collective, a Kansas City group of black, indigenous, and latinx women who, in their own words, “live lives dedicated to the liberation of our peoples.”
Their mission statement continues: “We are steeped in activism, political education, community organising, and social events with specialisation in issues that plague our communities in KC directly.”
Keiajah has also recently been affiliated with the Not Fucking Around Coalition (NFAC).
Who are the NFAC?
The NFAC are a black nationalist paramilitary organisation in the US, the core members of which are believed to be ex-military.
The group was founded by Grandmaster Jay, a former rapper, DJ, army veteran, and…2016 US Presidential candidate.
In an interview with Roland Martin in July, Jay explained the way in which the group runs: “We are a Black militia. We don’t come to chant. That’s not what we do.”
The NFAC is roughly three years old, but it’s only recently that they’ve achieved widespread recognition in the discussion around racism and police brutality.
Grandmaster Jay explained to Complex the reasoning behind forming the NFAC: “We live in a world where racism is appearing to rear its ugly head again…We didn’t create that. It created itself. So it proved to be fertile ground for the creation of the NFAC, the same way it was fertile ground in the ‘60s to create the Black Panthers.”
So, how does Keiajah Brooks fit in with the NFAC?
Since her speech at the Board of Police Commissioners went viral, Brooks has shared information on her Instagram claiming she’s been receiving death threats from individuals, and harassment from the police.
This included an unknown number allegedly calling her phone multiple times a day, and a Kansas City Police Department vehicle driving through the carpark of her apartment building regularly.
This information has not been confirmed by the Kansas City Police Department.
Following this, the NFAC announced they would be placing Brooks under their protection.
Although she is now under the group’s protection, this doesn’t mean Keiajah Brooks’ involvement in the NFAC has been confirmed.
- ‘A miserable time’: Striker reveals mental health issues while at Arsenal
- Former Tottenham ace claims Mikel Arteta is better than Mauricio Pochettino
- Our View: Leeds United make the Premier League a better place
- Former Liverpool striker calls for Klopp to make decision on ‘blunt’ centre-forward
- Our View: Unexpected partnership has helped solve Arsenal’s weakest link