By: Funny Or Die
Article by Darren Miller & Kat Curtis
CALL & RESPONSE: Police Brutality and the Movement for Black Lives

Today ‘s episode of Call & Response discusses police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement with special guests Patrisse Cullors, Clayton English and Melina Abdullah.
SHOW NOTES
In this episode of Call & Response, we covered:
- What “Defunding the Police ‘ means (Melina Abdullah)
- City Council Herb Wesson ‘s motion to not deploy the police for non-violent calls (Melina Abdullah)
- Why “community policing ‘ is successful (Melina Abdullah)
- Starting your own Black Lives Matter chapter (Melina Abdullah)
- Beef with District Attorney of Los Angeles Jackie Lacey (Melina Abdullah)
- What it ‘s like getting arrested during a protest (Clayton English)
- Essential Workers for Black Life (Patrisse Cullors)
- What protesting & self actually looks like in the Black community (Patrisse Cullors)
- The long term effects of feeling “hunted ‘ (Patrisse Cullors)
- What “collective care ‘ looks like
RECOMMENDED ORGANIZATIONS & ARTISTS FROM OUR GUESTS:
- Black Lives Matter Los Angeles
- KPFK 90.7 FM Pacifica Radio
- Front Page with Dominique DiPrima on KJLH-FM
- Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100)
- Dream Defenders
- Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
- Rod Kim
- Whodini
- The Coup
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE
Melina Abdullah Explains How Activists Are Reimagining Policing In LA
Clayton English Talks About His Experience Getting Arrested During A Protest
How Clayton English Is Handling COVID-19
Patrisse Cullors Explains The Importance Of Collective Care
The show is live-streamed on Funny Or Die ‘s and Blavity ‘s channels on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Twitch everyday at 12PM PT/3 PM ET.
Call & Response is a new show designed to respond to the changes and activism of our time. Each day, Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle invite their favorite Black creators ‘ activists, comedians, musicians, actors, visual artists, and more ‘ to riff on current events, discuss the present momentum, and speak about their work and struggles.
About Today ‘s Guests:
Melina Abdullah (@DocMellyMel):
Founder of ‘ Black Lives Matter Los Angeles
Professor, Pan-African Studies California State University

Clayton English (@ClaytonEnglish):
Stand-Up Comedian & Activist

Patrisse Cullors (@OsopePatrisse):
Co-Founder Black Lives Matter,
Artist, Political Strategist, & Founder of Reform LA Jails

About Call & Response:
Each day, Baron and Mike invite their favorite creators ‘ comedians, musicians, actors, visual artists, novelists, educators, philosophers, and more ‘ to riff on current events, explore ways to utilize the momentum, and speak about their respective professions, work, and struggles.
Funny Or Die has partnered with Blavity Inc. to create this show with the intention of responding to our time through discourse and laughter.
Last year, Funny Or Die partnered with creators Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle to produce the Comedy Central TV show The New Negroes. The show ‘s mission was to highlight, promote, and amplify talented Black voices ‘ both new and established ‘ in comedy, hip-hop, and culture.
Baron, Mike, and FOD believe this mission has always been important.
Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle shared some clips from their show, The New Negroes, to give us a taste of what ‘s to come on Call & Response: