“Safety is always first,” I say. “You’re not in a position of power, and it feels bad. You could be angry, scared, defensive. But that officer doesn’t care how you feel. You’re a suspect, until you’re not. And in that moment, you’re a threat. You have to control your language and your body movements.” I did that first step when the gun was on me at the Pike. Keeping myself still and following directions. I’m lucky it didn’t turn south when I ran out of that building.

“Now show me.” I put my hands up, spreading my fingers and staying still. “Everyone up.”

A few chuckles take place, and only a few people stand.

“I said up.” The rest of the group slowly gets up. “You got a gun on you, a Taser, a dog. Don’t move. Don’t talk back. Breathe in and out slowly to calm your nerves.”

“I don’t think I can stay calm if a cop’s yelling at me,” Malcolm says.

“It’s okay to be afraid,” I say. “Practice helps, but it never fully takes away the fear. Controlling your response can reduce the fear in an officer who’s reading you as a suspect, hiding something. Remember, they’re thinking in split seconds—all the bias goes up.”

“Why do I gotta calm down a professional? Shouldn’t he be breathing in and shit?” Demarcus says.

“They do, but I’m teaching you how to survive. Don’t try and reason. It ain’t fair, but a gun on you isn’t the time to debate. They’ll just twist in their head your confusion for anger.”

“Yeah, they see your black ass and think you a King Kong or something, D.” Todd locks his hands behind his head like he’s been through a few stops himself.

“Number one priority is your safety. Not the time to pop off.” I put my hands down, and the group takes a seat. “You use your resistance in other ways. Follow instructions. Be calm. State you know your rights if what they’re doing’s in violation, but always know who’s got the upper hand.”

“So, heads getting smashed in the ground ain’t the time, then.” An older guy in the front finally speaks.

“Definitely not the time. Now, everyone download the ACLU Blue app. You or someone else gets stopped by police, you can start filming. You can upload immediately. If they confiscate your phone, they can’t delete the video. Or press this button and it goes right to Twitter.” I pass out a handout on rights to film police in Texas.

“If you’re filming, and they tell you to put the phone down, state you have a right via Texas law, even state you’re filming live.”