Seminole Football Funding

Today my brother JD Hennessey went out with his best friends Daiquaan Pittman, and Jermel Williams around my predominately white neighborhood located in Lake Mary, Florida. Their goal was to sell discount cards for their high school football team, the money made from the sale of the cards goes towards home cooked meals before games, football camp, as well as new team gear. My brother did this last year and was able to sell all his cards worth $400 dollars, this year he decided to have them come along. They went out, and took turns going to the doors and asking our neighbors if they would like to support Seminole High School by buying one of these discount cards. I was sitting on the couch with my mom and step dad when my brother came bursting into our door frantically searching for his ID, when my mom asked why he needed his ID he told us the cops were outside. We followed him out and found two cops from the Lake Mary police department were questioning Daiquaan and Jermel about why they were going up to peoples doors. My mom asked the female cop why they were being questioned, and the women put her hand up and would not respond. The cops were called on my brother and his friends because my neighbors decided the color of JD's friends skin was not the same as theirs, so this must mean they are doing something wrong. I was at first shocked at the way the female cop handled herself towards Daiquaan and Jermel. These kids are the kindest, most unintimidating people I have ever met... I consider them my brothers. It broke my heart to see first hand how society is really against the success of young black men in America. I was unable to handle my emotions and had to go back inside. I know things like this happen to young black men everyday, but seeing it right in front of me hit me in my core. When Daiquaan came back in, he gave me a hug and said, "I guess I just have to get use to this, this is how the world works. I'm going to have to deal with this for the rest of my life." All these kids wanted to do was be able to raise money to have a nice, hot, cooked meal before games, and to be able to attend a camp for a sport they love. As an aspiring politician this reassured me of my passion for making a change. They were doing nothing wrong, but because they are black they were treated like criminals. I am disappointed in my neighbors, my local police department, and I'm also disappointed to be a resident of a neighborhood that would jump to conclusion because of someones race. They no longer have a way to go out and sell these cards, I'm asking for donations towards each of their individual requirements of selling $400 worth of cards. If you decide to make a donation of $20 dollars, I will take the boys and personally deliver you one of the discount cards they were trying to sell. This is the America we live in, something really needs to change.