wautEcabm, Inc. comprises a team of individuals from various sectors and industries, who are entrepreneurs, business leaders, church leaders and individual citizens whose hearts were broken and hurt by the civil unrest, protest, and repeated crimes executed against Black men prior to, and at the onset of Mr. George Floyd’s death. The organization was formed by Annette Harris who simply had one idea, and that was to turn the suffering and pain that she felt while watching her beloved country erupt in protest into a more coordinated effort of positive action.
The seed of Annette’s vision began on November 23, 2014 after hearing of the death of Tamir Rice who was murdered for doing what many children across America love to do, and that is-go to the park. Annette stated that she could not wrap her head around how a police officer could arrive at a park and shoot and kill a 12-year-old playing with a toy gun. This was not the America she grew up in, and this was not the type of America she wanted her beloved country to become.
While grappling with the death of Tamir Rice, Annette began reflecting on the murder of John Crawford, III who was shot and killed by a police officer on August 5, 2014 in a Walmart store in Beavercreek, Ohio. Mr. Crawford was looking at a BB gun that was for sale in the store while talking on the phone with his mother when he was shot down. She remembered seeing a photo of Mr. Crawford before his death, where he was standing holding his young infant son in his hands, next to his face while radiantly smiling with the look of a very proud dad.
As Annette reflected on this, her mind went back to scenes of watching Eric Garner murdered on the streets of Manhattan. She had never seen anyone murdered and was simply horrified to see this murder take place in broad daylight in the streets of America at the hands of law enforcement officers. She felt horrified to see a man die so senselessly while begging for the very air to breathe that God has freely given to all of us. But it was after the death of Mr. George Floyd on May 25, 2020 that those seeds of Annette’s vision would take root. Watching and hearing Mr. Floyd respectfully comply with law enforcement officers while lying handcuffed on the pavement, and seeing the callousness in the eyes of the police officer, while murdering Mr. Floyd with his knee on his neck was an undeniable call for action.
In addition to the excruciating pain Annette felt while watching Mr. Floyd’s death, she stated the pain and suffering got worse as she watched her beloved country, the United States of America erupt in such violence, protest, looting and rioting. She repeatedly saw White Americans and associates standby looking and feeling helpless to do anything about the social ills and civil unrest the nation was experiencing. Annette’s family received multiple calls from white friends and associates, and others attempted to communicate but couldn’t say anything. Yet she knew in her heart that her white brothers and sisters were hurting as much as she was, and almost all expressed feeling awkward and not knowing what to say or how to help.
Nonetheless, it was during the week of Mr. George Floyd’s murder that Annette received a call from one of her Church leaders who asked if she would speak with one of the members who was having a difficult time. Immediately Annette remembered she had created a project plan back in 2014, and informed her Church Leader that she would speak to the woman and give her the materials, but Annette said she didn’t have the time nor energy to get involved until next year. Nevertheless, the Church member called Annette, and she felt overwhelmed by the conversation as her fellow church member was simply distraught and filled with disappointment and feelings of helplessness to do anything. But, she wanted to do something. It was during this conversation that Annette realized she couldn’t wait until next year to put her project plan into action.
Subsequently, after hearing how upset her fellow church member was, and hearing her white family friends and colleagues say they wanted to do something but felt reluctant because of the color of their skin, Annette moved forward with the execution of her 2014 vision to create wautEcabm. She wanted to create an organization where white people would have a voice in the fight, where white people could work alongside Black and Brown people to bring positive change. Which is why she created a national organization where “White Americans Unite To Eliminate Crimes Against Black Men”. This is how wautEcabm was born.
Annette knew the vision would bring racial reconciliation and healing between law enforcement officers and the black community, and this would require a nation of people whose hearts were eager to find a solution – a God given solution that would be sustainable, lasting and uplifting to all Americans who dared to commit years of their life in service for their country. Annette acknowledges that it will take time to see systemic changes in her country, but the time is now to start implementing that change piece by piece, and with God’s help she remains optimistic and hopeful.
To learn more about Annette, read Annette Harris Biographical Profile