Eric Garner's mother on a mission to "make this a better world for everyone" 10 years after her son's death
NEW YORK -- The death of Eric Garner in 2014 thrust his mother, Gwen Carr, into a life of activism.
Her son's last words – "I can't breathe" – became a flashpoint for issues surrounding social injustice, seen then and still today in protests and demonstrations.
CBS New York's Maurice DuBois sat down with Carr, who shared insights about her son and her activism.
"It wasn't justice"
"I'm trying to make this a better world for everyone. And that's sort of my mission," Carr said.
The role of social activist was unlikely and unexpected for Carr. She found herself there in the cruelest twist of fate, after her son was killed in a chokehold by New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo.
Garner, who, at age 43, had been arrested 30 times in the past, was allegedly selling loose cigarettes on Bay Street on Staten Island. He resisted when cops tried to arrest him, eventually saying "I can't breathe" 11 times during the struggle before he died.
"Daniel Pantaleo, he was never charged. It took them five years to fire him," DuBois said.
"It wasn't justice. Justice would have looked like, to me, if he and those other officers who murdered my son that day stood trial and accountability for the actions," Carr said.
"I was a regular, everyday person until the death of my son"
"How would you say your life, your family's life has changed?" DuBois asked.
"It has changed for me being that I am so active out there now. I've never been active, never spoke in front of crowds. Never did all these things that I'm doing now. I was a regular everyday person until the death of my son," Carr said.
Carr's work now finds her on podiums and at the head of marches demanding change. And there has been some.
In 2020, lawmakers passed the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act, making it a felony for police to use any type of strangulation to restrain suspects.
Garner's death also spurred the proliferation of body-worn cameras by officers.
"Once this happened to me ... I had to get out there and lift up my son's name. And then I felt the need to do this to help others who came behind me," Carr said.
"When you look at the list of people who've died at the hands of police officers, here are just a few – Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Freddie Gray, and Eric Garner, you're a part of that list," DuBois said.
"And it's more that we don't even know about, you know," Carr said.
"I want them to think of him as being the sacrificial lamb that brought about change"
In the wake of her son's death, Carr started the E.R.I.C. Initiative Foundation. E.R.I.C. stands for "eliminating racism and inequality collectively."
"We want to bring out the talent and the young people. We want to show them that it's more to life than guns and being in a gang," Carr said.
"So when people hear the name Eric Garner, what do you want them to think?" DuBois said.
"I want them to think of him as being the sacrificial lamb that brought about change," Carr said.
"The honor of having a street named after your son. What was that like?" DuBois asked.
"You know, I have different emotions ... People who come from out of town, like my family, I'll take them down there to look at it. So yeah, it's a good feeling that he will be remembered," Carr said.
A major focus for Carr remains getting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a national police reform law, passed. It focuses on things like ending racial profiling.