The Columbus community galvanized after the police shootings in Ferguson and New York and held demonstrations in solidarity with those communities. Then, unfortunately, the issue of police killing unarmed black males was brought close to home with the deaths at the hands of policemen of John Crawford in the Beavercreek, Ohio Walmart and Tamir Rice in Cleveland. Several local groups joined the “Hands Up! Don’t Shoot” and “Black Lives Matter” movement. However, one group that has prevailed as the organization dedicated to keeping the issue in the forefront of the Columbus community and actively work towards solutions.
  That organization is “Columbus Effective Steps Towards Resistance,” founded in December 2014 by a group centered mostly on the OSU campus. They describe their group this way: “Effective Steps is a network designed to engage community groups and individuals in the Columbus area together to work toward ending police brutality.”
  Effective Steps organizer Nicole Barnaby explained that the purpose of the network is “…to consolidate a lot of efforts happening in Columbus” that address the “de-valuing of black lives and the lack of justice in the criminal justice system.” Barnaby was “…finding pockets of activity in Columbus” surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and wanted to provide a way for people to contribute by doing something productive. Some of the Effective Steps task forces include: policy, education, economic empowerment, media and a push for Citizens Review Board of the Columbus police – currently their primary activity.  
  The Free Press salutes the initiative and commitment of the students and others to resist accepting the status quo and confront police brutality with Columbus Effective Steps Towards Resistance. We support their efforts to make positive change in the relationship between the police and the people in Columbus.