DNA Databases: Know Your Rights

We've been trying our best to get the word out about what's happening here in Tulsa both locally and nationally.

Our dear friend and member of our legal team, Eric Miller, Professor at Loyola Marymount recently spoke with NPR to spread the word to our "Massacre descendants' group: Don't submit your DNA to Tulsa graves investigators."

But ironically, the conversation around 'personal dna data ownership' and rights to access to a person's private data for health related reasons or cases involving missing persons has increased across the nation.

Friends, we're working with DNA experts because we don't have all of the answers right now—however, until the appropriate legal parameters are in place, the police should not be allowed to take advantage of the loopholes that exist today.

Especially when they themselves aren't willing participants, according to this tweet from the LegalAid Society - New York Chapter: "The fact that rank and file officers are unwilling to have their DNA stored due to privacy concerns puts a laugh to their argument that it’s not a big deal to have your DNA collected as long as you’re not committing crimes."

We are going to meet on August 25 at 6:30 pm CT/ 3:30 pm PT for a virtual town hall with our community. This is going to be an open conversation about your rights and who should have access to your personal information.

RSVP right now and get a link to the DNA Databases: Know Your Rights event. https://bit.ly/3CiElwX

[If you have the time, watch this segment before we get together, "Privacy concerns arise over DNA program for Tulsa Race Massacre mass graves".
https://ktul.com/news/local/privacy-c...

Here's some background information for those
of you who may have missed the news:

A few weeks ago, we were notified about the City of Tulsa contracting out the sophisticated job of identifying the 14 DNA samples secured from the mass graves site at Oaklawn Cemetery. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/tuls...

I wish this were news to celebrate.

However, they've created no privacy protections for the descendants or Black people in Greenwood and North Tulsa who decide to submit their DNA willingly.

And that is a HUGE problem.

In New Jersey, State police just subpoenaed their state-run lab for a blood sample that was drawn from a child.

The sample that was obtained from the state-run lab linked to an immediate family member, whose DNA allegedly was at the scene of a crime that took place 25 years ago.

We're planning to share more in our LIVE Townhall with experts including Loyola Marymount Professor and Lawyer Eric Miller, will discuss the legal implications of DNA databases and if you're a member of the Greenwood Descendant Community, why you should not submit your DNA to the City-led project.⁠

We hope that you'll join us.