OUR MISSION

The Michael Randall Ealy Social Justice Foundation (MRESJF) was founded in 1999 by Ophelia Ealy after the death of her son, Michael, at the hands of the police. Michael Randall Ealy, a 35-year-old African American male, was brutally murdered by Seattle police officers and American Medical Response (AMR) attendants on December 28, 1998 at approximately 10:30pm. Michael had called for help at 9:45 that evening.  On the way to the hospital, the ambulance driver pulled over. One of the attendants claimed Michael unbuckled the gurney straps and attempted to leave, and then used a choke-hold on Michael. Two Seattle police officers and two AMR attendants began to struggle with Michael, who was pepper sprayed.  In the name of trying to restrain Michael so they could give him medical attention, they brutalized him - leaving him with scars all over his body and so badly beaten that Michael's mother, Ophelia, testified she did not recognize him.  While Michael was dying at the scene, the officers and AMR personnel attended to their minor scratches instead of trying to save Michael's life.

We believe these racist attacks on our community by those who are supposed to “serve and protect” will not go unnoticed.  Since 1999, we have been organizing to fight back against police oppression and change the police response to our community, especially our youth.

The mission of the Michael Randall Ealy Social Justice Foundation is to promote better police/community relations; to work for inquest reform; to seek justice for the families of those killed by the police; to stop police profiling; and to honor the memory of Michael Randall Ealy (1963-1998) and other young people affected by police use of excessive force.

We work with the families of victims, as well as organizing young people to understand the importance of working for social justice.