By Marissa Barrera
When Malcolm X’s family filed a $100 million lawsuit against the FBI, CIA, and NYPD, I felt an immense wave of solidarity. Like them, my family has spent years fighting for justice. My brother, Michael Barrera, was killed by Woodland Police in 2017, and the pain of his loss hasn’t diminished. For families like ours, civil lawsuits are often the only option—not because they’re the most effective, but because the system leaves us no choice.
This often leaves civil lawsuits as the only way to uncover the truth. In my family’s case, we filed a lawsuit and we discovered overwhelming evidence of brutality, lies, and a cover-up. Yet even with these revelations, none of the officers faced criminal charges.
Malcolm X’s family’s lawsuit mirrors this painful reality. Their case seeks to uncover the truth about one of the most significant political assassinations in history. But like my family’s fight, it highlights how the system protects itself while leaving families to carry the burden of exposing its failures.
Beyond Money: Seeking Vindication
People often dismiss civil lawsuits, saying things like, “They’re just in it for the money.” But these comments couldn’t be further from the truth. Families like mine don’t fight for settlements—we fight for answers, for our loved ones’ legacies, and for accountability.
Money doesn’t bring our loved ones back. It doesn’t erase the trauma we live with every day. What we truly seek is for the system to acknowledge its failures and for the people responsible to be held accountable. I still want to see the officers who murdered my brother in prison.
The Fight Never Ends
For Malcolm X’s family, nearly 60 years have passed since his assassination. For my family, it’s been nearly eight years since Michael was taken from us. Yet the fight continues. The pain doesn’t go away, and the need for justice doesn’t diminish.
When families seem quiet, it’s not because the fight is over—it’s because we’re carrying a burden that never truly lifts. Civil lawsuits can help uncover the truth, but they don’t heal the wounds left by state violence.
A System in Need of Real change
Malcolm X’s family’s lawsuit is a disturbing reminder of the systemic failures that allow these injustices to persist. Like the assassination of Fred Hampton by Chicago police and the FBI, Malcolm X’s death reveals a system that prioritizes power over accountability.
Civil lawsuits are an essential tool for uncovering the truth, but they are not enough. We need prosecutorial reform, independent investigations, and a complete overhaul of the systems that protect those in power.
Standing in Solidarity
To Malcolm X’s family, I say this: I stand with you. As someone who has spent countless hours fighting for my brother, I know the emotional toll this fight takes. Your lawsuit is a beacon of hope for all impacted families, a reminder that the fight for justice never truly ends.
And to everyone reading this, I urge you to question the systems we live under. Why are families forced to rely on civil lawsuits to uncover the truth? Why are officers rarely held accountable? And how many more lives will be lost before we see real change?
Sources
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To learn more about Malcolm X’s family’s historic lawsuit and its significance, read the first article here.