Seattle Medium honors Rev. Harriett Walden as “The Most Influential Person for Police Accountability in the Pacific Northwest”

The following is a reposting from Seattle Medium’s profile on March 28th, 2023 of Rev. Harriett Walden. View the original article.

Rev. Harriett Walden (Photo/Humes Photo)

By Fabienne “Fae” Brooks, Chief, Criminal Investigations Division (retired), Martin Luther King County Sheriff’s Office

Rev. Harriett Walden is a living example of how stories and/or lessons shared by our grandmothers have informed and directed how we live and dedicate our lives.

Rev. Walden has spent her life standing up for what is right. Her life lessons are rooted in the town in which she grew up – Sanford (Goldsboro), Florida, known as one of the first self-governing all-Black municipalities in the United States.  

Rev. Walden was born into segregation, the way of life for most Black people in the late 1800’s-early 1900s, particularly in the south. The town of Sanford was a self-sustaining community with Black doctors, lawyers, dentists, and teachers. Imagine attending a school where there were only Black teachers. Imagine living in a community where there were Black Funeral homes and the Funeral Homes hired Black casket makers because no White casket makers would provide that item for Black residents. This also provided opportunities for Blacks to create their own businesses and hire employees.

For Rev. Walden, this was a blessing because “if you could see it, you could be it”. Imagine reading newspapers written by and for Black people, and singing the Black National Anthem (“Lift Every Voice and Sing”). In fact, she had never heard the Star-Spangled Banner sung in school.

Rev. Walden was blessed to have been raised by her grandmother from the age of two when she lost her mother. Loving, giving, and supporting one’s community was what she learned growing up because of the positive images of Black people that she saw and associated with every day. 

She grew up on acreage property where people in the community had weapons that were readily available for protection. She grew up with people who were never afraid. Her grandmother could handle a shotgun; Rev. Walden knew her grandmother wasn’t running away from anyone. She raised her to not be afraid, to love Black people, and to not be a hater. 

She brought all of her learned life lessons with her when she left home at the age of 17. She eventually moved to Seattle, Washington in 1975, where she opened Salisbury Photography with her then husband James Salisbury, Jr. She raised four sons in Seattle who grew up knowing they were strong, smart, capable Black men; despite the loss of one son at a young age. 

She quickly became involved in civil rights actions when she arrived in Seattle where she realized that the struggle of Black people in America was a national problem, and she simply could not stand on the sidelines. In 1990, when her sons experienced police brutality first-hand, Walden became deeply involved in serving the community with the depth of her activism and foundational spirituality. She gives credit to the spiritual systems brought over to this country by the kidnapped and enslaved African people and her association with the First African Methodist Episcopal Church.

In addition to being the first Black woman in the state of Washington with an optician license, Rev. Walden also founded the Family Empowerment Institute. She still serves as the Director to this day. 

Over the last 33 years, Rev. Walden has been a vocal advocate for better police/community relations in Seattle and has worked tirelessly towards educating the public about police misconduct issues. She co-founded Mothers Against Police Harassment, assisting victims in filing complaints of police misconduct. The organization also worked towards educating the public about police misconduct issues. 

In 1996, the organization changed its name to Mothers for Police Accountability (MFPA) since its mission now went beyond ending harassment. They were one of the first justice groups to call for police accountability in the country and have made a name for themselves in the Pacific Northwest and the U.S. That message has been consistent and constant since its inception. 

MFPA works closely with other community organizations to seek positive changes in the criminal justice system. She also hosts “Mother’s Justice Show”, a weekly community-focused radio station focused on increasing dialogue in the community about police accountability, constitutional policing, and justice.

Our paths first crossed when I joined the King County Sheriff’s Office in 1978 as the first Black female hired as a commissioned deputy. I was also a member of the Black Seattle community, attending church in the Capitol Hill area, living in the Beacon Hill area, partying at the Royal Esquire Club, and participating in Seattle area events in the Central Area. A passion for proudly representing and engaging with the Black community is a trait I am proud to share with the reverend. 

Over the course of our connection, we worked on various projects focusing on ensuring young black children were able to travel outside the area to see what the rest of the world was like. She coordinated trips to see the Tulips, to the ocean, and to many parks around the area. I could count on her to be upfront, honest, thoughtful, and energetic.  

Rev. Walden cited a quote from Marcus Garvey during our conversation that I believe relates to her lived experience: “You can only know where you’re going if you know where you’ve been”. Rev. Walden knows where she’s going because she knows and embraces where she’s been.