STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY AND FAMILY SPOKESPERSON MICHELLE D. BERNARD Following Open-Casket Memorial for Dr. Marvin Boomer, Jr.

Now I stand here today not only as an attorney, but as a sister in the struggle. I speak not only as a legal representative, but as a mother, a daughter, a woman who has seen too many families crushed under the weight of injustice. I speak with a heavy heart and a righteous fire, because Marvin Boomer, Jr. should be alive today.

He was not caught in a storm of his own making. He was not a suspect. He was not a statistic. He was a scholar, a teacher, a lover of justice, a defender of Black dignity. He was walking with his partner, Nina, when he saw death coming and put her safety before his own. He died a hero. And we will not allow that heroism to be silenced by bureaucratic excuses or policy failures cloaked in blue.

So we say his name today: Dr. Marvin Boomer, Jr.

And we will keep saying it until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Let me be clear: had this happened in Mill Valley, or Tiburon, or Stanford, or Woodside—if this had happened on streets paved with privilege and protection—Marvin Boomer would be alive. But in East Oakland, where Black and Brown lives are too often deemed expendable, the rules were different. The pursuit policies were different. And the consequences, as always, were deadly.

This family is not only grieving—they are standing tall. They are saying enough is enough. And I am honored—deeply honored—to represent them in their pursuit of truth, accountability, and justice.

So now, I invite you to meet the voices behind the pain and the purpose:

• His mother, a queen among women, Ms. Tina Boomer.
• His father, steadfast and courageous, Mr. Marvin Boomer, Sr.
• His sisters, each a beacon of strength and grace: Tynesha Boomer, Deborah Martin, and Brittany Boomer.
• And the woman who loved him, and whose life he saved with his last breath, Ms. Nina Woodruff.

Hear them. See them. Stand with them. And say his name with us—not just today, but until justice is served.

#JusticeForDrMarvinBoomerJr
#SayHisName
#BlackLivesMatter
#NoMoreRecklessPursuits

May God bless this family. May God bless this movement. And may Dr. Marvin Boomer, Jr.'s legacy light the path forward—for all of us.

Contact:
Michelle D. Bernard, Esq.
President & CEO, The Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (301) 807-2394

SOURCE Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy