Dennard Clendenin

Dennard Clendenin was born and raised in New York City   He migrated to California in 1980 where he pursued his education and became a member of faculty at Mesa College and administrator at the University of California San Diego.

He has also been a local musician in San Diego for the past 25 years.

A majority of his professional life was spent as a diversity trainer traveling around the country working with organizations both public and private on issues of diversity in the workplace and in education. He has also lectured in Australia and the United Kingdom and has worked extensively with police agencies all over the country focusing on effective police community relations.

In Dennard’s own words:

About a year ago I woke up at two in the morning and George Floyd was on my mind.  I had been a little bit depressed at how he was basically lynched on the streets of Minneapolis. There were also what seemed to be a weekly incidents of police shootings of unarmed Black residents by police.  Breonna Taylor, who was shot in her bed, comes to mind. Floyd was arrested, tried and convicted, and summarily executed for passing a fake $20 bill. All this took place in the space of about 20 minutes by then officer Derek Chauvin. Floyd was denied due process.

That’s when I decided I need to put my thoughts down on paper and write him a song. My vision for 929 was to highlight the plight of people of color as it relates to their relationships with the police.

I am from the school that believes there are good law enforcement officers. But on the day George Floyd was lynched there were none in the immediate area at that moment.

My hope is that 929 will raise our awareness of the need for effective and safe policing practices. These practices should be implemented for the benefit of both the public and law enforcement agencies.

There are good cops. But on the day George Floyd was lynched there were no good cops in the immediate area at that moment.

A portion of the proceeds from this song will be sent to the community of Minneapolis for the purpose of securing  vests and body cams for the officers, as well as for the dispatching of mental health professionals. When appropriate, the use of these professionals instead of  law enforcement officers will foster better de-escalation  tactics and the use of non lethal alternatives.

Much appreciation for the contributions from Mark Drummond, Elio Spinello, Mike Potter, Ron Abernethy, Tony Garrick, Ernest Jones, JoAnne Cornwell, John Byrd, and Celeste Geary.