Q&A: Yance Ford's 'Strong Island' explores his brother's death

In April 1992, Yance Ford's brother, William, then a 24-year-old teacher, was killed by a white 19-year-old mechanic. Although the Long Island police investigated the case, the shooting was deemed justifiable by a grand jury and the shooter never faced any consequences. William was unarmed.

"Everyone's life (in my family) got picked up and put down in a place that was completely unfamiliar," said Ford, who was 19 and a student at Hamilton College at the time. "The criminal justice system said, 'Good luck,' and walked away."

This was a time long before social media campaigns and cellphones, but Ford's family and community used