in the news

For examples of recent community support provided by PCRF,  visit Giving Back.
For coverage of awards received by PCRF, visit Honors and Art.
For information on the Philando Castile Peace Garden, visit the Philando Castile Peace Garden website.
For earlier news articles (2016-2021), visit the News Archive.

---

RECENT ARTICLES AND NEWS STORIES

• Hundreds gather to honor Philando Castile on 10th anniversary of his death. TwinCities Pioneer Press (July 6, 2026) 
• A tribute to Philando Castile. The Virgin Islands Daily News (July 6, 2026)
• Tracking the impact of police training fund on the 10th anniversary of Philando Castile’s death. KSTP5 Eyewitness News (July 6, 2026)
• For Valerie Castile, every day is a tribute to her son Philando."Valerie has a room in her home dedicated to other tributes to Philando: paintings, photographs and proclamations cover the walls. MPR News host Nina Moini talked with her there about how her life has changed and how she remembers her son now." MPRNews (July 6, 2006)
• ‘Nobody was supposed to know what his name was’: Philando Castile’s legacy grows a decade after his death. "July 6 marks 10 years since (Officer Jeronimo) Yanez killed (Philando) Castile. His death sparked protests, became a rallying cry for police reform and led to the first prosecution of a police officer for an on-duty killing in Minnesota history. His mother Valerie Castile called for calm and pressed for criminal charges against the officer. When a Ramsey County jury acquitted Yanez of manslaughter a year later, Valerie gave voice to the community’s outrage." MPRNews (July 6, 2026)
• National Civil Rights Museum celebrates new, expanded exhibits. Valerie Castile was interviewed at the new Say Their Names exhibit, which includes commemoration of Philando Castile.  Action News 5 (May 16, 2026)
  
• Ramsey County Attorney John Choi’s reform work could be a model for all of Minnesota. “I’m a different prosecutor because that case (Philando's killing) happened to land in my office,” said Choi...Choi announced in 2021 that he wouldn’t prosecute cases — including gun cases — arising from searches during traffic stops for minor violations like a faulty tail light, which was a clear signal to police that they shouldn’t bother with these stops." Minnesota Reformer (Feb. 26, 2026)
• U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar: Minnesota doesn’t lunch-shame kids. That should be the national model. "A few years ago, Valerie Castile put this issue at the top of mind for legislators...I am grateful that the universal school meals bill was signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz...Minnesota has paved the way and modeled for the rest of the country what is possible." Star Tribune (Oct. 3, 2025)
• Hennepin County to limit felony charges stemming from low-level traffic stops: County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the new policy addresses historical targeting of Black drivers. "Valerie Castile held up a small light bulb for a taillight and said it cost 89 cents. She wondered aloud if her son’s life was worth being pulled over and interrogated over a broken taillight...(This law) helps with the trust with police and the community, as well,” Castile said. “Our police officers, they are in danger, as well. We need police. We all know that and we all understand that. But we don’t need the type of policing that causes harm to our communities.” Star Tribune (Sept. 17, 2025)

• Philando's bench! Take your picture on Philando's bench at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. The Phil D Castile bench is located this year at the corner of Nelson Street and Carnes Avenue, across from the Giant Slide. Here are the exact GPS map coordinates:
  44.980085000000003,-93.172201000000001
  

• Philando's Pantry Free Groceries Draw a Crowd: Philando's Pantry feeds hundreds while carrying forward Castile's legacy. Philando’s Pantry in Brooklyn Park is meeting urgent needs by feeding hundreds of families each month, while honoring Philando Castile’s legacy of everyday generosity. Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (Aug. 23, 2025)
  
• 10th annual Philando Castile event raises scholarship money in his name: St. Paul Central High School alumni will host the 10th annual Central Honors Philando event to honor his legacy and raise scholarship funds in his name.The event will include live performances, art projects, kids’ activities, and more. Twin Cities.com Pioneer Press (Aug. 15, 2025)
• Growing Justice and Healing. "The (Philando Castile Peace) garden strengthens communities and advances social justice through its very existence." Minnesota Alumni magazine (Summer 2025)
• ‘That’s the warrior spirit.’ Why Valerie Castile is determined to honor her son: "Valerie Castile is a mother of the movement. She was thrust into that role after the July 6, 2016, killing of her son, Philando, by Jeronimo Yanez of the St. Anthony police department...Ms. Castile founded the Philando Castile Relief Foundation, not just in the spirit of her son’s sense of philanthropy, but as a policy-shifting mechanism in Minneapolis and across the country that can be described in three words: Feed the children." The Christian Science Monitor (July 7, 2025)
• Join Us at the Philando Castile Peace Garden. "The Friends of the Philando Castile Peace Garden invite you to visit our contemplative gathering space for peace, justice and healing this year. The Peace Garden exists to remember Philando Castile."Park Bugle (May 2025)
• State funding for critical police officer training named after Philando Castile is in jeopardy: The $12 million “Philando Castile Memorial Training Fund” started in 2018 and focuses on mandated crisis intervention training. Valerie (Castile) has been vital to reforming public safety ever since and disagrees with any cuts to the memorial fund."You can’t diminish something that is so important to law enforcement and our community and it really does a disservice to both." KARE 11 News (Apr. 16, 2025)
• Valerie Castile looks to continue her son Philando’s legacy through foundation work. “The easiest thing I could have done was to do nothing and we wouldn’t be having this conversation because I would have just went on about my life,” Castile said. “But (there’s) so much wrong in society that if you lose someone, you lose a part of yourself. But then that opens up an area in your heart to look out for somebody else.” Yahoo News/Pioneer Press (Nov. 8, 2024)
• How Philando Castile's mother helped pioneer Tim Walz's free school lunch program.“The ultimate goal was to get them guys to see it our way and actually do something about that issue,” Castile said about the legislation’s passage. “It was a hidden burden on family.” Since Minnesota launched its meal program, the Philando Castile Relief Foundation has pivoted to helping single mothers find housing. “There are quite a few parents that are dislocated because of the economic problems that we’re having,” Castile said. The Guardian (Aug. 21, 2024)
• How Black women shaped Tim Walz's politics after the death of George Floyd. "The two (Valerie Castile and Tim Walz) formed a tight bond, calling themselves 'friends.' Walz said her honesty showed him how “the basic joys of life are always clouded by” racism, and illuminated “the day-to-day, year-after-year systemic issues and microaggressions that people endure.” “It just permeates everything,” he told The Post. The Washington Post (Aug. 21, 2024)

• Eight years later, Philando Castile's legacy lives on. "The site where Philando lost his life at the hands of police, now serves as a location of a beautiful garden created in his memory. (Valerie Castile) hopes people come to a vigil in his honor, to share what they've done in these past eight years, to help improve the lives of others."WCCO News, CBS Minnesota (July 6, 2024)
• Sanborn Park could become Philando Castile Park. Sun Post (May 6, 2024)
• Minnesota court affirms rejection of teaching license for ex-officer who shot Philando Castile. AP News (Mar. 11, 2024)
• BlueJay App: A Step Toward Safer Traffic Stops in the Wake of Police Shootings. BNN Breaking (Jan 2. 2024)
• ‘Peace of mind’: New app wants to bridge gap between people and police. “I am just humbled and excited for all the people that have created something to try to eliminate the unnecessary loss of life in our community,” said Ms. Castile in an interview with KFOR. Oklahoma News4 (Jan. 2, 2024)
• How to make traffic stops less nerve-wracking? St. Paul police hosting ‘Project Self Stop’ to provide info, taillight replacement vouchers. TwinCities.com Pioneer Press (Dec. 7, 2023)
• Pretextual traffic stops are unconstitutional and life-threatening. NJ lawmakers must act. "Across the country, Black drivers and their vehicles are searched about 1.5 to 2 times as often as white drivers once stopped, even though they were less likely to be carrying drugs, guns, or other illegal contraband compared to their white peers." USA Today Network (Oct. 18, 2023)
• 7 years ago Thursday, Philando Castile shot dead by officer. On Thursday, Gov. Tim Walz issued a proclamation that July 6 and 7 would be Philando Castile Remembrance Days. WCCO News, CBS Minnesota (July 6, 2023)
• Seaside kicks-off “Lights On!” program with help of Philando Castile’s mom: Philando Castile died in an officer-involved shooting after being pulled over for a broken tail light. Monterey Herald (May 20, 2023)
• Mother of Philando Castile speaks during Seaside (CA) ‘Lights On’ kickoff, says this could save lives. Ms. Castile is hoping that the launch of Lights On in Seaside will inspire the program to eventually go nationwide, and prevent what happened to her son from happening to someone else.  KION 46 News Channel (May 19, 2023)
• Minnesotans testify about racial injustice to international audience: The U.N. "This country prides itself on democracy, but it looks more like hypocrisy," Valerie Castile said. "We deserve to be taken seriously." Star Tribune (May 2, 2023)
• Black lawmakers call on Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to condemn biased traffic stops. "On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile, 32, was shot and killed by a Twin Cities, Minnesota, police officer during a traffic stop." Yahoo News (Apr. 13, 2023)
• Valerie Castile is 'over the moon' about free school meals in Minnesota — and wants to help single moms. The mother of Philando Castile has helped raise more than $200,000 to pay off the lunch debt for kids who couldn't afford it. Star Tribune (Mar. 25, 2023)
  
• Valerie Castile celebrates passage of Minnesota school meals for all. After spending years donating money to erase student lunch debt, Valerie Castile looks forward to a day when no student or family struggles to pay for school meals. KARE 11 (Mar. 17, 2023)
• Valerie Castile speaks out following video release of Tyre Nichols' death: "I didn't need to see the horror in that young man's face." More than six years since her son's death, Valerie Castile continues to emphasize the need for police accountability. KARE 11 (Jan. 31, 2023)
• Philando Castille's mother blasts Jeronimo Yanez for pursuing second career as teacher. CBS Minnesota (Nov. 29, 2022)
• Appeals court: Officer who killed Philando Castile was wrongly denied license to teach. KARE 11 (Nov. 28, 2022)
• New Brooklyn art space launches with exhibition celebrating birthdays of people of colour killed by police violence. The Art Newspaper (Sept. 1, 2022)
• 1-800 Happy Birthday: An Exhibition Honoring Black and Brown Lives Killed by Police. "Originally a voicemail project, now transformed into a large-scale art exhibition in a 10,000 square-foot warehouse, 1-800 Happy Birthday is presented by arts nonprofit WORTHLESSSTUDIOS with the aim of honoring the lives of those lost too soon. Twelve families, including the family of Philando Castile, are participating in the exhibition." Worthlessstudios, Brooklyn, NY (Sept. 23, 2022 - Jan. 16, 2023).
• Book excerpt: "The End of Bias:" The science and practice of overcoming unconscious bias. "Mind, body, history, institution: fused together to lethal effect. Castile was calmly reaching for his wallet. Yet Yanez was incoherent with terror. The threat was imaginary, but the fear was real. What do we do about that?" Minnesota Reformer (Aug. 22,2022)
• St. Paul Central honors Philando Castile. TwinCities.com Pioneer Press (Aug. 22, 2022)
• Honoring and Celebrating Philando, Seven Years On. "Philando Castile was killed six years ago, on Wednesday July 6, 2016. This coming Sunday — August 21, 2022, from 1 to 5 p.m. — we will come together to honor the life of Philando Castile at the seventh annual Central Honors Philando community celebration." streets.mn (Aug. 18, 2022)
• St. Charles Police to Hand Out Vouchers Instead of Tickets for Minor Vehicle Problems: The CEO of nonprofit MicroGrants said the death of Philando Castile prompted him to come up with ways to improve police and community relations. 5 On Your Side, KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (Aug. 8, 2022)
• Philando Castile Remembered Six Years After Being Killed By Police. Unicorn Riot (Aug. 1, 2022)

• Philando Castile, Remembering His Name Forever: Mom, Valerie Castile Honors Her Son. The Soultown Magazine (July 2022)
  

• Dozens gather to honor the life of Philando Castile 6 years after his death. KARE 11 (July 6, 2022)
  
• Philando Castile remembered. Star Tribune (July 6, 2022)
  
• Family, supporters of Philando Castile continue to protest his killing, officer's acquittal: The death of Philando Castile and the trial of Jeronimo Yanez. MPR News (July 6, 2022)
  
• Valerie Castile says youth gives her hope for future: Students who knew Philando Castile say his killing inspired them to pursue activism. MPR News, Northstar Journey (July 6, 2022)
  

• Juneteenth Commemoration 2022 Film:  Sunday, June 19, 9:00 a.m. See it on SPNN | Speak MPLS | KZMOHD.com.  This film features a historical introduction by Mayor Melvin Carter, III, recent 2022 Guggenheim Fellow Ta-coumba Aiken, honoring George Floyd and distinguished artist and advocate Seitu Jones, honoring Philando Castile.
  

---

• The Gun Violence Memorial Project  seeks to create a permanent national memorial that honors the lives and narratives of victims of gun violence. (May 2022)
  

Valerie with her remembrance of Philando: “These items represent things that Philando liked to do: a basketball card, a domino, and the king chess piece. Phil enjoyed games that challenged the mind by staying focused, concentrating, and using strategic moves.”

---

• Woman who ran charity in Philando Castile's name to repay $120K that didn't go for intended purpose. Star Tribune (Mar. 29, 2022)
• The making of The Cartography Project, a work honoring victims of racial violence. “The names of some of the Black men and women killed by police -- Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Philando Castile -- have become embedded in the nation's consciousness, memorialized in everything from street art to T-shirts to fine art displayed in galleries. Now there's a new effort to grieve their loss and honor their memory in music, a collaboration between the Kennedy Center, the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera. It's called The Cartography Project, and the three institutions have commissioned a multi-year series of chamber and vocal works and an online video series documenting their creation.” MPR News, All Things Considered (March 6, 2022)
• Families of Black men killed by police in Minnesota demand justice for Amir Locke. "Our children's lives mattered. Don't think for one second that I didn't love my son. … You love your children, and so did we," said Valerie Castile, the mother of Philando Castile, who was shot and killed by a St. Anthony police officer during a 2016 traffic stop. Star Tribune (Feb. 9, 2022)
  

INTERVIEWS and PANELS

Philando Castile Remembered a Decade Later. PBS Almanac (July 10, 2026) 

---

Join the Conversation on Non-Public Safety Traffic Stops with Valerie Castile and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty (Sept. 24, 2025)

---

Valerie Castile spoke at the American Public Health Association national conference on improving maternal health and child nutrition. She presented her activism in achieving free school breakfast and lunch for MN K-12 students. (Oct. 19, 2024)

Panelists (l-r): Valerie Castile, Kristin Marks, MPH, PhD; Cecilia Tomori, MA, PhD; Juanita Chinn, MA, PhD.

---

The Right To Drive: The Citizens Police Oversight Commission (CPOC) in Philadelphia hosted a panel discussion on Traffic Stops, Profiling, and Policing. The panel included Ms. Valerie Castile, Founder of the Philando Castile Relief Foundation and the mother of Philando Castile, who was tragically killed by a police officer during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, MN. (Aug. 13, 2024)

---

---

---

"Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers?"   Book launch at Black Garnet Books, Apr. 7, 2023. Author Junauda Petrus in conversation with activist Valerie Castile.

---

Valerie Castile and Jackie Carter on Black Press USA (September 11, 2020): ​Mother of Philando Castile and Law Enforcement Expert Jackie Carter on the issue of police shootings during traffic stops and how individuals can prevent them from happening. Posted via Facebook.
​

Vice News Tonight 
(Jun. 4, 2020): George Floyd's killing has reignited calls for justice nationwide. VICE News speaks with Valerie Castile, who also lost her son, Philando Castile, to police violence in 2016. ​

ChangeMakers: Valerie and Allysza Castile, carrying on Philando's spirit
MPR News (Feb. 27, 2019)

---

‘We Have Had Enough’: Toolkit Seeks To Reduce, Prevent Police Shooting Deaths, CBS Minnesota, WCCO 4 (Feb. 28, 2019)
​