‘Tireless’ Loris activist dies, but the work he started will continue, friends promise
The recent death of a tireless Horry County activist on racial and social justice issues has devastated his family and friends, who insist they will continue working toward his goal of turning the community into a better place.
Dameion Fowler, 39, of Loris, was struck by a vehicle Friday morning while riding his bicycle and later died from his injuries at Loris Hospital.
Fowler’s car had recently broken down, so he was biking to the nearest bus stop to get to Coast RTA, where he worked as a bus driver, according to Stephanie Southworth, a fellow advocate and friend.
“It really sucks for someone whose whole life was spent trying to reduce inequalities to have lost his life trying to get to work,” she said.
Fowler’s twin brother Jameion — one of his five siblings, all raised together in Loris — said Dameion worked various jobs to pay the bills and support his 5-year-old son Khalil, but his real passion was advocating for the poor, people of color and whoever else needed help.
“First and foremost, he was an amazing father,” he said.
Jenny Schlosser, who worked with Fowler on the F.R.E.E. Horry County Bail Fund, described Dameion as a very serious person who was “tough to crack,” except when it came to his son.
“You will rarely see Dameion smile, except when he was talking about his son, Khalil,” she said. “He did everything for Khalil.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to help cover funeral and other expenses, along with setting up a trust for Khalil.
Free bail fund
Schlosser had to fight back tears when talking about Fowler’s involvement in the bail fund, one of the countless advocacy efforts he helped lead.
He was a founding board member for the project, which was started last summer to provide aid for those sitting in J. Reuben Long Detention Center simply because they couldn’t afford bail.
“These are individuals arrested in our community for nonviolent charges, who will sit in (jail) for more than a month and, in that time, lose their jobs, their houses, maybe their kids, and their life will spiral (when) if they were wealthier, they could’ve paid to get themselves out,” Schlosser said.
“Dameion’s big advocacy part of this was evening the playing field for everyone.”
She noted they’ve had trouble getting the word out as a newer organization in the area, but Fowler worked day and night to increase awareness, to solicit donations and let those in jail know that the fund existed, and that they could apply for help.
Just a day before Fowler’s death, the fund got its first request for assistance, and he was ecstatic., Schlosser said.
“That’s how I’m getting through my days right now is knowing that at least he knew that our work was starting to pay off,” she said.
Always willing to help
Ashlyn Brierre, another friend and fellow activist, said Fowler’s work tended to focus more on people than policy or politics, pointing as an example to his work as leader of the Horry County Alliance for Educational Justice, where he advocated on behalf of students in Horry County Schools facing discrimination.
Just recently, Fowler was able to help a Black Conway High School student get reinstated after being expelled for a Snapchat photo taken out of context, Brierre noted.
Brierre, Schlosser and Southworth all mentioned that Fowler was always the first person volunteering to get involved in a worthy cause, but never sought acclaim for his work.
“The really cool thing about Dameion is that, yes, he’s gone, but the work he has started, and the work he has gotten the rest of us involved in, we’ll be able to continue because of what he’s given us,” Schlosser said.
Southworth also emphasized Fowler’s ability to have uncomfortable conversations with people who disagreed with him.
“Usually people shut down if you disagree with them,” she said. “He was able to talk to people deeply about really important issues without shutting down or speaking ill of them.”
Fowler’s passion for speaking to people with a diversity of perspectives is what led him to push for TedxCoastalCarolinaUniversity, a new speaker series that will host its first conference on campus in April, said Southworth, a professor at CCU heading that effort.
Longtime friend Rasha’d Colbert, who described Fowler as a brother to him, said Dameion consistently put his own personal life on hold to advocate for social reform.
“If you didn’t know him, you might think he was a radical (activist), but the more you got to know him, the more you understood he just wanted better for everyone,” Colbert said.
Under the name Asafo Shaka Sekou, Fowler also published several books, including a series of children’s books called “The Little Black Ants” about fighting white supremacy. Its main character was named Khalil, after his son.
Schlosser suggested the best way to honor Fowler is to continue learning about history, both good and bad, and get involved with causes you support.
“I believe he felt that unless people are willing to get their hands dirty through hard work in the local community, no change will ever really be made,” she said.
This story was originally published February 8, 2022 at 5:30 AM.
