Today's the day. It's our movement's 10 year anniversary! We've already moved mountains together in the last 10 years alone – and we can continue to do so.
Together, we can make a better future. Join our call to make #BlackLivesMatterDay a National Day by taking a quick moment to write one of your legislators >>
The letter is pre-written. Don't forget to just sign your name and customize the letter if you'd like!
#BlackLivesMatterDay is a day to honor the countless Black folks who have been injured, attacked, murdered, and impacted by police and vigilante violence.
This National Day in conjunction with our 10 year anniversary is a reminder that not only will our work never stop; but that it's constantly evolving. Many of our demands from 10 years ago were about incremental progress — civilian oversight of police and safer, more humane conditions for those who are incarcerated. We had to strategically tailor our demands to a moment in society where those in power would have never understood our vision and the new world order our movement was trying to create.
Now, a decade later, the Black Lives Matter movement has grown into the largest social justice movement in U.S. history, and we've inserted abolitionist frameworks into our politics, governments and relationships.
Our movement's vision and agenda has made its way to the presidential debate stage – and the core of Congress and policy. We even have a Black Lives Matter activist in the halls of Congress. We dared to reimagine the future of public safety and put forth our abolitionist values for everyone to hear. And now, we're declaring #DefundThePolice week in honor of 10 years of Black Lives Matter,
alongside the declaration of #BlackLivesMatterDay!
Here are a few things to consider when you hear #DefundThePolice:
- #DefundThePolice means moving from a system of violence to one of care -- one that invests in our communities, not punishes them. Putting someone in jail does not address the root causes behind “crime.” Police also don't address crime.
- #DefundThePolice means transforming public safety into a public health issue that funds community-based, community-centered approaches that prevent harm rather than simply react to it.. Policing is focused on crimes that have already happened. Defunding the police and investing in us would actually lead to crime prevention.
- #DefundThePolice means rerouting funds to community-based models of safety and education, health, and social programs. This way, when someone is having a mental health crisis, the first-responder is not someone with a gun. It’s a trained mental health professional who can safely de-escalate and truly help the victim, rather than treat them like a criminal.
Remember, divestment leads to investment. Once we #DefundThePolice, we can make structural investments that lead to change in our communities, through initiatives like hiring more teachers and well-trained counselors, implementing restorative and mental health services, addressing food and housing insecurity, and more.
#DefundThePolice encompasses the full range of past and ongoing harms to Black people. Together, we can reroute the funds that millions of Black people in this country have long deserved. Let’s make this day official so that our impact goes even further.
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
P.S. You can see the official Proclamation for #BlackLivesMatterDay here.
