Dear partners, friends, and allies —

We hope you had a restful holiday and that this message finds you well. 

As 2020 and the election cycle nears to an end, we have a lot of exciting events and plans ahead. Join us for Justice Camp, a 4-day virtual learning camp on gun violence December 7-10, and our Texas Black Women Post Elections Debrief & Whats Next Conversation tomorrow, December 1st.

We have an ambitious month ahead of us, and even more we want to accomplish in 2021. 

Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday, and while there are many places to give, we hope you will consider donating to us to help us continue to build power while centering communities of color to end gun violence.

Thank you for your continued support,

In solidarity,

Greg Jackson 

National Advocacy Director 

Upcoming Events & Opportunities:

• Texas Women of Color Post Elections and Whats Next Conversation - Tuesday, December 1st at 4pm CST - RSVP
• Community Justice December Monthly Policy & Organizing Call - December 15th RSVP 
• Justice Camp: Cities United and Community Justice Action Fund are hosting a 4-Day virtual learning camp on December 7th-12th.This learning experience aims to provide a space for participants to learn about community violence, its root causes as well as the strategies to address community violence utilizing systems thinking. RSVP
• Volunteer Meetings: We have exciting new ways for supporters to volunteer and get involved with Community Justice. Please email Organizing Manager Thia’a at thia’[email protected] to sign up for a volunteer meeting near you. 

Community Justice Policy Updates:

National:

• Sen. Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced the ATF Improvement and Modernization Act (S 4841) which would remove certain restrictions from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosions (ATF), allowing it to collect data and impose sanctions on federally-licensed firearms dealers. Rep. Beyer (D-VA) is expected to introduce a companion bill in the House.
• Sen. Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Himes (D-CT) introduced The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act in the Senate and the House, respectively. The Senate bill (S 4443) and the House bill (HR 7930) expand firearms prohibitions against people who abuse their current or former domestic partners, intimate partners, and the children of those partners.
• The Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2020 (HR 5855) passed the House by a voice vote. The legislation authorizes grants for violence intervention and prevention trauma centers, with an allocation of $10 million. The bill now moves to the Senate.

Texas:

• The George Floyd Act (HB 88) has been officially filed in the Texas State Legislature. The Texas Legislative Black Caucus announced the highly-anticipated bill earlier this year. Rep. Senfronia Thompson is the sponsor of the bill, which seeks to reform policing in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department.

News of Interest:

• Eight people were shot in a mass shooting at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee county Nov. 20th. While none of the victims died, this mass shooting comes at the heels of an already record-breaking year of gun violence incidents in Milwaukee County.
• November 20th was Transgender Day of Remembrance, and as of today, at least 39 trans people have been killed this year, the majority of which were Black or Latinx and killed by gun violence. 
• On the anniversary of Tamir Rice's murder, Samaria Rice recounts her emotional journey after his murder and reflects on the fear and pain that Black mothers have to face in America.
• New report from ⁦Education Fund to End Gun Violence details the effectiveness of a public health approach to gun violence prevention.
• Congratulations to our Senior Advisor, Dr. Chico Tillman on the successful defense of his dissertation!