Team, here’s the reality:

Modern day policing practices are aggressive, violent, and rooted in racism.

Last week, I attended a Judiciary Committee hearing to listen and stand in solidarity with Eric Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr, as she offered testimony. She spoke about her son and his murder at the hands of the New York Police Department, who are supposed to protect and serve New Yorkers, about the trauma her family and community has experienced, and about the changes necessary to bring justice.

In the wake of such powerful testimony, I am more resolved than ever to dismantle police brutality in our communities. We need community-centered policies to tackle this national crisis; that’s why I’ve been proud to:

Co-sponsor the Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act, banning the use of a chokehold during arrest and marking it as a civil rights violation, and the PEACE Act, which would change the federal standard for the use of force by federal officers to require that force be used only when necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily injury.
Support the designation of a survivors of homicide victims awareness month and better prioritize law enforcement resources to dramatically increase the solve rate of the most serious offenses, such as shootings and homicides.
Advocate for more resources for non-law-enforcement-led, community-based violence and trauma interruption models.
Fight for funding for civilian review boards to ensure communities have input in the hiring and firing of police officers, disciplinary actions, budget and policy decisions, and access to relevant agency information.

Our justice system has routinely criminalized and over-policed communities of color. We must actively fight to dismantle police brutality in our communities. We must all stand up and declare that Black Lives Matter. It’s been 1,894 days since Eric Garner was murdered, and his family is still seeking justice.

You can help continue the fight to end police brutality by donating to our movement today. By donating, you will help us keep up the fight in Congress to pass these much needed laws to hold police departments accountable and end police brutality.

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Thank you for standing with me today. Together, we will continue to fight for justice.

In Solidarity,
Ayanna Pressley