As we wind down 2020, and look ahead to the new year, I want to give my deepest and most sincere thanks to every member of the Dignity and Power Now Community for your contributions to our collective work.
Our organization thrives as a result of shared investment in our abolitionist vision. Our programs, campaigns, and ways of being in community together are centered around principles of healing justice and transformative justice that seek to transform our world. It is our vision of caring for our community, rather than continuing to invest in systems of harm, violence, punishment, and family separation, that pushes our work forward.
This year, our staff and community members made substantive contributions to racial and social justice movement work. Like many organizations worldwide, Dignity and Power Now has had to adapt our ways of being together to be resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve had to migrate programs that were once face-to-face to digital space.
Our Forever Rooted program continues to bring together community members who are coming home from being incarcerated to heal and fight for equity. Our Dandelion Rising Leadership Institute continues to bring together youth who are system-impacted, to support them as they advocate for systemic transformation.
To further support our community during COVID-19, we began a program to provide critical emergency relief to people in the County of Los Angeles. Our COVID emergency relief program has given away hundreds of essential items to families in need during this critical time.
What’s more, the 2020 electoral cycle brought many important victories, which were not without shared struggle. Our Dignity and Power Now team contributed to these victories through public education, advocacy, and community engagement. Because of DPN’s sharp analysis regarding the need for comprehensive pretrial reform, and our organizing efforts alongside other organizations, the state of California will not be using racist, classist risk assessments to determine whether someone should be incarcerated pretrial or not. Our Campaigns team will continue to lead on this issue with integrity.
DPN was also a part of the coalition to pass Measure J, which requires the County of Los Angeles to redirect 10% of the County's unrestricted funds out of systems of harm and into community services like permanent supportive housing, mental health treatment, job training programs, and youth development programs. These transformative victories will pay dividends in years to come as we fortify our community with the resources necessary to thrive.
As always, the cornerstone of our work at Dignity and Power Now is supporting DPN families and community members who have been impacted by state violence on their healing journey. Whether through our campaign work, our program work, or our Family Meetings, this is our why.
As we prepare for the many challenges and opportunities ahead in 2021, including poising ourselves to continue to expand our work beyond the state of California, we will do what we do best: we will move forward together. We know that the new year will bring more changes, and we know that this team, and this community, is ready.
Thank you for your investment in our work, and for your support of Dignity and Power Now.
We look forward to a powerful 2021,
Lamia El Sadek
Executive Director, Dignity and Power Now
We have numerous items that community members can request, and we can provide financial assistance while available. Items available:
-Girls Kid Clothing Size 8-12
-Extra Small Girls Kid Cardigans
-Over 500 pairs of socks, sizes: Adult M & Adult XS
