John,
Too many Black people have been murdered by police during a “wellness check,” or while having a mental health crisis.
That’s why it’s time to adopt Rep. Cori Bush’s public safety vision: transforming public safety from a system of violence to one of care -- and we’re proud to be right behind her in the fight for true public safety.
We’re teaming up with Rep. Cori Bush, Color of Change, Civil Rights Corps, and Movement for Black Lives to pass the People’s Response Act -- because this bill centers
the people. It redefines public safety and funds community-based, community-centered approaches to safety.
When Black people call for help, too often, it becomes a death sentence.
Countless lives could be saved if the person responding wasn’t someone dedicated to advancing a carceral agenda (or someone who wasn’t a product of a white supremacist system.)
The person responding should be a mental health professional. Someone who’s best interest is the people in our communities. Someone dedicated to proactively preventing violence through community empowerment. This is
exactly why we need to pass the People’s Response Act -- and do it quickly.
To make sure this bill is successful, we’re going to need to work together to get Congress to act. Will you add your name to the petition and show Congress that you are in support of the People’s Response Act?
For far too long, this country has protected a system that criminalizes Black people, and it’s beyond time for that to change. If our current system of public safety was
actually designed to protect our communities, Black people could be thriving -- not just merely surviving.
The People’s Response Act is a monumental piece of legislation that
can and will transform this country’s approach to public safety. It advances an inclusive, holistic, and health-centered approach to public safety by funding community responses to community health emergencies, led by health officials rather than law enforcement.
Transforming public safety is vital to the freedom and liberation for all Black people. It’s time we recognize that this current system isn’t (and hasn’t been for a long time) working for our communities.
It’s on us to band together to show the overwhelming support for the People’s Response Act. By signing the petition, we’ll show Congress that we are serious when we say we want public safety that works for ALL.
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
