John, This is urgent. We’re on the cusp of a historic $5B investment to stop our country’s most deadly epidemic— gun violence.1 In large part because of the mobilization and self-determination of Black and Indigenous communities that are fighting against disenfranchisement, developing solutions to keep each other safe, and demanding that our elected leaders invest in people, not the police. But we only have a few weeks before the Break the Cycle of Violence Act is voted on. And this could be our last chance at getting this transformative legislation passed. That’s why we’re asking you to take action NOW. Sign our petition and tell your representative to PASS the Break the Cycle of Violence Act. For decades, Black people and communities of color have borne the disproportionate impact of gun violence in our country. Despite the lack of concern from government officials, Black people have created an alternative system to keep communities safe. Now is the time to demand ample funds put towards evidence-based community violence prevention programs. As cities around the world continue to grapple with safety, security, and the role of law enforcement in reducing gun crime: Advance Peace is a violence intervention program fighting to reduce gun violence in Stockton, CA. After two years of implementation, they've recruited 34 fellows, interrupted 44 gun violence conflicts, and mediated over 500 community conflicts that prevented escalation to gun violence.2 We believe by leveraging the expertise of those directly impacted by gun-related trauma we can finally address the dual crises caused by criminalization, and policing, and fight for strategies that center our voices and prioritize our needs. This shift will move us away from our dependency on the police as the only response to public safety. That's why we’re fighting like hell to make this vision a reality. Gun violence is not a partisan issue, it's a public health crisis. And we're calling on Congress to pass the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which guarantees $5B to the communities that have been harmed the most by this public health crisis. Can we count on your support?
Until Justice is Real, Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Megan, Ernie, Palika, Madison, Trevor, Ana, McKayla, Kristiana, Ariel, and the rest of the Color Of Change team. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Gun Violence in 2020 was the deadliest gun violence year in decades. So far, 2021 is worse. Reis Thebault, Joe Fox, Andrew Ba Tran 2. Advance Peace 2018-2020 Evaluation, Prof. Jason Corburn & Amanda Fukutome, UC Berkley  |
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