John, In just a few weeks Congress will vote on the Break the Cycle of Violence Act. This historic legislation will provide a critical $5B investment in community-based gun violence intervention programs. We are on the verge of winning one of the largest federal infrastructure packages ever, to end this epidemic. But we can’t win without the support of members like you! Safety starts with accountable communities. Across the nation, community-led intervention programs have designed strategies designed to address gun violence that creates justice, reparations, and healing, without relying on police or prisons. That’s why we’re demanding Congress votes YES on the Break the Cycle of Violence Act! Safety starts with us. The time to demand deep investment in evidence-based community violence prevention programs is now! Safety comes through stronger relationships, more healing, and increased support, not longer sentences, more prisoners, or police. P.S. See our original message below Until justice is real, Scott, Erika, Rashad, Arisha, Malachi, Megan, Ernie, Palika, Madison, Ana, McKayla, Trevor, Erick, Kristiana, Ariel, and the Color Of Change team
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 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 CONGRESS to PASS the Break the Cycle of Violence Act. 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 Despite the lack of urgency from our elected officials, Black people have created an alternative system to keep communities safe. Now is the time to demand ample funding for community-led violence intervention programs! 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, while fighting for solutions 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. John, can we count on your support? SEND A LETTER TO YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS TODAY.
Until Justice is Real, Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Megan, Ernie, Palika, Madison, Trevor, Ana, McKayla, Erick, 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  |
|
