Dear friend,
October is Intimate Partner Awareness Month, and according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 3 women have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. In the same study, the rates of violence were highest among women of color, with 48% of Indigenous women, 45% of Black women, 34% of Latinx women, and 18% of Asian or Pacific Islander women reporting experiencing intimate partner violence. For LGBTQ people, intimate partner violence is often a difficult and isolating experience, due to many resources not being catered to these communities. According to multiple studies, 25.0% to 47.0% of transgender people experience intimate partner violence, and while this data is not divided by race, we know that the Black and Latinx transgender women are particularly at risk of violence. In many cases intimate partner violence is a cycle, with gun violence often the final step in the cycle of abuse, and more than two-thirds of mass shootings are connected to intimate partner violence incidents or are perpetrated by shooters with a history of domestic violence. Intimate partner violence is a threat to our communities, and it’s time for action.
At the Community Justice Action Fund, we believe that we cannot end gun violence without fully committing to ending the crisis of gender-based violence that precedes so many of the homicides in our communities—and this starts with believing survivors.
This month, join us as we shed light on the critical mission to end intimate partner violence, and share how by supporting survivors and their communities, we can get close to a world without gun violence.
Onwards,
Greg Jackson Jr.
Executive Director
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
|
|
National Suicide Prevention Month:
Every year we want to amplify the conversation and raise awareness of suicide prevention during September, National Suicide Prevention Month. As this month comes to a close, we’d like to remind you to check on your mental health and check in with your friends near and far. If you or anyone you know needs someone to talk to, help is always available. Call 800-273-8255 today.
National Hispanic Heritage Month: From September 15th-October 15th, we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month nationwide. Over 60 million people in the United States identify as Hispanic, with people from many different countries and identities shaping the Hispanic and Latinx identity. However, it’s often misrepresented in our media, and we aim to uplift the many Black Latinx people who are often left out of the conversation. Gun Violence greatly affects our entire community with more than 4,000 Hispanic people killed by guns in 2019. If you’d like to read more about gun violence in the Hispanic community, check out a report by the Violence Policy Center here.
Building Community Call: Every month we have a monthly call to uplift communities and advocates across the country to highlight their impact and work in the fight to end gun violence. Join us on Tuesday September 28th, 2021 at 3:00pm ET/2:00 pm CT for this important call. Register here.
Daily Action Hours: From now through early October, we are hosting Daily Action Hours to call on Congress to pass the Build Back Better Act. Join us on Mondays at 5:00PM CST and Tuesday-Thursday at 12:00PM CST. Make your voice heard and get plugged in! Register here and join the Zoom here.
Week of Action: Be sure to grab your lunch and join us for a daily Lunchtime Live on the Community Justice Instagram page from September 24th-October 2nd. We’ll be talking to leaders in the gun violence prevention movement about the importance of the $5 billion in gun violence prevention funding included in the Build Back Better Act.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Check out our new Mobilize page, where you will find a complete listing of our events and get the chance to register for them. There are so many opportunities for you to join us, please check it out here.
Did you know we launched our brand new Facebook Community? If you’re interested in sharing information, building community, and getting updates, join our Facebook group here to learn more about issues and solutions that affect our community and aid in our fight to end gun violence.
Opportunities to Take Action Online:
Community Justice launched its Online Action Center where volunteers & advocates can regularly take action online to help end gun violence. We are currently putting our focus behind the Build Back Better Act and you can complete actions by clicking below:
Community Justice Policy Updates
American Rescue Plan (ARP) Funds: Cities, counties, and states continue to move to protect their communities by allocating American Rescue Plan funds for community violence intervention programs. Groundbreaking new polling from Safer Cities found that a vast majority (76 percent) of Americans across the political spectrum support allocating funds from the American Rescue Plan to community violence intervention programs. Support is also high (77 percent) for the creation of government offices of community violence prevention at the local level, separate from the police department.
Youth Workforce Development Funds: Young people are vulnerable to becoming both victims and perpetrators— even more so among young people of color. That's why the White House has included in their American Rescue Plan guidance that cities, counties, and states that allocate a portion of their funds to "expand summer programing, employment opportunities and other services and supports, especially for teenagers and young adults." Research shows that youth workforce programs can reduce young people's involvement in violent crime by 35 to 45 percent. Community Justice is at the forefront of the effort to advocate leaders utilize newly available federal funds to resource the programs that are saving lives and reducing gun violence in our communities everyday.
To learn more on our policy work, check out our latest policy digest here.
|
|
Community Justice in the News
A CNN Film: The Price of Freedom Our Executive Director, Greg Jackson, was featured in The Price of Freedom movie which highlights the history of gun control and gun violence. Find out how to watch the film here. If you have a few minutes, take a look at the trailer here.
Schumer, Adams call for $5 billion from Congress to combat NYC gun violence
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams joined our New York Fund Peace team to call on Congress to invest $5 billion in community-based violence intervention programs.
The Key To Fighting Gun Violence Is Investment In The Community, Not More Policing CJAF leadership was featured in Blavity alongside March for Our Lives about the importance of investing in communities instead of more policing.
Just like COVID-19, gun violence is a public health crisis Our Advocacy Director, Greg Jackson drafted an Op-Ed in the Hill about the connection between the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis of gun violence in our communities across the country.
Washington Post: Biden lays out strategy to tackle rising homicides
The Biden-Harris Administration announced a new comprehensive strategy to tackle gun violence across the nation, including investing in evidence-based community violence intervention programs.
Black News Channel Greg Jackson was featured on BNC to speak on the importance of re-introducing the Break The Cycle Of Violence Act.
All In with Chris Hayes, MSNBC Our Founder and Executive Director, Amber Goodwin, joined Chris Hayes to discuss community-based strategies to combat the rise in gun violence.
FOX 26 With a rise in gun violence in Houston, Texas, Amber joined FOX 26 to share the importance of understanding the root causes of gun violence.
Gun Control In America, Al Jazeera Greg Jackson touched on Biden’s commitment to funding community violence intervention programs and the root causes of gun violence.
Black policy advocates played role in Biden’s gun crime prevention plan Following the announcement of Biden’s comprehensive strategy, TheGrio highlights the role CJAF played in advocating for these measures.
The Mehdi Hasan Show, Peacock TV Our Advocacy Director, Greg Jackson, joined Mehdi Hasan to provide detail on community-based violence interruption programs and emphasize the importance of funding these initiatives.
News of Interest
Stopping gun violence, one youth at a time
In California’s Salinas Valley, two community violence intervention programs, Ceasefire and Advance Peace are helping to keep shootings down.
More children in Chicago have been shot than died from COVID
According to the CDC, more children have been the victims of gun violence in Chicago this year than have died from COVID-19 across the entire country.
Portlanders affected by gun violence say city investments greatly needed
Portland continues towards a record-breaking year of gun violence, with police reporting more than 800 shootings through the end of August.
Opinion: Community involvement, support are necessary elements to reduce violence
When adequately supported, these strategies have produced significant reductions in gun violence in our most vulnerable communities.
How Philadelphia Housing Repairs Drove Down Crime
As U.S. cities explore criminal justice reform amid a spike in homicides, a new study offers insight into the kinds of investments that might help.
Chicagoans on What’s Needed to Help Survivors — and Their Communities — Heal From Gun Violence
Shooting survivors face physical and psychological recovery, often with little to no help. Could reallocating resources bring healing?
For the first time in decades, the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- the nation's top public health agency -- is speaking out forcefully about gun violence in America, calling it a "serious public health threat."
Community Justice Action Fund
1875 K St NW
Washington, DC 20006
United States
If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.
|
