Dear friend,
As we take in the month of December and look ahead to the holidays, we are pleased to share a look back on the last month. For more, stay tuned for our 2021 annual report release where we'll wrap up this exciting year, share key achievements and wins from our work, and preview what we have in store for 2022!
This past November, we demanded the Supreme Court protect and uphold lifesaving laws to end gun violence alongside fellow gun violence survivors and organizations. We are also heartened to see many more states, counties, and cities investing their American Rescue Plan funding into community-based violence prevention programs, and we are continuing to demand the allocation of these funds in other municipalities.
The month of November also marked a key milestone, as $5 billion in federal funding for community-based violence intervention strategies passed through the House of Representatives as part of the Build Back Better Act. To amplify this historic milestone, we launched a series of Instagram “Lives” with members of Congress to share more on our national fight to pass the Build Back Better Act.
As we approach the holidays, a time usually spent with family, it’s important we take time to recognize the countless families grieving or dealing with loss due to gun violence in our communities. In this spirit, we hosted a Healing Our Communities webinar to help those impacted navigate loss in these times and for those around them to best support families suffering from the crisis of gun violence this year.
While this can be a difficult time of the year for many, our thoughts are with those with empty seats at their tables this holiday season. Our organization remains deeply committed to ending gun violence by empowering the people closest to the pain and we thank you for working alongside us in our goal.
In solidarity,
Greg Jackson Jr.
Executive Director
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Please join us and our partner, Moms Demand Action, on Monday, December 13th at 5:00 pm CST/6:00 pm EST for an Hour of Action to continue pushing Congress for the passing of the Build Back Better Act. Can we count on you to call Congress to support this life saving funding that we need in our fight to end gun violence? Register HERE.
Volunteer Opportunities:
We launched our 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 has an 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
Build Back Better Act passes in the House!
We finally reached a huge milestone in the House of Representatives, as Members of Congress passed the Build Back Better Act! On November 19, Members gathered on the House floor to vote on this historic legislation, resulting in a 220-213 tally vote. The House-passed version of the Build Back Better Act includes a $5 billion investment towards community-based violence intervention (CVI) programs.
Additionally, the House passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, with a tally vote of 228-206, which was signed by President Biden on November 15. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will fund essential developments that will revitalize underserved communities. To view a fact sheet that details the specific investments, click here.
The passage of the Build Back Better Act in the House is a huge step towards ending the gun violence crisis, and addressing the systemic inequities that black and brown communities face on a daily basis. The Build Back Better Act now heads to the Senate, where Senators will continue negotiations regarding certain provisions in the bill before bringing it to the floor for a vote. Make sure to call your Senator and urge them to keep the $5 billion in CVI funding in the Build Back Better Act!
North Carolina secures gun violence prevention funding
Earlier this month, the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission released a request for proposals to begin accepting funding applications from violence prevention groups. Completed applications are due by Jan. 31, 2022 at midnight. The Governor’s Crime Commission announced that they are prioritizing grant applications for community violence intervention programs and hospital violence intervention programs.
More recently, the North Carolina Governor also signed into law a state budget that includes $835,000 in state funding for hospital-based intervention programs. Targeted intervention at the hospital can effectively break a cycle of violence, preventing retaliation and reducing future victimization. Investments in hospital-based violence intervention programs in turn reduce the heavy health care costs associated with re-victimization as well as recidivism and justice system costs.
Massachusetts
Late this month, both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate passed H4269, a bill that allocates $65 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to fund gun violence prevention programs and initiatives across the state. Of that pool of funding, $50 million is to be used for community violence intervention and prevention programs, reentry programs, and youth employment programs. The bill is now with the Governor Charlie Baker, awaiting an official signature.
To learn more on our policy work, check out our latest policy digest here.
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Community Justice in the News
Even after Ahmaud Arbery’s killing brought scrutiny, most states still have ‘citizen’s arrest’ and ‘stand-your-ground’ laws Our Executive Director, Greg Jackson, provided a comment on the impact of ‘stand-your-ground’ laws.
Why ending violence in Baltimore's Black communities takes more than just gun-control laws Take a look at this article that highlights the community anti-violence work on the ground in Baltimore.
US lawmakers pushing historic $5B plan for community violence prevention programs Greg Jackson was featured in this article, highlighting what the Build Back Better funding will go towards and its impact in the community.
District Attorney Unveils Multipart Strategy to Curb Gun Violence Our founder, Amber Goodwin, has been appointed as the Travis County D.A.'s liaison with the Office of Violence Prevention in Austin, Texas. Read more about the other strategies being implemented.
News of Interest
How DC Gun Violence has affected youth football coach Kevin McGill “For Kevin, the agony of losing his player sharpened his purpose: If he couldn’t save Davon, he would dedicate his life to saving the rest of the team.”
There Are Only Two City-Funded Violence Prevention Sites Tackling Surging Violence in Upper Manhattan SAVE Harlem addresses violence in their community through intervention and services, but violence interrupters are spread thin with only two sites in all of Manhattan.
The Police Fatally Shot a Young Girl. Two Teenagers Are Charged With Murder. “The decision by prosecutors to charge the two teenagers, even though they did not fire the shot that killed the girl, while allowing the police officers involved to keep their jobs, has stirred outrage in the community.”
Metro Council using other cities' model in new attempt to tackle Louisville's record violence Louisville Metro Council has voted to put more than $15 million towards violence intervention programs!
Gun violence killed her daughter. How Chicago mom is rallying other 'warrior moms' for change Nyisha Beemon started the Jaya Beemon Foundation, which sponsors scholarships and spreads awareness of gun violence, in memory of her daughter.
Pritzker’s Rx for ‘public health crisis’ of gun violence: $250 million in funding, new state office to reduce and interrupt shootings In an executive order, governor Jay Pritzker announced $250 million in violence prevention funding over the next three years and a new Office for Firearm Violence Prevention.
Community Justice Action Fund
1875 K St NW
Washington, DC 20006
United States
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