Dear Akron,

There’s a lot going on in our city right now.

We want to give you a quick-and-dirty run-thru on how to stay well-informed and get involved.

Stay Informed

Misinformation is circling around about Jayland’s murder by Akron Police and protests. It’s best to get info from its source — Akron organizers.

Apart from following your friendly neighborhood Akron DSA comrades (*wink wink*), you should also follow: The Freedom BLOC and Serve the People Akron. They share information about actions, news, testimonies from organizers, and more.

Social Media →

And remember — sharing misinformation can be deadly, especially when the stakes are this high. So be careful what you share and be mindful of where you get information.

Take Action

Public Comment — If you live in Akron, we ask you to give a public comment at the next Akron City Council meeting on July 11 @ 7PM, sign up here — you will need to complete a form and the send it to [email protected] before 4PM EST that day. We’re taking a wild guess that Council may try to suppress public comment, and they have already gone virtual instead of hosting an meeting in-person — so sign up right away to verify your spot.

Public Comment →

Donate — Here are 3 places you can donate (all verified and trusted): (1) Local orgs created a way to donate to Jayland Walker's family here. (2) Serve the People has fundraised more than $19,000 and bailed out over forty protestors, donate using Venmo: @akronbailfund. (3) The Freedom BLOC is tackling overall strategy and providing safe space for those on-the-ground, contribute here.

Walker Family →

Bail Fund →

FreedomBLOC →

Understand the Asks for Change — Akron DSA has a list of 8 things we deem necessary to take action on right now. Learn them, share them, and rant to your city council about them. If you registered to speak on Monday, pick two of them to present during your allotted time.

1. The police officers who shot Jayland Walker should be fired and prosecuted for murder.

2. The city should implement a no-chase policy as well as a no-stop policy for traffic violations. We feel police pursuits and stops are a poor use of resources and put the community in danger more than they offer protection.

3. Dashboard cameras should be installed in all police vehicles.

4. 25% of the police budget should be diverted to prevention programs in Akron.

5. Police patrolling the black communities need to have extensive cultural competency training and implicit bias training, and they should be required to volunteer in the community that they patrol for at least 10 hours every month.

6. Mandatory mental health training for all APD officers conducted by community leaders and black mental health agencies.

7. The police auditor should be given the necessary tools to investigate and discipline rogue police officers. Additionally, a Community Civilian Review Board should be instituted immediately, composed of civilians from each ward, with the power to subpoena and discipline officers.

8. Police should be removed from all public schools and replaced with mental health professionals.

9. Create a Citizen-led Commission to study and strategize the continued defunding and eventual abolition of the Akron Police Department, municipal holding centers, and jails.

Your On-The-Ground Comrades,

Akron DSA

This is going to be a long, drawn-out process. Be sure to take care of yourself and others along the way. If you'd like, you can support Akron DSA by paying dues monthly or giving a one-time donation.