Breonna Taylor was killed by Louisville, Kentucky, police when they shot her 8 times in her own house while she was asleep. Cops broke into her house in the middle of the night to do it. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, called 911 to report an intruder had killed Breonna. What gave police the right to enter her home with a SWAT team without warning? A no-knock raid.
There's an uprising in this country because of police violence against Black men and women. All over the nation, hundreds of thousands of people are in the streets demanding cities defund the police. We know that police don't keep us safe. As a nation, we spend almost $200 billion on police and jails. The only way to stop the racial profiling, harassment, and terrorizing of Black and Brown communities is to defund the police.
Public safety agencies in Louisville comprise 52% of its budget. By comparison, Louisville spends only 8% of its budget on public services. On one side, we have cops, courts, and jails. On the other, we have affordable housing, job training, and social services.
Resources
Divesting from Policing: Advancement Project National Office’s List of Demands
Advancement Project National Office is committed to supporting grassroots organizations across the country to build the power that will end this system. Our legal, communications and organizing teams were developed for this moment. Through collective action, we are confident that we can build a new society where communities of color can be free and safe. […]
The Price of “Public Safety”
What really makes up a city’s public safety budget? Advancement Project National Office examined the budgets of five cities during Week Against Mass Incarceration last week and found exuberant figures that keep residents criminalized.
The Genius of Ordinary People: How the Ferguson Collaborative Became the Voice of the Community
As the nation marks five years since the police killing of teenager Mike Brown and the series of protests known as the Ferguson Uprisings, a group of residents […]
News
Healing Communities of Color Beyond Wellness
By Flavia Jimenez, Managing Director of Organizational Development & Leadership We are our only relevant hope We are our only possible medicine –what is unveiled? the founding wound by Adrienne Maree Brown When organizations discuss plans to address the impact that systemic racism and the violence of white supremacy have on staff, we often lack […]
Fighting for Voting Rights is How We Honor Dr. King’s Legacy
By Jorge L. Vasquez, Jr., Program Director, Power and Democracy until every eligible voter has equal access to the polls and every voting age citizen is eligible to vote without unnecessary and unwarranted interference, there will always be citizens who, as Dr. King coined, “cannot live as a democratic citizen.” “So long as I do […]
Police Continue to Protect White Supremacy
If this attack on the Capitol showed one thing, it’s that law and order only applies to Black and Brown people. By Marques Banks, Justice Project Staff Attorney As the nation watched white supremacists storm the United States Capitol, I thought about how police react in strikingly different ways to white protesters versus Black protesters. […]
Defund the Police is the Right Demand, Policy Makers Should Take Note
By Thomas Harvey, Justice Project Director Former President Barack Obama recently made headlines when he called defund the police a “snappy slogan” and urged Black organizers to decide if they “actually want to get something done” or if they just “want to feel good among people you already agree with” during an interview with Peter […]
It’s time for us to move forward.
This week’s election was a reminder to never underestimate the power of the Black vote. Despite the pandemic and deliberate barriers, voters have done their job, turned out in record numbers, and selected new leaders to ensure that we can care for our families and move us forward to a better future. Now that the […]
It Ain’t Over Until It’s Over
By Jorge Vasquez, Program Director of Power & Democracy When we woke up this morning, we knew not to expect the results of the presidential election. With a record number of people casting their ballot at the polls early, in drop boxes, and by mail, we anticipated that it would take longer than usual to […]
Activism is Survival, Disinterest is a Luxury
By Faith Carter-Nottage, Member of Advancement Project National Office’s Young Voter of Color Advisory Committee It has been exactly 219 days since I last hugged my best friend. It’s been less than a year but it feels like a memory from a different era. As a senior attending the University of Maryland Baltimore County, […]
We sued to extend Virginia’s voter registration deadline. Now voters must use it!
The 2020 election will be one of the most important elections of our lifetime, and it is important that every Virginia voter who wants to cast a ballot register by 11:59 pm tonight, October 15.
Those Who Inspire Us—Honoring Loved Ones for Latinx Heritage Month
By Jorge Vasquez, Power & Democracy Director As we celebrate Latinx Heritage Month, I reflect on my Abuelita Cookie, her strength, her wisdom, her resilience and the lessons she instilled in family, my community and me. There is no question in my mind that, if Abuelita Cookie were alive today, she would be marching with […]
Advancement Project National Office Issues Statement Condemning U.S. Customs and Enforcement (ICE)’s Billboard Campaign Exploiting Immigrants Formerly in ICE Custody
This week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched a “WANTED BY I.C.E” billboard campaign in Pennsylvania, encouraging the public to turn in immigrants, if found, back to ICE. The billboards exploit immigrants formerly in ICE custody, who have been released in order to comply with federal constitutional protections. Broadcast in six different locations across the […]
