June 19, 2020

We gather today to honor Juneteenth to pay respect to the Black Lives that have been lost due to racist violence.  We memorialize these lives, but grief is not enough. As a community, we demand meaningful commitments to dismantle racism.  We press the city council to the following actions:

• A public statement of support for Black Lives Matters and its demands for defunding the police and reinvesting in community well-being
• Honor Juneteenth as a holiday where we renew our community’s commitment to dismantling racism, review accomplishments over the previous year, and set new goals for the coming year. 
  Refusal to increase the law enforcement budget.  Make a comprehensive plan to reinvest law enforcement budget into new programs that invest in community safety and well-being
  Increase community opportunities for public dialogue regarding the city budget
• Create a Civilian Oversight Boards in our communities that create commitments to accountability, oversight, and change
  Trained mental health providers and social workers on first responder calls
• Comprehensive anti-abuse programs that center the needs and recovery for survivors of domestic violence and all forms sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.
• Increase support for recovery and addiction programs
• Increase support and commitments for affordable housing
• Examine ways the city criminalizes and punishes poverty, and replace those practices with effective systems
• Support schools in integrating anti-racism into classrooms for all ages through trainings, classroom resources, and dedicated space and time for curriculum building
• Refusal to use school resource officers in our schools. 

We sign this petition to show solidarity with the work and demands of the Black Lives Matters Movement, and demand to see real political change on a local level.  We acknowledge that racism needs to be dismantled in many local institutions, not just law enforcement.