June 9, 2020•Advocacy Matters
Black Lives Matter – Justice in Policing
Disability Matters with Joyce Bender
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
#AdvocacyMatters
Black Lives Matter – Justice in Policing
Many disability rights organizations have issued statements in support of Black Lives Matter and have mourned the death of George Floyd.
On Saturday, disabled people gathered for a #BlackDisabledLivesMatter March. You can follow the videos and reports from the march on Twitter at #BlackDisabledLivesMatters.
Now we must finally embrace a reform agenda to end racism. At the top of the list is police reform.
Many black, brown, and disabled individuals have lost their lives and have been brutalized at the hands of law enforcement. Calls for justice in policing have been out there for many years. We hope now is the time for a change.
In Pennsylvania, the House Legislative Black Caucus took control of the rostrum to highlight needed changes and to ask for a Special Session of the legislature to look at policing reform. Pennsylvania House Speak Turzai said he would work on this issue with the Caucus.
Other states and municipalities will also be moving to reform how emergency services and policing happens in our communities.
In Washington, D.C., the House and Senate Democrats released legislation called the Justice in Policing Act. A link to the legislation and a summary of the bill is included in our #AdvocacyMatters segment today. Visit disabilityrightspa.org to find this information.
On Wednesday, June 10, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary will hold an Oversight Hearing on Policing Practices and Law Enforcement Accountability. The hearing begins at 10:00 am. We have a link to the hearing on our website.
We also encourage you to read the links we have on policing reform.
Protests continue. Join one.
Educate yourself about justice in policing.
#BlackLivesMatter. #BlackDisabledLivesMatters. Get involved. Speak out against racism. Commit yourself to be anti-racist.
Visit disabilityrightspa.org for all of the information discussed in this segment today.
Coverage of House Legislative Black Caucus action.
U.S. House of Representative Committee on the Judiciary
Oversight Hearing on Policing Practices and Law Enforcement Accountability
Summary of the Justice in Policing Act
Civil Rights Leaders’ Statement on Justice in Policing Act
Coalition Letter to U.S. House and Senate Leadership on Federal Policing Priorities
Toolkit published by the Policing Campaign at the Leadership
Conference Education Fund
New Era of Public Safety: An Advocacy Toolkit for Fair, Safe, and Effective Community Policing