The Demand Is Still #DefundThePolice
• Movements banning together cross-interest coalitions to avoid being pit against each other to form a People’s Agenda / People’s Budget
• Targeting the tentacles of the problem — i.e. policing in stadiums or businesses
• The idea that potential solutions are allowed to fail in the way our current systems have for generations, sometimes forever. Getting to a better shared future deserves the space.
• “We cannot move at the pace of white supremacy and capitalism to gain liberation.”
• Value of having the space to tap in / tap out → how to sustain this? Burnout is real.
• It is necessary to make investments at the same time as defunding and pushes for cuts. Otherwise, policymakers lay the groundwork to frame defunding police as ill-conceived or insufficient to keep communities safe
• “More oversight” of broken systems does not work
Criminal Justice Reform Built Power at the Ballot
• “Those who are closest to the pain are often closest to the solution.”
• Involve and center system-impacted individuals in the decision-making
• Neutrality and the use of race-neutral language is tailored to white constituents and white voters
• Nonpartisan messaging does not get at transforming systems that need to be reimagined
• Messaging focused on not offending white swing voters alienated BIPOC voter base
• Outside consultants not as effective as local consultants
• Again, the idea that there has to be space to fail for people and local organizers trying to build a new vision that hasn’t existed before
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