We hope each and everyone of our partners and supporters is moved to take action right now. Here are two campaigns you can lend your voice to, to fight for necessary changes to our justice system and increase investments in communities rather than policing. 

The Communities United for Police Reform coalition--which counts among its members our grantee partners including Make the Road New York, Arab American Association of New York, VOCAL-NY, Girls for Gender Equity, and many more--is leading the #NYCBudgetJustice and #SaferNYAct campaigns, outlined below.

We urge you to contact your City Council member and State Senator and State Assemblymember to ask them to support these proposals. 

#NYCBudgetJustice

“In his FY2021 budget proposal, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio has called for devastating cuts to core social services, programs [like Summer Youth Employment Program]  and infrastructure that are crucial to communities of color--and that have had a history of under-investment...The NYPD [$6 Billion] budget however, is largely untouched and given special protections in the proposed executive budget.” - Communities United for Police Reform

Suggested areas for budget reductions include a call for a NYPD hiring freeze and stopping salaries and benefits for police officers on modified duty for abusive tactics. Learn more.

Additionally, the Dignity in Schools Campaign, Make the Road New York, and Urban Youth Collaborative are leading the #CounselorsNotCops campaign to reduce the presence of police in NYC schools, where NYPD school safety officers outnumber guidance counselors: 

“The Mayor’s Executive Budget proposed more than $641 million dollars in cuts to key education programs, while simultaneously increasing the budget for school policing (which includes more than $427 million from the DOE to the NYPD alone)….The budget has not yet been finalized and the Mayor must chart a new path forward.” - Urban Youth Collaborative 

#SaferNYAct

The Safer NY Act is a package of bills in the New York State Legislature aimed at increasing police transparency and accountability, and includes repealing statute 50-A, the New York State police secrecy law:

“50-a is routinely used to shield police misconduct and failed police disciplinary processes from public view. A repeal of 50-a would provide much needed transparency on police misconduct and discipline in New York State, and help address the systemic lack of accountability for officers who engage in misconduct.” - Communities United for Police Reform

Learn More