Protest & Policy Go Hand in Hand
By Sara Zimmerman & Dwayne Wharton
For countless days, years, and decades, so many people have fought for justice and the end of white supremacy. Over the past few months alone, Black people have died at higher rates from the coronavirus, been gunned down while going for a jog, murdered in their homes, threatened while bird watching, and choked to death. We are marching because we are committed to improving the conditions which have caused these harsh outcomes for Black people. We understand that these injustices reflect a system rooted in structural racism that is not new, is deeply baked into all aspects of society, and will take an enormous collective effort to overcome.
Across our country, and around the world, anger, grief and resolution grows and the hope is that through the collective raising of our voices, no one will ever again experience a police officer’s brutality and utter indifference to those desperate words, “I can’t breathe.”
Demand for change is happening in our streets. It is happening in conversations with friends and family members, on TV and talk radio, in print and on social media, and in our legislative halls. All of these are important as change does not happen spontaneously, in isolation, or without a catalyst.
The demands of this moment are of utmost importance, heartfelt, and vital for this nation to move forward. This moment builds upon the hard work and sacrifices made by activists, advocates, protesters, and community members who have been fighting for justice for years. Change only comes because people want and demand it. No more dead Black and Brown men, women, and children at the hands of police. No more police brutalizing the people they have sworn to serve and protect. No more under-investment in and over-policing of communities. No more white supremacy. No more business as usual. People want change.
What does it mean to bring this change to life? How do we turn those demands into real action by law enforcement and our government? How do we translate our vision for the world we want into the language of government? Policy.
The world will not be made anew overnight. But, policy demands like #8CANTWAIT can save lives immediately - when all eight changes are implemented together, advocates and activists estimate they yield a 72% decrease in police violence. Are those policies enough? Certainly not. In fact, Campaign Zero has a much more ambitious set of policy demands to limit police interventions, address community needs, and ensure accountability. In Minneapolis, recognizing that their police department is unreformable, City Council members announced their intent to disband the police department and invest in proven community-led public safety. And, the Movement for Black Lives has even provided a policy platform that is comprehensive and drives towards Black liberation. As a first step, implementing #8CANTWAIT across every police department in the nation would start saving lives right away. Check out 8cantwait.org to see how your city scores and to take easy actions to demand your elected officials make change.
We are inspired by the ferocious determination that people across this country are showing in this moment. We are marching alongside. We will also be working to help people advocate for the change they want for themselves and their families. As a nation, and over time, so many of us have been outraged in the past, but this moment feels different. People are, and must continue to, do their parts to move change forward. And, we call upon our decision-makers to match the energy and determination in the streets and turn this moment into meaningful change.