| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | |
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1 | Hello all -- this is a compendium of statements that our 2020 Sister District candidates have made in support of Black lives and/or policing reform. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Some candidates are still refining their statements; we will update this page with additional statements as they become available. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Field Manager who is working with that candidate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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4 | State | District | Candidate | Link to BLM Statement (if any) | Language of BLM Statement (if no link) | ||||||||||||||||||
5 | Wave 1 Candidates | ||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | PA | HD105 | Brittney Rodas | https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h6ms00FMkQqjdKlvaVhL-tcSv4z14be0wNc0KxJ6lag/edit?usp=sharing | |||||||||||||||||||
7 | PA | HD152 | Nancy Guenst | https://myhatboro.org/may-29-2020-hatboro-police-press-release/ | |||||||||||||||||||
8 | PA | HD151 | Jonathan Kassa | One week later, I’m angry and more impatient, this is unacceptable. George Floyd, as an American, a family member, a human being, didn’t deserve to be treated, let alone die, this way. The list grows longer as black Americans wonder where the outrage is across our entire society. This isn’t isolated, this is a moral crisis and Americans MUST demand justice and multi-systemic CHANGE.
If you have privilege, why are you so afraid to leverage your position for truth? To fail is to support historical injustices like police brutality, segregation, redlining, gerrymandering, voter suppression and mass incarceration. Such failure is immoral. I want to proactively advance what's right, instead of endlessly reacting to another wrong by simply saying the right things. I want to change the status quo. We will do this by passing laws that square public policy with our morality. I want to listen, learn and do more every day for my fellow human-beings. Our society has failed miserably at understanding and addressing the destructive history of slavery, Jim Crow and white nationalist terrorism upon African American communities. The cycle remains unbroken. We must clearly identify, and ultimately undo, the hundreds of years of inherent disadvantages that interconnected discrimination across race, gender and class perpetuates. I want to be judged by my actions and stand accountable to the communities I represent. As public officials, it is our duty to represent and advance our community values, to do anything less is unacceptable. - Jonathan Kassa Candidate for Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 151 | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | NC | HD37 | Sydney Batch | https://docs.google.com/document/d/13irWHbVOifsit9BaEgxqFFfWYqFpyD90Z7XZ1NteTiA/edit?usp=sharing | |||||||||||||||||||
10 | NC | HD09 | Brian Farkas | https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rFhpaxpAVSMH2fhtaeSkAuqk6oFMGqim-7Vi-0LYpXs/edit?usp=sharing | |||||||||||||||||||
11 | NC | HD45 | Frances Jackson | https://www.facebook.com/115469456818262/posts/131572141874660/?vh=e&d=n | "When I think of George Floyd laying on the ground with the police officer's knee on his neck looking around for over 7 minutes, I can't breathe. And I often think about how Black and Brown people have not been able to breathe through racism as it relates to economics, institutional, or social racism. It is time to have a national conversation about the disproportionate rates at which Black and Brown people are killed by Police Officers who took an oath to protect and serve their communities. This is an ongoing problem in America, and it's time that all our voices are heard. MLK said that "A riot is the language of the unheard." Well, it's time to hear them. It is time for us to have review boards at all police departments across America to demand accountability. Our voices matter and we will be heard." | ||||||||||||||||||
12 | MI | HD19 | Laurie Pohutsky | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H-mzggtgo6eaFVAKIWJWvSlgIlRmH2_S/view?usp=sharing | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | GA | HD-52 | Shea Roberts | These past couple of weeks have been heartbreaking. As a mother, I can only imagine the anguish and rage Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd’s parents felt as they watched on video their children brutally murdered. And it is not for us to judge how the Black community responds as they witness the genocide of their community, but it is time for us to speak up and take action to help heal this divide in our country and our communities. I see the systemic racism in our community, and I see the barriers in place for people of color. Honestly, I haven’t always been aware of it - that in and of itself is my white privilege. And I am a work in progress. But as white people, we must take ownership and educate ourselves. We must show up as allies. We must end our silence. And we must take collective action to dismantle these systems that have been in place since our country was founded. As a candidate running to be our next state house representative, I think it’s important that you know where I stand and the voices I’m listening to. You need to know that I will work for hate crimes legislation, such as HB 426, so that there are state-supported sanctions on systemic racism instead of state-supported murders. You need to know that I support a use-of-force database and will fight for HB 636 to be a rule of law if it doesn’t make it to the floor during this session. You also need to know that I will NOT support bills like HB994 that perpetuates the criminalization of race, HB402 that reinforces wealth inequities in the criminal justice system by eliminating signature bonds, and that I will work to repeal stand your ground in this state. Team Shea’s plan is this: We will LISTEN. We will WATCH even when it’s painful, for it is time for white Americans to see the systemic racism that has been plaguing our communities for centuries. We will WORK to win our State House race so I can join my Black and Brown community leaders to pass legislation that will dismantle the system that supported the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and so many others - concrete solutions like reforming the stand your ground laws and citizen arrest laws that result in dangerous vigilantism. We will VOTE to elect sheriffs and DAs that will hold law enforcement officers accountable when they use excessive force. And we will WORK to ensure every citizen can VOTE and that their VOTE is counted. Finally, we will continue to EDUCATE ourselves and others by amplifying the voices of Black leaders like President Barack Obama, Rep. John Lewis, Andrew Young, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Stacey Abrams, Rep. Lucy McBath, State Rep. Park Cannon, State Representative Renitta Shannon, DPG Chair and State Rep. Nikema Williams, State Rep. Erica Thomas, State Rep. Dr. Jasmine Clark, Councilman Antonio Brown, Tamika D Mallory, President of Atlanta City Council Felicia Moore, Killer Mike GTO, TI, and many others. Their voices, their stories, their perspective are the ones we must listen to - not our own. Which Black voices are you listening to, today and onward? | |||||||||||||||||||
14 | MN | SD44 | Ann Johnson Stewart | https://annjohnsonstewart.com/police-criminal-justice-reform/ | |||||||||||||||||||
15 | AZ | LD20 - S | Doug Ervin | My style has long been to learn and listen to others before speaking on a subject. As I am looking to truly represent my community, I will continue that practice. However, there are times that we must speak out and clearly this is one of those times.
As Martin Luther King, Jr. said "The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people." I am angry at myself for staying silent in recent weeks as we have all seen coverage of people being killed at the hands of police. Let us acknowledge that racism is still very much alive in our nation. It is on all of us to learn how to be better. The first step towards healing is acknowledging there is a problem. Right now we need to be listening to our fellow citizens who are crying out to be heard. The people peacefully protesting are reminding us of the long and hard work still to be done. I don't have all the answers but I am committed to listening to the people who for too long have suffered, so we can begin the healing and implement change. Together we will work to address systemic racism in its many forms, from public safety to inequities in healthcare, education, and more. We can and we must seek to create a more just society for all. So, let us all continue to listen to the people who are crying to be heard, but not allow silence to be an acceptance of oppression and cruelty. | |||||||||||||||||||
16 | AZ | LD20 - H | Judy Schwiebert | As a mom and grandmother, I can’t even imagine the depth of heartbreak, outrage, and despair from having a child, or any loved one, killed at the hands of authorities. Yet, we’ve seen that very tragedy happen repeatedly to Black American mothers and families.
The most recent killings of George Floyd, Dion Johnson and Breonna Taylor call on us first to acknowledge that racism is still very much alive in our nation. It’s uncomfortable to think that I could be part of the problem. But that discomfort is pushing me - as I hope it is pushing all of us - to listen again, and more deeply, to Black Americans and people of color so that we can truly see the reality of their lives. It's on all of us to learn how to be – and do better. Benjamin Franklin reminds us that “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” So, the people peacefully protesting are reminding us again of the long and hard work still to be done. As a candidate to represent us in the legislature, I don’t have all the answers, but I am committed to listening to Black Americans and other people of color so we can begin the healing and work together to create a more just society. Its important that we address systemic racism in all its many forms. We can and we must create a more just society for all. | |||||||||||||||||||
17 | Wave 2 Candidates | ||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | FL | HD118 | Ricky Junquera | https://www.facebook.com/inspiredmind/posts/10107918317230600 | It’s easy to stereotype racism, giving it a comfortable face for many on the left, but racism transcends politics. Racism lives in our shared history of oppression, and thrives in a society that does not directly and unequivocally confront it head on. Until we come to terms with those facts and find ways to chip away at that oppression we will not do better. We must continue listening to those most affected by the issue and push forward legislation to address it head-on. | ||||||||||||||||||
19 | WI | AD23 | Deb Andraca | https://www.debforwi.com/post/on-juneteenth-and-every-single-day-all-lives-can-t-matter-until-black-lives-matter | George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmad Arbery are only the most recent victims of police violence against people of color. No one should ever have to fear for their lives when pulled over by police, let alone jogging, birdwatching, or simply staying at home. It is overdue for all of us, in every community, to re-examine what it means for law enforcement to “serve and protect.” For far too long we have disproportionately policed, jailed, and harshly sentenced people of color. We need to stop funding the over-militarization of our police force and to start investing in community-based solutions to crime prevention such as education, job training, and youth literacy programs. We must align police budgets so they reflect the needs of the communities they serve, and if elected I would support legislation that does so. If elected I will also support legislation to require the Law Enforcement Standards Board to develop a model use of force policy for law enforcement agencies and that includes principles stating that the primary duty of all law enforcement is to preserve the life of all individuals. I am participating in protests in and around my district to show my support and to listen and learn. As someone who is belatedly learning the vast shortcomings of my own education on the history of racism in this country, I commit to educate myself and to advocate for any measures that ensure that all people, regardless of race or ethnicity, are treated with equal respect and dignity. | ||||||||||||||||||
20 | MN | SD26 | Aleta Borrud | https://www.facebook.com/aleta4mnsenate/posts/161384542053266; https://www.facebook.com/aleta4mnsenate/posts/163891995135854 | I CANNOT BE SILENT. Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Jamar Clark, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, now George Floyd. This is not just about an individual policeman or any actions by Mr. Floyd, but about power relationships based on race that are hundreds of years old in the US, reflected in our legal system, and as painfully present now as in 1965. Yes we need accountability for this inexcusable death, but the resolution runs deeper. It is first acknowledging that this system has extracted wealth from and deprived opportunity for African Americans for centuries, creating a situation where wealth and income disparities are greater in MN than essentially any state. Secondly, systemic racism sustains divisions we cannot afford at a critical moment when masses of us are unemployed and vulnerable. Those of us privileged in this system must act to create public institutions that are fully accountable to All of Us by speaking out if we are to build the future we all deserve. When we win in November, I will be overjoyed to follow the lead of the POCI (People of Color and Indigenous Caucus) and support their policing reform legislation agenda announced on Tuesday. The agenda includes creating a new crime for unjustified use of force that results in death or great bodily harm, publishing statewide records of deadly-force encounters for greater accountability, and repairing community trust and oversight to police departments. Rochester, we hold one of the keys to getting these reforms done in MN. Republicans in the Senate, including my opponent Carla Nelson who has received contributions this year from the Police Officers Fed of Mpls Contingency Fund, will not support this work. As Rep. Mohamud Noor said yesterday, “too long we have failed or ignored those who are suffering and have asked for our action...Now is the time to act. BLACK LIVES MATTER | ||||||||||||||||||
21 | TX | HD121 | Celina Montoya | Celina condemns any and all forms of police brutality. After the horrific murder of George Floyd, and the public outcry of this death, there is no denying racial justice and meaningful police reform are paramount issues our world has to grapple with and work tirelessly to change. She is dedicated to meaningful police reform that is based on a restorative justice model. If elected, she will seek substantive policing reforms such as banning neck restraints, ending qualified immunity, mandating de-escalation tactics, and implicit-basis training for all incoming officers. She recognizes these acts of police violence are not simply isolated incidents but an ongoing systemic injustice that is incumbent upon both elected officals and community leaders to work in tandem to solve. | |||||||||||||||||||
22 | GA | HD151 | Joyce Barlow | Police reform has become the mandate of our citizens across the country. Episodes of injustices has become evident with the use of videos and national protests in small and large towns. Brutality, loss of emotions, anger, rage and disgust have presented a powder keg of outcries for defunding the police departments nationwide. There is now a total atmosphere of mistrust and blatant fear of those sworn to serve and protect. How did our honor and respect for the police force deteriorate to this level so rapidly? It seems that this explosion was simmering just below the surface and was expose by the recent videoed deaths of innocent black men and women. Before we rush to state that the entire police force is a menace to society, let’s clearly note that not all policemen and policewomen are bad. There are good officers still employed on the force. Therefore, the issue with the “good officers” is that frequently some standby idly and allow the miscarriage of civility because of the blue code/wall or complacency or fear of reprisals. We all are a product of our environment, education and experience. These products lead us to make decisions and react in a certain mode. Police are human and are a product of their upbringing, ideology and society. They are ultimately products of a society which have perpetuated systemic oppression and years of bigotry whispered in like racial environments. Many police departments have become infested with police with ingrained oppressive ideology toward people of color. This, then leads to directing the law beyond the required measures and intent that it was designed, therefore becoming accuser, judge, jury and executioner. The public is demanding for the defunding of the police departments and allocating their financial resources to community service programs. And accordingly, thorough investigations must be done by the district attorney and the appropriate filing of charges against the offending policeman. Several larger cities have placed police unions in a state of non-negotiations until issues are resolve for the betterment of the community. According to US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, “Community Policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.” This is comprised of community partnerships, organizational transformation and problem solving. Other areas of reform should be: (1) a standardized national database used to determine if a police officer has been involved in a case of abuse, injury and the death of any civilian, or fired for misconduct or for the use of excessive force. Violations of this sort would cause the offending policeman automatic entry into the national database. This national database would become a clearing house system utilized prior to hiring officers; Police Reform: Is Community Policing or Defunding the Answer? (2) The education, training and expert de-escalation of a situation should be a requirement prior to the successful completion of the police academy. There should be a total mandate for the ban on any form of chokeholds. Funding directed to cases of mental health involvement and the police educated to stand down and maintain a safe environment would save lives and secure resources and appropriate intervention needed. (3 Additionally, there should be a method to report anonymously, any officers for the abuse of citizens. Funding will also go toward an independent civilian oversight group to conduct the investigation that does not have any ties to the police department. This oversight board of the police should be comprised equally of the citizens upon which most offenses are committed. Fairness in screening and hiring should be a part of the reform for any department. (4) Another consideration is more community friendly policing such as community education about the police, within the elementary, middle and high schools. Efforts to maintain diversity makes for a balance police force and is a true reflection of the community policed. Ultimately, we need officers with the “C” for Community and devoid of the compulsion for power and abuse. It is also noted that the City of Albany spent 32% of its general fund budget on police. According to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, “In Georgia, the overwhelming majority of spending on police (85 percent) is funded at the local level.” “Georgia’s spending on police, jails and prisons increased by 122% from 1977 to 2017, while spending on cash assistance on low income families decreased by 81%.” Community policing is the key and each city should allocate their budget to include the strategies to work toward that goal. | |||||||||||||||||||
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