Essie Justice Group is joining Black Lives Matter, Color of Change, Movement for Black Lives, and Civil Rights Corp for the first-ever People’s Response Act Day happening Nov. 17, 2021 at 9 am PST / 12 pm ET live online.

The People’s Response Act is the first piece of introduced federal legislation that will advance the non-carceral paradigm for community safety that we are seeking to build.

Given that nearly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 2 Black women have a family member in prison, The People’s Response Act aligns with our core belief that ending mass incarceration is both a race and gender justice issue.

Gina Clayton-Johnson, Essie’s Founder and Executive Director, the architect of the BREATHE Act, and co-author of the People’s Response Act says:

“Punitive tactics such as policing and imprisonment uniquely harm Black women. Police have harmed and killed our loved ones, mass incarceration policy has ravaged our communities, and courts have driven us into poverty. Despite more resources than it has ever had at its disposal, the criminal justice system fails to protect Black women each step of the way. The People’s Response Act is a sensible approach that would create pathways to harm prevention and violence interruption that are more effective than policing in keeping communities safe. Congresswoman Cori Bush has answered the cry from gender justice, racial justice, and mental health advocates who know that community-led, health-based investments are the only just public safety solution.”

Since this country’s founding, public safety has been centered around violent, armed police-only responses to various situations. But the fact of the matter is that the current approach to public safety has been detrimental, and too often, fatal, for countless Black people across the country.

The people have demanded a new future and new policy mandate. That policy is the People’s Response Act, which would create a federal first responders unit to fund non-carceral first responders, would create a grant program to fund community-based organizations and approaches, as well establishes the Division of Community Safety at the Dpt. of Health and Human Services to oversee other community-led, health-based approaches to public safety.

The time is now to create real safety for our communities — public safety that is centered on people, mental health, and the wellbeing of our neighborhoods.

Events will occur live on YouTube here.