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Reinvest in Communities

a crowd of people in the street in background, fisted hands raised in the foreground in protest

As I sat down to watch “Reimagining Safety” on Amazon Prime, I expected a typical documentary on police reform. However, what I witnessed transcended mere critique; it offered a profound examination of the historical roots and societal impact of policing in America. Rather than providing a summary of the film, I feel compelled to share my reflections on the urgent need for change.

The film highlights the need for community-based solutions to address the systemic issues ingrained within law enforcement. It challenges us to confront the uncomfortable truths about the origins of policing in America. From the slave patrols of the antebellum South to the present-day manifestations of racial bias and violence, the institution of policing has been historically intertwined with the suppression and control of marginalized communities, specifically of Black and Brown communities.

Central to this discussion is the notion of reallocating resources and funding the community through essential social services such as housing, education, and mental health support. It’s a call to recognize that investing in these areas not only enhances public safety but also addresses the root causes of crime and social unrest.

The film sheds light on the deficiencies within police training programs. These programs vary in length and content. Some try to prepare officers for crisis responses, and others hope for the best. One consistency throughout is the emphasis on militarization and punitive measures that perpetuate a cycle of violence and distrust, particularly among Black and Brown communities who bear the brunt of over-policing and brutality.

The murder of George Floyd served as a catalyst for widespread public outcry and demands for accountability. It laid bare the realities of police violence and the urgent need for systemic change. However, the subsequent calls for reform, such as increased training and body cameras, fall short in addressing the underlying issues of systemic racism and bias ingrained within the institution of policing.

Fundamentally, policing is not just a practice but an ideology rooted in notions of punishment and control, disproportionately targeting marginalized communities. This punitive approach perpetuates a cycle of incarceration and violence, sustaining fear and mistrust within communities.

The uprising following George Floyd’s killing launched a movement to redefine public safety and challenge the status quo. It’s a call to reimagine a world where we have to rely on policing far less and we invest in community-based strategies focused on prevention, intervention, and restorative justice.

As Audre Lorde eloquently stated, “Without community, there is no liberation.” It’s a reminder that true liberation necessitates collective action and solidarity. To truly ensure the safety and well-being of all members of society, we must invest in community-based solutions that prioritize compassion, accountability, and justice for all.

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Learning and Practice

photo of staff member in front of a green and white backdrop

Tonjie Reese was recently promoted to her new role, Director of Learning and Practice. She leads and equips community members with the skills, empathy, and tools necessary to contribute to public safety ecosystems. She is also the founder of eleven24, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing interpersonal violence. Sierra Scott recently sat down with Tonjie Reese to talk about her journey in the work and what she envisions and hopes to accomplish in this new role. 

What kind of work were you doing in your previous position as a capacity building specialist and how did it transition into your new position, director of learning and practice? 

As a capacity building specialist, a lot of that work was working directly with our grassroots partners to support building infrastructure and relationship building. We have historically been heavy on supporting folks with creating grants and supporting them around grant funding, but on the capacity building team, we were trying to shift things beyond grant writing because it’s one thing to get a grant, and a whole other thing to operate an organization and have it be sustainable…We have been doing a lot of accompaniment work and I felt like there needed to be some level of macro engagement which also fit into EJUSA’s longer-term vision of building out a resource library.

Since I am in Detroit, and a lot of folks that we were working with were in Louisiana, I felt like there were opportunities for us to keep in contact with folks and continue to offer some type of capacity building resource. This is how the peer learning labs came about.

We had an opportunity to integrate the peer learning labs into a grant we just secured with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, an agency that provides leadership and assistance to local criminal justice programs. Now the grantees would have their own learning labs. With the continued expansion of the labs, building out the resource library is a priority (the resource library is a collection of learning tools including peer learning lab recordings, handouts, and toolkits that the team will be building in the future). It also allows our EJUSA team to create their learning labs and be the drivers in it; this is the foundation in building a training institute, while also building out a fellowship program.

My vision and thought for learning and practice overall is to create a community of learning, where individuals, empowered by knowledge and practice, actively engage in violence intervention and justice transformation. Learning and practice will provide those who have been historically marginalized with the opportunity to learn theories, concepts, and competencies alongside their peers – while also developing practical solutions for their unique communities. This involves collaborating with individuals within our EJUSA team and grassroots organizations we partner with. I imagine this training institute for facilitating dialogue and ways to create collaboration. The purpose of the institute is for community members to feel empowered.

Are there any success stories or impactful moments that have happened during the peer learning labs?

We have had the passing of information and some referrals from our staff…[for example] , there was a referral from somebody that we have been doing capacity work with, and we had one on one coaching conversations centered on building up his organization. I mentioned to him that Giving Tuesday was coming up and he was like, “Oh my gosh, I am not ready for that.” I immediately sent him our recording of our Giving Tuesday Learning Lab and he ended up raising a  good amount of money…That was a resource for us last year that he was able to benefit from…and that has been a highlight. Also, a highlight has been the overall feedback through the surveys I send out. The surveys have been overall positive and folks are happy to have a space to learn from. After attending the sessions, participants have shared that the content is useful for them and they left feeling more confident about a topic. Even if someone doesn’t attend the live session, they have access to the recording, and we always have replays on the recordings.

Is there anything else that you would like to speak about when it comes to learning and practice? 

One thing I’m excited about with learning and practice, which is something we do at EJUSA that is kind of natural, is experiential learning and the field trips we take. I have been to museums with folks at EJUSA more than a couple of times, like recently we went to Congo Square in New Orleans where we learned about the history and its connection to Haiti. I call them “adult field trips” and that to me is also peer learning spaces. It’s where we can have learning exchanges, knowledge exchanges, and discussions while going into actual communities and different places. This is how I see the peer learning labs expanding and also how folks can use this in their communities. 

For future learning labs, we’ll lean into topics that are interesting to our partners and are focused on building infrastructure, healing, and intersections of community violence. The learning opportunities are endless, and I’m excited to learn with our team and partners. I’m also excited to build out our fellowship program, which will provide assistance to small-community based organizations in need of administrative, organizational, and fundraising support. 

Next Learning Labs: 

Strategies for Community Outreach

Reparations: Past, Present, and Future

Join our community today to receive exclusive insights, funding opportunities, and expert tips for grassroots organizations directly from Equal Justice USA’s Capacity Building team. Let us support you in developing and sustaining your programs – sign up now to stay informed!

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Identifying Propaganda

TV set with a brick backdrop on a brick ground

In the Age of Information, accessing data you need has never been easier. Our phones, tablets, TVs, and computers provide a constant flood of information. Whether in public or private, you are able to view sports, the weather, entertainment, or news almost instantly. However, this also means that it is easier than ever to be targeted by propaganda. But, what is propaganda exactly? 

Propaganda is the systemic dissemination of biased or misleading information to influence public opinion.

Propaganda and advertising are similar, but while advertising sells a product, propaganda sells an idea. Propaganda is about power. It’s a tool those in power use to maintain it, and a tool for those who want it. It relies on misconstruing or falsifying truth in order to incite anger and fear. Here are three primary forms of false information that are important for all of us to know. 

  • Misinformation: false or inaccurate information that is communicated regardless of an intention to deceive
  • Disinformation: false information deliberately and often covertly spread to influence public opinion or obscure the truth
  • Malinformation: information that is reality-based, but often taken out of context to inflict harm on a person, organization, or country

Each of these forms of communication leverage powerful, dominant narratives that spread across information and communication networks. These forms of false information are leveraged by powerful people to keep harmful systems of control that are rooted in white supremacy, like the death penalty and the prison industrial complex, as the status quo. These forms of communication have a harmful impact, and most often hurt Black and Brown communities.

Because propaganda is a marketing technique, some politicians and political campaigns will use disinformation tactics to sway voters.  Additionally, media outfits, lobbying organizations, and power groups like the Fraternal Order of Police use common techniques to advance an agenda that maintains a legal system that harms everyone it touches. By arming ourselves with knowledge about how misinformation, disinformation and malinformation work, we can look out for others in our community, and call out propaganda tactics when we see them.

In a follow-up piece, we’ll discuss specific narratives that some politicians will use to drive up fear in their voter base. First, here are a few strategies you may have already noticed already and can continue to look out for in the future: 

  • Bandwagon Strategy: The bandwagon method of propaganda capitalizes on the fear of missing out. It is a way to recognize other supporters, and fosters a sense of belonging. That’s why political campaigns give away signs and print t-shirts and sell hats, especially with patriotic colors.
  • Creating Scapegoats: Scapegoats are people or groups that are constructed to be the “enemy.” They are often unjustly blamed, demonized, and subsequently victimized by an outraged community. Some politicians will use scapegoating tactics to demonize black and brown people, poor people, immigrants, women, youth, trans people, people with disabilities, gangs, Jews, Palestinians, and other marginalized groups. Recently, politicians used racist dog whistles during the Covid-19 pandemic that directly led to a rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans. 
  • Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt: Paranoia and fear are useful tools of the propagandists. Scare tactics are useful in driving voter bases away from the opposing candidate or position. Fear is an effective motivator, and it clouds judgment and inhibits the ability to make informed decisions.
  • Glittering Generalities: These vague words and phrases don’t have any substance. The words are emotionally charged to evoke positive feelings and gain approval from the audience. Former President Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” is an excellent example. How did the presidency intend to make America great? When was it last great? Similarly, President Biden’s slogan, Build Back Better also doesn’t say anything about what, who, or how, but it does rely on tropes that will appeal to many, and conjure a vision that’s both malleable and appeals to emotions. Both slogans appeal to the audience without having any details or facts. 

It’s important to remember that any political party can use propaganda. It’s not just the opponents you don’t like. It is a tool that any person, organization, or company can use. Furthermore, anyone can be swayed by propaganda, which is why being able to identify it will help us keep our communities safe. In the next piece, we’ll be discussing the impact on Black and Brown communities. In the meanwhile, you can read these links below to learn more about what was discussed here. 

Links for further reading: 

https://www.postalley.org/2021/02/14/propaganda-101-trumps-tools-of-the-trade/

https://www.propwatch.org/propaganda.php

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9168424/

https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/06/08/scapegoating-as-propaganda/

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/conspiracy-propagandists

https://newrepublic.com/article/144592/trump-creating-propaganda-state

https://classroom.synonym.com/what-are-the-seven-techniques-of-propaganda-12080912.html

https://themindcollection.com/propaganda-techniques/

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Youth Voices Heard

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Ask the chief event in Baton Rouge with youth and police chief and youth moderators

EJUSA was honored to partner with the Baton Rouge community on a special event convening local youth to hear from and question the city’s police chief. Youth voices are so important in conversations about public safety, so we’re grateful that Chasity Joseph, a youth leader, offered to share her thoughts on the event.

Our Ask the Chief event was held to introduce our new chief of police, Thomas S. “TJ” Morse, Jr., chosen by Mayor Broome of Baton Rouge, to students at Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (A&M). The goal of this event was to encourage open discussion regarding public safety and policing with Black youth at our HBCU (historical black colleges and universities). Students had the opportunity to gain insight into recruitment opportunities such as internships, programs collaborating with nonprofits, and policies the new chief and Mayor Broome are promoting in our community. 

We were joined by EJUSA’s Josie Alexander and Kristina Dezendorf as well as Dr. Kristie Perry and I had the opportunity to facilitate the discussion between my peers and the members serving our communities. Being the student moderator for the Meet the Chief Event was a truly rewarding experience. Mayor Broome of Baton Rouge shared a ton of important information regarding the approximately 20 programs currently in place, from the ReCast program aimed at community-based culturally specific health resources (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, 2023), to ALICE highlighting and informing on families working towards financial stability (Louisiana Association of United Ways, n.d.) and the Safe Hopeful and Healthy program that “develops a collective vision and strategy to strengthen coordination, capacity, and partnerships to address the root causes of violence, and to advance policies and practices.” (Safe Hopeful and Healthy Baton Rouge, n.d.). 

Our new chief of police, Thomas S. “TJ” Morse, Jr., emphasized the efforts being made to promote communication between nonprofits working to target similar goals so that they can rally against their common causes during monthly meetings at the downtown library. Through this event, I got to learn about concepts like community-centered public safety ecosystems and the 21st-century model of policing.

According to EJUSA, public safety ecosystems are the social and cultural, community-led, political and institutional, and system-led strategies that contribute to an ecosystem that works together to create overall safety and better quality of life.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) defines 21st Century Policing strategies as internal and external practices designed to help agencies promote effective crime reduction while building public trust and safeguarding officer well-being (The International Association of Chiefs of Police, n.d.). I’m particularly excited about the youth council that Chief Morse proposed to act alongside his current advisory council in discussions around issues pertaining to the city. 

This event had one of the best student turnouts I have seen for an event of this kind. Students really took the initiative to ask difficult questions related to gun violence, police training, and addressing bias in the system. Some of these included the following: What is being done for gun control policies in the city of Baton Rouge? What is the duration and requirements for police training? Are there plans for supplemental training to be enforced? 

With police training only being eight days, the news that our new chief would be pushing for more foundational training was welcomed. A student in the My Sister’s Keeper (MSK) chapter also made note of the representation of police at this event, which was mainly Black officers when the majority of police that students at HBCUs like Southern University and A&M College are concerned about aren’t Black. This highlights the importance of diversifying discussions and establishing a safe space to voice ways that we can improve. 

Chief Morse was more than open to emphasizing inclusive discussions and ensuring there is better representation moving forward. 

A quote that Chief Morse shared that stuck with me was,

“The police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.” ― Robert Peel

This quote in particular exemplifies the ideal version of policing for communities. Given the current tone of my peers, there is a fracturing relationship between Black communities and the police. Notably, Cop City in reference to Atlanta, has raised concerns for police militarization taking place in minority communities across the United states. 

From our event I have taken away that indeed there is room to bridge the disconnect but only if community voices and more developmental training practices are truly the foundation for policing. It is important to note that Black communities have consistently been vocal about reform that emphasizes de-escalation and embodies community efforts towards welfare. However, historically our communities are not who the police have considered “the public” in which they represent. Our Meet the Chief event was in essence a promising foundation for ensuring representation of our community and understanding that public safety is a joint effort built upon establishing relationships.

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Transformational Capacity Building with The Village Revival Project

urban brick backdrop with graffiti

One evening in June of 2022, dozens of EJUSA team members and Newark community leaders gathered at Military Park to celebrate “The Future of Public Safety: Exploring the Power & Possibility of Newark’s Reimagined Public Safety Ecosystem.” This 60-page report highlighted the city’s efforts and achievements in stemming violence, healing Newarkers most impacted by harm, and creating local infrastructures to foster long-term safety. Over the previous two days, EJUSA and our Newark partners held a convening to mark these milestones of progress and set new goals moving forward. 

As the sun set and the crowd dwindled, Alia Berry and I stood in a small circle at the far end of the park, and she shared with me her vision for the Village Revival Project (VRP). She lit up as she described her idea for a transformative justice initiative that heals relationships between individuals who have caused violent harm and their surrounding communities through education about systemic and personal drivers of community violence, as well as art-based collaborative dialogue to achieve mutual empathy and collective efficacy. 

Up until this point, I knew of Alia’s work as a community-based social worker in the city, and we’d caught glimpses of each other’s Zoom boxes on Newark’s public safety roundtable calls. But like many of our partners, her passion for connecting with people on all sides of violence is distinct and deeply needed in movement work. We began working together within a couple weeks of our meeting. Now, after almost 18 months of regular check-ins, intensive brainstorming and strategy sessions, and creating space for her visioning and re-visioning of this work, the VRP is a registered 501(c)(3), and preparing to launch its first cohort. The journey to this milestone came with incredible lessons for both of us, and made clear to me the unique qualities of EJUSA’s capacity building partnerships in Newark and beyond.

Starting with relationships

For EJUSA, collaborating with capacity building partners to achieve sustainable organizations, well-resourced teams, and safer, healthier communities begins with relationships rooted in trust and transparency. After our meeting in June, Alia and I spent the remainder of the year on bi-weekly calls, learning about what brought us to this work, as well as the strengths and growing edges we were each leaning into. 

Some calls are about the nuts and bolts — developing a governing board, bylaws, and securing fiscal sponsorship. Others are about ensuring that partners know they have a safe haven with us to share ideas and process the excitement, fears, and concerns that come with launching and managing an organization.

Identifying our people and putting them first

Throughout our time working on VRP’s model and fundraising strategies, Alia and I often posed the following questions for reflection:

  • Who are we accountable to in this work? How can leaders bring additional, trusted voices into the fold to ensure that we center those often erased or harmed in this work and the narratives surrounding it? 
  • How do we check our own power and privilege as leaders and founders, and how can we create systems rooted in sharing power with those we serve?
  • When navigating donor bases that are often distanced from our communities, how do we bridge that gap and build empathy for those that we serve while centering their dignity? 
  • What does it look like to tell our stories in ways that guide donors to reckon with their role in systems of oppression that have led to these inequities? 

Creating systems and tools rooted in imagination 

Creating budgets, evaluation methods, and other infrastructures can be anywhere from exhilarating to stressful to triggering based on our personal and communal histories. When working together, Alia and I started by rooting in imagination first: asking questions and creating exercises that aim to make these processes more accessible by encouraging visioning and dreaming about the people and impact of the organization. From there, breaking that vision down into smaller pieces to determine the “how” of making it happen:

  • Who would be a best-fit participant for this type of program? What journey do you envision them taking by participating in the program, from start to finish? 
  • What staff are present to support these participants? 
  • Where is this taking place, and with what partnerships? 
  • What resources are needed to make this happen?
  • If your program succeeds, where will this participant be three years from now? What will the impact on the community be?

Creating a secure base to foster agency and sustainability

When partnering with grassroots organizations, EJUSA’s capacity building team works with leaders to build solid foundations that nurture their agency and their organization’s sustainability. As new organizations like VRP grow and stabilize, our work with Alia has slowly moved from intensive technical assistance to more flexible capacity building and resource sharing. This adaptability allows leaders like Alia to develop independently and to deepen their unique relationships within their communities, with EJUSA providing a soft landing when deeper levels of support are needed. 

To learn more about Alia and the Village Revival Project’s work at their website and on social media.

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An Investment in Healing

Photo of beach with EJUSA staff on white sand with blue skies

Leaders of Color Lean Into Their Healing

In December 2023, EJUSA was honored to host a healing retreat for allies and partners in the fight for justice. Members of the Leaders of Color (LOC) within the death penalty movement, came together for support and fellowship in their healing. Cohabitating space in a beautiful home overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, collectively they exhaled. Exploring healing through culinary, ancestral and therapeutic avenues. Connecting the dots with smells and moods, teas and health, validation and resilience with a sprinkle of VIPcare. Enjoying homemade meals and breaking bread together while wiping each other’s tears through some intense emotional sessions. A support group leaning on their individual and collective traumas. Heavy work demands heavy care, it was time to invest in us.

As a member of this group myself, I understand the need of creating a wellness infrastructure that supports the needs of the advocates doing the heavy work of those condemned by a harmful justice system.Creating spaces for those carrying the additional burden of protecting and empowering their impacted communities is a must. We cannot ignore the compounded grief and trauma of our own village. It was time to find ways to pour into them with the love and tools necessary to support their healing.

“This experience was life-changing”- Sheri Dickerson

I am a part of an amazing team at EJUSA supporting partners within the violence prevention movement space. Creating spaces for partners to workshop their healing needs. What does healing justice look like for the community of healers advocating for our most vulnerable and ignored? How do we provide care for our mental, physical and emotional wellness? What tips and tools can we provide? It’s an honor to explore this healing justice journey together with our fierce allies of the movement work. Healing justice is an investment in our care and I’m all in.

Leaders of Color Continued Care Takeaways

  • We dis-empower disinformation and narratives that harm our community. Our community, our stories and our narratives matter.
  • Your rest IS resistance! Taking care of you is important for the movement. Refuel your tank by remembering your why!
  • In order to get through grief you have to FEEL through it. We must mourn the grief and trauma of our work.

 

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Chain Gang All Stars

Photo of novel that is yellow called Chain Gang All Stars

Satire. Artists of all types use it to hold a mirror up to society, maybe one of those fun house mirrors that distorts the image, makes it large, twists it around. In that redefined image, there’s a truth, one that perhaps we’re often guilty of not seeing. The mirror makes it easier for us to see, even impossible to miss. 

Chain-Gang All-Stars, by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, is, in my opinion, a brilliant novel. And it is a satire, capital S. Its truth is justice, and the target of its twisted image is our punishing criminal legal system. 

Now, if you know EJUSA, then you know we share that same target. The system’s origins began with the establishment of slave patrols in the South and semi-organized police forces formed to protect property interests in the North. Today, we spend more than $300 billion every year on punishment and social control, and those efforts disproportionally hurt Black and Brown people, marginalized populations, and the impoverished. 

The most egregious, extreme punishments include the death penalty and, far more prevalent, death by incarceration through extensive sentences. That is where Adjei-Brenyah takes precise aim. 

He imagines the Criminal Action Penal Entertainment (CAPE) program. People who have received a death or extreme sentence can, with some vetting, opt into this program that places them on teams, or Chains, that battle each other in a variety of ways. And when I say battle, the difference between a win and a loss is death. You win, you live for another day. 

The carrot: win all your battles and survive for three years on the circuit, and you earn “High Freedom,” liberation. The narrative focuses on one Chain, led by Loretta Thurwar, a fierce and universally loved Link, and the last days of her journey toward High Freedom. 

Loved? Yes, CAPE is televised and has become a centerpiece of American culture. And this isn’t just “sports broadcasting.” Yes, big matches take place in arenas that roar with bloodthirst. But a very imaginable reality television is available to all, the daily grind and stress of being a Link beamed into any household. Adjei-Brenyah imagines CAPE’s societal intersection in almost every direction. 

But he isn’t satisfied solely with imagination. Sprinkled throughout the text are footnotes, many of which document factual information about our criminal legal system as it exists today. The story, the relationships, the action are all engrossing—and superbly written—but Adjei-Brenyah holds us to account for the system that we desperately need to dismantle. 

I won’t say anything more about the stories except to say that they are filled with love and suspense, with humor and horror. And I will flag that there is violence, a fair amount but none of it gratuitous.  

Given the amount of violence we see in our movies and television programs, I suspect that most of you can endure what happens in the novel. And I would hope it reminds you again that this thing so many call a justice system delivers almost nothing like it. 

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Unveiling the Darkness

Black background with photo of mans face including the words "Killers of the Flower Moon"

Unveiling the Darkness: The Osage Murders and the Pursuit of Justice

In the heartland of America, amidst the rolling landscapes of Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma, lies the ancestral home of the Osage Nation, revered as the “People of the Middle Waters.” Their journey from the verdant valleys of Ohio to the oil-rich plains of Oklahoma intersected with a momentous discovery in the early 1920s – black gold bubbling beneath their feet. This newfound wealth promised prosperity but concealed a dark underbelly of exploitation and violence, a narrative vividly depicted in the film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” now available for streaming on Apple TV.

Ceremonial Reflections and Looming Threats

In the first scene of the film, the Osage Nation elders engage in a solemn ritual, laying a ceremonial pipe to mourn the assimilation of their descendants into White American society. They lament the impending loss of their language, culture, and ways of life, a traumatic echo of the systemic erasure experienced by many Indigenous and Black communities. Their words echo through the land, warning of the encroaching influence of dominant white society: 

“The children outside are listening…they will learn another new language. They will be taught by white people. They will learn new ways…and will not know our ways.” 

Amidst this reflection, the land yields its bounty, with oil gushing forth and fields bursting into bloom. Yet, beneath this natural abundance lies a looming threat – the intentional encroachment of white community members, positioning themselves to exploit and seize the Osage’s valuable land.

Exploitation, Violence, and Injustice

Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, plays a crucial role in his relationship with Mollie Burkhart, played by Lily Gladstone. Their romance sets the stage as Ernest becomes the driver for Mollie in their town of Fairfax, Oklahoma. As Ernest chauffeured Mollie around the town, a bond of trust gradually formed between them, eventually leading to their marriage. 

Ernest’s marriage to Mollie wasn’t just about love; it was a calculated move influenced by his uncle, King Hale, played by Robert De Niro, aimed at gaining control of Mollie’s family’s valuable land. By marrying Mollie, Ernest gained access to her family’s headrights, the exclusive rights to profit from the oil on their land, which could only be inherited, not sold. This tactic wasn’t unique to Ernest; in the film, and as derailed in historical accounts, many white men married into Osage families for similar purposes. 

History has also shown that these calculated marriages ended in murder, where white men would kill off family members through orchestrated poisonings, bombings of family homes, and secluded killings of Osage bodies around the land. As the murders escalated, the film depicted theTulsa Race Massacre in 1921, drawing a chilling parallel to the violence inflicted upon the Osage, highlighting the deep-seated nature of white supremacy. As the murders of the Osage people continued to round up in numbers, the crimes became so frequent that it caught the eye of the FBI to investigate. 

Legacy of Injustice and Community Resilience

The film highlights the enduring legacy of violence and oppression perpetuated by white supremacy on Indigenous and Black communities, resonating with the experiences of marginalized groups across America. Faced with systemic racism and betrayal, the Osage community rallies together in a display of resilience, highlighting the importance of communal support and solidarity in the pursuit of justice.

Repairing the Harm: Women’s History Month

The Osage murders serve as a reminder of how the exploitation and violence inflicted upon Indigenous and Black communities intersect with broader issues of social justice and equity in America. As we reflect on this dark chapter of American history, particularly as Black History Month transitions to Women’s History Month, it’s crucial to acknowledge the harm inflicted upon both the Osage people, especially through women, and Black communities. We must confront the systemic injustice that endures in our society, and recognize the need to repair the harm done. The pursuit for the Osage people and Black communities is not just a quest for resolution; it is a call to action in the fight against systemic racism and oppression in all its forms. 

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A Just Future

At EJUSA, our vision extends beyond merely imagining a transformed society. We envision a world where all people, in all communities, can live free from harm. Central to achieving this vision is the acknowledgment and repair of historical and ongoing harms, especially those stemming from racial terror that is deeply embedded in the fabric of our country. Reparations must play a critical role in that repair.

Acknowledging Historical Injustices

To comprehend the urgency of reparations, it is imperative to acknowledge the roots of racial terror embedded in our country’s history. White European settlers colonized this land and soon established the institution of state-sanctioned slavery that did not end with the Emancipation Proclamation or the end of the Civil War. Our nation has perpetuated a system of violent exploitation and social control ever since. The repercussions of policies that stole land from enslaved individuals persist, manifesting in generational poverty and economic disparities. It is time to confront these historical injustices and work towards their acknowledgment and repair.

Frameworks for Repair

Recognizing that many institutions are infected with white supremacy, we advocate for specific frameworks of repair in various sectors:

  1. Housing: Addressing historical discrimination in housing and lending policies.
  2. Education: Tackling systemic disparities in educational opportunities.
  3. Health: Exposing and healing health disparities rooted in historical injustices.
  4. Criminal Legal System: Confronting a system deeply connected to slavery.

The Urgency for Reparations 

The legacy of slavery extends into contemporary institutions at all levels: city, state, and federal government entities; universities, school systems, health care networks, and business sectors (especially banking); and churches and faith institutions. These institutions continue to exacerbate drivers of violence, including poverty, untreated trauma, exposure to violence, health disparities, and food and housing insecurity. 

Policing and prisons, wrongful convictions, and mass incarceration rooted in a history of violence also continue to intensify violence that we seek to eliminate. In order to reduce violence, a focus on healing and repair for communities burdened by generational trauma is paramount. Reparations provide a framework to address these issues and build a path towards a safer, more just society.

Reparations encompass various forms of repair. By addressing issues in housing, education, health, and the criminal legal system, we aim to rectify the deep-seated inequalities that have persisted for centuries. 

Reparations in Action

I’ve heard so many people — especially elected officials — say that reparations are impossible. But it’s been done before, many times. 

The first time the U.S. paid reparations? In 1862, when President Lincoln paid reparations to enslavers! The U.S. paid $300 for each human being freed from slavery in Washington, DC, prior to the Emancipation Proclamation. 

But there’s more. We paid Japanese families who were interned during WWII. We paid the families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks. States have paid reparations. Other nations, most notably Germany, for the Holocaust, have paid reparations. It is far from impossible. 

In fact, the reparations movement is the oldest social justice movement in the US. Today’s movement is a direct descendant of the work of Callie House and her organization, the Ex-Slave Mutual Relief, Bounty and Pension Association; and Queen Mother Moore who operated out of Harlem in the 1950s and 60s advocating for reparations through her organization the Universal Association of Ethiopian Women. There’s a direct connection to the movement we experience today. 

Understanding the types of reparations can take many forms: restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, and guarantees of non-recurrence.  And they can be provided through various channels. And the responsibility often falls on the state, as outlined by the UN’s Basic Principles.

We feel it’s important to highlight one particular avenue for reparations: funding frontline violence interventionists and community healers. Their work is essential to addressing the root causes of violence that plague Black communities because of our legacy of discrimination. When we invest in them we are investing in the future of their communities.

The Modern Movement is Taking Shape 

  • Evanston, Illinois — stands as the first city to issue reparations, distributing funds for home repairs or down payments to eligible Black households. 
  • Atlanta — the South’s largest city launched a task force to explore the need for reparations. 
  • Boston — a city with a notorious history of segregation, launched its own task force in 2022
  • New York State — just months ago, the legislature passed a state bill establishing a commission to begin the state’s journey toward reparations. 
  • California — No state has done as much toward reparations as California. A group of California lawmakers in this article is taking significant steps towards reparations for Black descendants of enslaved people with a set of bills modeled after recommendations from a state reparations task force. This legislative package, released by the California Legislative Black Caucus, addresses a wide range of issues, from criminal justice to food accessibility. This is in addition to San Francisco’s own commission recommending significant payments to its own descendants of enslaved people.

Reparations are not just about addressing historical injustices; they are a pathway to healing, creating systemic responses to violence that break cycles of trauma. With multiracial, multi-faith, and cross-partisan support, we stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us, working towards a society where repair and transformation go hand in hand.

To learn more, take a look at The Black Reparations Project: A Handbook for Racial Justice, a collection of research and history around reparations.

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Unveiling the Roots

rusted iron linked chain on dirt road

Introduction

Welcome, dear readers, to a journey through the intertwined threads of history, injustice, and the pursuit of a more equitable future. At Equal Justice USA (EJUSA), we set our focus with precision on dismantling the pervasive structures of anti-Blackness ingrained within the American criminal legal system.

Historical Roots and the Legacy of Virginia Slave Laws

Let’s rewind the clock to the early days of European migration to America. Most of the Europeans who embarked on this journey were not masters of the sea; they were indentured servants seeking new opportunities. In exchange for passage across the Atlantic, they willingly entered into servitude for several years. Once their contracted period was up, they were granted freedom.

Now, contrast this with the stark reality faced by enslaved Africans. Unlike their European counterparts, enslaved Africans were forcibly brought to America, enduring the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade. As time passed and enslaved Africans and European indentured servants began to unify against their common oppressors, the Virginia Slave Laws of the 1600s altered the course of history.

In 1661, the Virginia Slave Law allowed any free person the right to own slaves. The subsequent law in 1662 was even more insidious – it declared that a child born to a slave mother is a slave, while a child born to a free mother is free. This codification in American law marked a chilling distinction: enslaved Africans were considered property.

As if that weren’t enough, the Virginia Slave Law of 1669 cemented the dehumanization. It stated that a slave master, or a person acting under the master’s orders, could not be charged with murder for killing his slave, as the slave was deemed his own property.

Post-Slavery Laws: Unnecessary Sequels

Now, let’s fast forward to the mid-19th century, where the nation found itself embroiled in the Civil War, a conflict that had slavery at its core. In 1861, the nation plunged into a tumultuous struggle that sought to address the fundamental issue of slavery. The tipping point came with President Abraham Lincoln’s issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring freedom for enslaved individuals. However, the South wasn’t about to relinquish its grip so easily.

Despite the Emancipation Proclamation being issued in 1863 and the 13th Amendment being ratified in 1865, the grip of slavery persisted in a complex and illegal manner. The Texas governor refused to accept the Union victory and included the 13th amendment in the Texas Constitution until 1866. The shift from slavery to sharecropping brought minimal change for Black people. Engaged in the same labor, on the same plantations, they found themselves earning meager wages. The post-Civil War era, known as Reconstruction, unfolded with former slave owners receiving reparations for the loss of income from slavery. This period, however, did little to uplift the lives of freedmen as they faced severe restrictions imposed by the Black Codes. These codes, characterized by broad vagrancy laws, empowered local authorities to arrest freedpeople for minor infractions and subject them to involuntary labor. In some cases, Black people were even punished for imaginary infractions, such as looking at a white person in the eye or whistling in the direction of a white woman. The punishment for these perceived transgressions was invariably some form of racial terror, specifically lynching. The control and oppression of Black people continues to be a hallmark of the criminal legal system.

Connection to the Present

The echoes of slavery reverberate in the shadows of our present-day justice system, woven into the fabric of the prison-industrial complex. Following emancipation, lynchings evolved into legal capital punishment and Southern towns seized upon any pretext, criminalizing formerly enslaved men and women for minor offenses such as vagrancy and curfew violations. This insidious practice allowed for the re-enslavement and, eventually, the mass incarceration of free Black Americans. The 13th Amendment, often hailed for abolishing slavery, carries a dark loophole that perpetuates this connection: 

“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” 

Leaders and lawmakers created this loophole to create a system where incarceration disproportionately affects Black individuals, revealing the persistent ties between historical oppression and the contemporary prison system.

EJUSA’s Focus on Anti-Blackness and Trauma

At EJUSA, our commitment goes beyond dismantling structures of anti-Blackness within the American criminal legal system. We understand the profound impact of history on communities of color, the trauma inflicted, and the cycles of violence that persist. By acknowledging the intricate connection between the historical roots of slavery, the unjust post-slavery laws, and the contemporary prison-industrial complex, we strive to break the chains of this legacy. As we navigate these challenges, EJUSA stands as a torchbearer, advocating for healing over retribution. Join us in steering towards a future where justice isn’t just an ideal but a lived reality, where the wounds of the past are addressed, and the promise of equality is fulfilled.

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