Issue Position: Racial Justice

Issue Position

#BlackLivesMatter. They truly matter. Any conversation on racial justice in 2020 must start from this truth and be based on action and social justice.

We have a long way to go to build a just society. As it stands, black women are 2 to 6 times more likely to die during childbirth, men and women of color are more likely to be arrested for non-violent offenses, and there is a disproportionately high COVID-19 death rate among Black Americans. This list goes on and on. And now, George Floyd's death and the police responses to protests around the country demonstrate that what we still have a long way to go.

We as a country must be proactive in tackling injustice instead of waiting for moments of crisis to act. As white people, we need to take ownership in being a part of the solution to a problem we caused. While we should look to people of color for guidance, we need to take it upon ourselves to do the labor of educating our friends and family members. We need to take action and fight back against these institutions that we can plainly see are unjust.

With that being said, there are some things I'd like to see done on a local level, and some concrete actions I would like to see done at the state in order to improve conditions for our Black and Brown neighbors.

Locally:
All police departments in the state should initiate substantial and sustainable policy changes, based on meaningful dialogue with Black and Brown communities, and other concerned residents.

We also need Town Boards, Common Councils, County Legislatures, Town Supervisors, Mayors, and County Administrators to put in place authentic Citizens Review Boards with powers and rights to hold police officers accountable. Municipalities should also decline offers of discarded military equipment by federal agencies for use by their local police departments.

I call on my colleagues in elected office to freeze any increased funding to law enforcement until these measures are implemented.

We, as lawmakers have been doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Our community did not elect us to be fools, but to lead change.

Defunding the police means that we refocus our priorities. Instead of spending millions on law enforcement, we should be investing in mental health services, better schools, secure housing, food assistance, youth enrichment, and other programs that build strong families and communities.

Even in situations where people need immediate help, involving the police isn't always the best response. There are too many examples of someone being shot by the police while experiencing a mental health or other personal crisis, and this risk is especially stark for people of color.

State and local budgets are facing deep cuts in the aftermath of the coronavirus, making it more important than ever to be responsible in how we spend public money. This will involve hard choices, but we must double our efforts to help businesses rebuild, families stay safe, and communities recover. Let's focus on our priorities, and invest in them.

At the State Level:
Policing: While science shows that most, if not all of our policies and actions disproportionately affect Black and Brown people, repeated incidents have shown we have to improve our nation's police forces. Trust, a pillar of community policing has been almost non-existent.

Nationwide, only 7% of excessive force complaints result in a substantiated finding, meaning the officers are disciplined or fired. Only 1% of cases that involve deadly force result in an officer being charged with any crime, with even fewer resulting in a conviction. When a department fires or disciplines the officer through an administrative procedure, the community is never informed on the discipline taken. Police officers and departments that have acted outside their code of conduct have been able to use laws and legislation to insulate themselves from punitive ramifications.

Politically, I plan to work with the New York Civil Liberties Union, the Alliance for Quality Education, members of the community and my colleagues on the following.

1. Repeal Section 50-a via A.2513

We are kept in the dark about how police departments hold officers accountable for misconduct. Section 50-a declares all police "personnel records" confidential. Police have used 50-a to hide outcomes of disciplinary trials, body camera footage, and data on use of force incidents.

We deserve to know whether officers are properly disciplined when it's appropriate. As long as 50-a remains on the books, we won't have a clue. On day 1, I will fight to pass A.2513 to end police secrecy and repeal 50-a.

2. Fund a permanent Special Prosecutor's Office to independently investigate police violence cases via A.1601

Police officers are the only entity in our communities with legal license to kill. It is a profound power that we've seen misused in NY and across the country. Assemblyman Nick Perry, who represents Brooklyn, was one of the loudest voices calling for a special prosecutor to investigate the death of Eric Gardner. A temporary prosecutor's office was put in place; however, it's funding is running out. I will support the assembly bill (A.1601) that would permanently fund this office.

3. Open the Books on Policing: Pass the Police-STAT Act (A.5472)

I will work to pass the Police Statistics and Transparency (Police-STAT) Act. This common-sense measure will help us get a statewide picture of the impact of broken windows policing on our lives.

Schools: I want to first acknowledge and appreciate the changes, Dr. Luvelle Brown and the ICSD Board of Education have made to reduce suspensions and educate our students from a place of love and empowerment. These are great changes that break the school-to-prison pipeline.

The school-to-prison pipeline refers to education and public safety policies that push students into the criminal legal system. Schools send students into the pipeline through zero-tolerance disciplinary policies, which involve the police in minor misbehavior and often lead to arrests and juvenile detention referrals. This can result in criminal charges and incarceration. Schools also indirectly push students into the pipeline through suspension, expulsion, discouragement, and even high-stakes testing requirements. The pipeline disproportionately impacts youth of color, youth with disabilities, and LGBTQ students.

I support the Safe and Supportive Schools Act (A.1981)

The Safe and Supportive Schools Bill is designed to decisively reduce suspensions in the hopes that instead of using suspension as the quick fix for wrongdoing, schools will become equipped to identify the root problem, and help students to overcome it, rather than limiting students' education and later opportunities while ignoring the real problem. Suspensions don't help students learn or allow teachers to teach.

Cannabis Legalization: There are many economic benefits to this legalization that we will outline over the coming weeks; however, now more than ever we need to legalize Cannabis in New York state. On average, 60 New Yorkers are arrested for marijuana possession daily, and about 48 of those 60 are Black or Latino. Beyond jail time, arrests put educational and employment opportunities at risk, as well as housing and child custody, and more.

Legalizing Cannabis must happen alongside the expunging of records and, with reinvestment in the communities most harmed by enforcement. There must be limitations on how police can interact with people who they suspect of a marijuana offense, with legal non-public spaces for smoking marijuana for those who cannot smoke in their residence. Legalization must also come with a prohibition on deportation for people with marijuana convictions, and with full inclusion of those most impacted by criminalization of marijuana in the new marijuana industry.

Plainly, the reality is that for many white people, marijuana has effectively been legal for years. It's time to legalize it for everyone else. We have to stop putting black people in prison for something that white people do with impunity.

While these policies will not solve racism in New York, they do represent an important step forward, especially when combined with other legislation to do things such as provide quality health care and housing to all, and reduce the scope of incarceration. I am committed to fighting for policies that mitigate racism, and I will not stop fighting until we have true equity in our society.

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