• PETITION: Green Bay Alderman Chris Wery Should Resign for Inviting Extremists to the City
    The same day a 17-year-old white extremist killed two Black Lives Matter protestors and injured another in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Green Bay Alderman Chris Wery called upon “all our patriots to defend our great city” of Green Bay. Alderman Wery’s words were a blatant invitation to bring domestic terrorists into our community. Wery’s Facebook post was disturbingly similar to the language used in a Facebook post by the Kenosha Guard, the white extremist group who invited 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse to Kenosha. The Kenosha Guard’s post called for: “Any patriots willing to take up arms and defend our city…?” Facebook has since removed the Kenosha Guard’s page for inciting violence—after Rittenhouse killed two people and injured a third. Alderman Wery’s dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric puts at risk the lives of Green Bay community members, especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color. As an elected official, we look to Alderman Wery to protect and represent all of us, no matter our race, color, creed, religion, or where we live. Wery’s dangerous and insensitive comments are the final straw in his long career of using his elected position to fan racism in Green Bay. Enough is enough. Language has consequences. We need to hold people accountable for the racist violence they promote. Language that incites violence has no place in our community. Please join the Greater Green Bay community in demanding Alderman Wery’s resignation. Contact: Green Bay Alderman Chris Wery 920-490-9282 [email protected]
    784 of 800 Signatures
    Created by Renee Gasch
  • Justice for the Bruce Family
    UPDATE: On Tuesday, April 6th, the Manhattan Beach City Council voted against issuing a public apology to the Bruce Family for the unjust taking of their land in 1924 due to them being Black and bringing together Black patrons in Manhattan Beach. During a March 16th city council meeting, Mayor Suzanne Hadley said in response to the apology, “We do not want to ignore the past but we do not want it embroidered in a scarlet ‘R’ upon our chest,” later saying “I hear all of you who want an apology... I’m not litigious, I have not contributed to decades of case law around a single word. My hands are clean. But that word is a club that we can be handing to people to beat us with.” The majority of public comments and letters sent in during the council meeting showed support for a public apology. Still, the city council voted in favor of not apologizing, passing 4-1. Despite all of the voices who showed up to support the apology, despite the importance of an apology for reparative measures and true acknowledgment of harm done, the city of Manhattan Beach and its council members decided to recommit to racism and anti-Blackness with their own votes. When something as simple as an apology cannot be given, we have to ask ourselves “why?” And “who does this benefit?” We know that communities protect one another by voting in favor of repairing relationships and histories, yet Manhattan Beach refuses to condemn racism, to apologize for its racist past, or to acknowledge the ways in which racism and white supremacy continue to show up in Manhattan Beach today. Black joy, Black pain, Black experiences deserve a place in this community who has now, for almost 100 years, made intentional efforts to silence and erase us. We will stay put until the work is done. Until there is restitution for years of civil and human rights violations against the Bruce family, and restoration and return of their land. Original message: Manhattan Beach owes the Bruce family much more than an apology. Once the owners of one of the few thriving beach resorts that Black Angelenos were allowed to patronize in the early 1900s, Willa and Charles Bruce were not only subjected to escalating racist attacks from the city’s local Klu Klux Klan, but were eventually forced off their land by Manhattan Beach’s own Board of Trustees. Although the Board of Trustees claimed at the time that they needed the land to build a park, we know the real reason the Bruces lost their land. From Tulsa to Forsyth County, Black people’s attempts to build economic security for themselves in this country have been haunted by white terrorist violence. The land that the Bruces were forced off is no different, and represents just a tiny fraction of the nearly 11 million acres of land that Black people once had, but lost, due to fraud, deception and outright violence during the Jim Crow era. Now, after a recent acknowledgment from the Manhattan Beach City Council of the injustice the Bruce family has faced at the hands of the city for generations, some residents are proposing that a boutique hotel be constructed on the land as a form of restitution. That’s not right. That’s why Justice for Bruce's Beach is partnering with Black Lives Matter to let Manhattan Beach City Council know that if they want to rectify the harms of the past, they must meet the full demands of Manhattan Beach’s Black residents for restoration, restitution and reparations today. The Bruces’ land and business should have been the foundation of their family’s ability to build wealth, and to take care of themselves and each other. Instead, it became a source of riches for others. Not only did the city of Manhattan Beach take the Bruces’ land in order to preserve the neighborhood’s whiteness, but they vastly underpaid them and other Black property owners like them for the value of the land and the businesses that were taken from them. Today, with Manhattan Beach’s inflated and unaffordable housing, Black people make up just about 0.8% of the city’s population. That’s why the proposals for the construction of a boutique hotel that will likely remain out of the reach of most of its Black residents as a form of restitution for the city’s history of violence is a slap in the face. The fact is, Manhattan Beach won't be able to make amends for its racist past without restoring the land back to the Bruces, paying the Bruces restitution and paying reparations to its Black residents for blatantly discriminating against our community and making it impossible for us to own land in the area. Now more than ever, institutions like the Manhattan Beach City Council need to make good on their commitment to Black communities, and we’re starting by demanding that they meet our residents’ full demands for restoration restitution and reparations today. As protests against police violence continue, more and more institutions are coming out with statements to denounce racism. Many of those institutions are the exact same ones who have orchestrated the erosion of Black wealth and property for decades, if not centuries. Sign now to let Manhattan Beach City Council that fighting for racial justice is so much more than an anti-racism statement. It requires dedication and action behind those words. Declaring support of Black people isn’t enough and task forces and modified street signs won’t pacify us. If the city council truly believes Black lives matter, it must meet the full demands of its Black and Indigenous constituents for restoration, restitution and reparations in Manhattan Beach immediately. Thank you, Kavon Ward Founder, Justice for Bruce's Beach Chief Duane ‘Yellow Feather’ Spokesman and Historian for The Bruce Family Patrisse Cullors Co-Founder, Black Lives Matter Ronald Clinton Co- Founder, MBUSD Community Panel for Equity (MB4E)
    9,234 of 10,000 Signatures
    Created by Kavon Ward
  • No Fines for Freedom of Speech
    The Village of Ashwaubenon mailed Hannah Lundin an invoice for nearly $800.00 for suggesting on social media that people gather on July 14th to show support for the Black Lives Matter (“BLM”) movement. Ashwaubenon compared the protest to the Cellcom Marathon and the Bellin Run and said someone had to pay for it. The protest was peaceful and no one was cited for anything. This action is a clear violation of the First Amendment and a deliberate effort to prevent any future BLM protests in the Village. The protest cost the city nothing, yet they singled out someone to pay. This was not an invoice – it was an illegal fine and a clear message to anyone else who may wish to take their political voices to Ashwaubenon. In the invoice letter, Ashwaubenon stated its commitment to First Amendment Rights and combatting racism. Let them know that charging citizens to express their views shows anything but a commitment to free speech and promoting racial equality. Who to contact: President Mary Kardoskee Village of Ashwaubenon 2410 South Ridge Road Green Bay, WI 54304 Phone: 920.492.2301 [email protected] Commander Nick Kozloski Department of Public Safety 2155 Holmgren Way Ashwaubenon, WI 54304 [email protected] Phone: 920.492.2995 Fax: 920.492.2986 Ashwaubenon residents! Also contact your village trustee here: https://ashwaubenon.com/government/departments/administration/boards-committees/village-board/
    1,000 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by Renee Gasch
  • Abolish Greek Life at Washington University in St.Louis
    Greek life is beyond repair. Abolition is the only option for a system that was designed to exclude. As students, it is our responsibility to dismantle systemic injustice as it presents itself on the campus we call home. - Racism Greek life is inextricably tied to racism. Through a lack of diversity, exclusion, tokenism, and performative allyship, Greek life amplifies privilege and perpetuates disadvantages for marginalized people. As an institution with a history of racial exclusion, it is the epicenter of segregation and institutionalized racism on campus. - Exclusion Greek life is exclusionary. In the recruitment process in most chapters, legacies are asked back after the first day no matter what, giving them an upper hand. Legacies being boosted each cycle creates an environment that excludes everyone else. Historically, fraternities and sororities have been very white spaces, so most legacies tend to be white. Greek life lacks diversity. The exclusivity of greek life combined with the high retention rates of legacies create an environment that excludes new types of members. This is a problem because there has been a lack of support when issues are brought up by BIPOC members. - Tokenism Many WPA and IFC chapters tokenize BIPOCs. Using them on their promotional materials and social media, expecting them to speak for all marginalized people. Yet letting their expression of negative personal experiences fall on deaf ears. Placing the onus on a few marginalized members to speak for the group is especially problematic when they are used as tokens. - Performative Allyship Many efforts to reform Greek life have been performative. The recent activity surrounding Black Lives Matter is a good example. Part of the reason why reform is not possible is that most efforts will be used for optics instead of real systemic change. - Patriarchy Greek life is an institution that, by design, perpetuates the patriarchy and hinders our institution and society from being liberated from patriarchal ideals. Sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and rape culture are all facilitated and promoted within these social structures. - Sexism and Misogyny Greek life is sexist and misogynistic. Houses are only awarded to fraternities on campus and create an unbalanced social dynamic favoring cis-gendered men. Their space is dictated by their rules. The rules are not the same between fraternities and sororities, and they are reinforced by binary gender norms on both sides. In the past, sororities have tried to mix with each other, but because there aren’t houses for sororities, sorority members have had to depend on the spaces fraternities provide. - Heteronormativity and Transphobia Greek life is heteronormative and transphobic. Greek life isn’t always accepting of LGBTQIA+ people. Public displays of affection, whether at a mixer or a formal, that aren’t between heterosexual couples aren’t made to feel comfortable by many peers. Students often don’t feel like they are safe to simply show their affection when it is “normal” and accepted for heterosexual couples to do so. Transphobia is perpetuated through cissexism leading to harmful gender norms with the inherent exclusion of non-binary people. There isn’t a welcoming environment for trans folx to begin with. - Rape Culture Greek life promotes rape culture. Greek life is an environment in which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence (against women) is normalized. Many efforts to prevent sexual violence haven’t led to any significant changes. The burden has been heavily placed on sororities to address this problem. For example, requiring sororities to have sober contacts to hold frat brothers accountable. Women have to monitor and keep track of which fraternities to avoid due to higher incidences of assault and/or violence. These issues are not new. These issues have been “addressed” time and time again. The problem has not changed because the existence of Greek life is the problem. No amount of reform or education can fix a system that was designed to benefit from these forms of discrimination. - Socioeconomic Exclusion Dues are how students maintain membership in their chapters. They are incredibly expensive (ranging from $400-$800 a semester). There aren’t nearly enough scholarships, opportunities, or payment plans put in place by fraternity and sorority chapters for students who can't afford dues to feel welcome. Having economic barriers for entry like this contributes to upholding classism within greek life. Part of sororities dues finances their chapters suites in the Women's building, which makes that building exclusionary. In addition to dues, many chapters require students to pay for miscellaneous items in large volumes that impact their experience in the chapter. Abolition isn’t about tearing something down. It’s about building something better to take its place. We want to see a new social system for our campus, one that reflects all of the students that are a part of our community. We want to assemble a team of students to reimagine social life after abolition. We want more funding and focus on clubs and other organizations that already struggle to get the support they need and deserve. We want to protect multicultural organizations due to marginalized groups being historically excluded. We want the university to stop encouraging student leaders to promote Greek life. There are other social systems in place that can be encouraged: ResColleges, other clubs/organizations, etc. We need statements of accountability from individual chapters after they disband or disaffiliate. If they are not able to disband or disaffiliate, they should mass deactivate to stand in solidarity with the Abolition movement. Washington University must hold the demands and wishes of students above the charters of individual chapters. Abolition is an example of the change we want to see in our larger society.
    926 of 1,000 Signatures
    Created by Abolish Greek Life Picture
  • End deadly policies at the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office
    John Neville was murdered by five Forsyth County Sheriff's Deputies. He was brutally and inhumanely hog tied and restrained with a knee to the back. As Mr. Neville pleaded for his life and informed the staff that he could not breathe, they joked and laughed, but did not render help. Had the policies listed above been in place, Mr. Neville would be alive today. Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough has an obligation to manage a safe facility. He must make the reforms necessary to insure that all people in his custody are treated fairly, humanely and safely.
    578 of 600 Signatures
    Created by James Perry
  • Re-Home The Baker County Mural
    In 2001, Eugene Barber painted the mural that depicts many historical event in Baker county, from the civil war, all the way to civil rights. The problem is that it shows Three Klans men riding on horses. Not only is it disrespectful but its also contradictory considering we are all equal in the eyes of the law. The goal is to protect the artistic integrity while also compromising with conflicting beliefs, that’s why we believe that Heritage park or the local historical society would be a wonderful home for the Mural. Not only will the painting remain exact how Eugene Barber designed it, One of these sites would provide access for anyone who wishes to see it with arguably more ease. This isn’t the first petition to call for this mural to be taken care of, and hopefully it will be the last. How many more people need to come forward and say “this is hurtful” until James Croft and the other Commissioners realize that they them selves are holding back our county from being a great, strong, welcoming and loving county.
    148 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Anita Baker
  • Defund Hawthorne Police Department
    In Hawthorne, California the police department takes 52% of the city budget. This means that the officers who do not live in our city take their average salary of $111,000/year, buy property in a whiter and wealthier neighboring city, and subsequently add more funding to the schools that already have the most resources. It is our personal responsibility to refuse enabling Hawthorne Police Department's violence through most of our city's funding. We must demand our city officials to invest in Hawthorne residents by defunding the police. Example(s): It was June 7th 2019 that a viral video brought disgrace- once again- to Hawthorne Police Department. On Prairie and El Segundo, across from Memorial Park where families gather and children play- almost a dozen officers draw their weapons on a young Black 24 year old. The brave woman livestreaming the traumatizing arrest sobs as she begs them not to shoot- and the nation, and our community, felt her pain and fear. That he could be anyone’s father, son, brother or friend, but as a Black man in America, he was a target of the oppressive forces of policing. We will never know what would have happened if she was not there, but one thing is certain. This type of escalation for someone Hawthorne Police admitted, “loosely matched” the description of an individual, was definitively not an isolated occurrence- but a product of a city, and country, that enables and militarizes first responders and rarely holds them accountable for the terror they wreak on BIPOC living in the communities they police. We encourage residents of Hawthorne to dig into the 2007 beating, and HPD’s fascination with shooting dogs. It is our personal responsibility to refuse to enable any more sociopathic behavior from the heavily funded HPD and demand our city leaders to a clear and understanding decision to invest in Hawthorne residents.
    826 of 1,000 Signatures
    Created by Hawthorne Abolition Alliance Picture
  • “Demand Infusion of African-American History into the Curriculum”
    My name is Candace Harrison, and I’m a part of the NAACP Youth Leadership Committee, which is a group in Montgomery County Pennsylvania that strives to achieve racial equality within education. Education is a crucial part of what shapes us. The more we educate ourselves, the more we advance to becoming extraordinary individuals. However, school systems do not always cover all important topics. Just as many positives come with the school systems, there are many negatives as well. Part of those problems is systemic racism due to ignorance from the education systems. Proper education can help influence more people into eliminating hateful acts and situations towards people of color. Our initiative as the NAACP Youth Leadership Committee is to recognize the negatives of the system and work towards changing them into favorable opportunities. One major problem in the school system is the Social Studies and History Class curriculum. From elementary school to high school, students only learn about history from the “winners' perspective”. Teachers avoid talking about America’s wrongdoings and faults that took place throughout history and continue to happen, specifically, with African Americans. From a young age, people all over America cower away from acknowledging black and brown faces, let alone black and brown history. Instead, society emphasizes white faces and understanding of European and white history. This is an issue because students are only aware of the “dominant” side of history, and lack knowledge of other people’s history. Society’s neglect of African American history perpetuates racist, stereotyped, and discriminatory situations. People should be made aware of these situations, so rather than starting them, they can be the people to put an end to them.
    1,091 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by CC H
  • JAMES EDWARD TUCKER MUST GO!
    James Edward Tucker Must Go!!! Since the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, institutions, organizations and companies are joining forces to recognize that black lives do matter. Some are coming to the forefront, admitting the lack of insight and reception to the pain and suffering of the Black community pertaining to racism. Others are taking action to combat discrimination so that equality is ensured. Known for its racist practices, actions, and attitude, Maryland School for the Deaf located in Frederick and Columbia, had a VLOG posted by its superintendent, James E. Tucker, claiming that black lives mattered. The Black Deaf and hard of hearing community, consisting of former and current students, their parents and alumni, found his words unbelievable. In addition to being the culprit of their trauma, Tucker is the reason racism was and still is heavily embedded into the school. Black and brown Deaf students were stripped of their freedom to learn and grow in an academic environment committed to safeguard the students from harm. Majority of their counterparts- the white Deaf kids- did not face hardships or dealt with unimaginable pain they did. Black and brown employees were forced to work in fear. Many racist incidents involving Black and brown Deaf students and employees have been reported and deliberately ignored by the white employees and the school’s Board of Trustees who were tasked to protect the students. This has been going on for more than twenty years, TWENTY-EIGHT to be exact. After TWENTY-EIGHT years of humiliation and pain, the Black Deaf/HoH community DEMANDS that this stops now. This must stop with accountability and acknowledgement. Tucker MUST be held accountable for his actions he REFUSES to acknowledge, and the Board CONTINUES to allow him to get away with. Recently, Tucker made a VLOG announcing his retirement, detailing what he would be doing without issuing an apology that has been owed to the community all these years. His retirement cannot happen because it will give him permission to get away with facing discipline for the pain and suffering he forced upon the Black and brown students and employees- current and former. In addition, he will leave the school comfortably with a pension, earning money for his contribution to racism. If James Edward Tucker was a black man, he would have been investigated and terminated immediately if there were MOUNTS of letters and reports against him. He had TWENTY-EIGHT years of opportunity to change. He refused, using his white privilege to terrorize the Black and brown students and employees. The academic journey of the black and brown students must be protected, as they are future leaders of change. TERMINATE HIM NOW!
    711 of 800 Signatures
    Created by Black Deaf and Hoh Lives Matter
  • Charge Darren Wilson for the Murder of Michael Brown
    McCulloch failed to give the grand jury proper direction and overwhelmed them with redundant and misleading information. As a result the grand jurors did not reach a majority decision that probable cause existed to charge Darren Wilson. Probable cause is a reasonable suspicion supported by circumstances that the facts are probably true. Grand juries typically indict over 90% of the cases brought before them. The grand jury does not determine guilt or innocence just probable cause to move forward with criminal charges. A lawsuit was filed against McCulloch by one of the grand jurors detailing the differences in how this case was handled compared to other cases before the grand jury and exposing their experience on the grand jury in this case. McCulloch admitted to allowing witnesses he knew were NOT telling the truth to testify before the grand jury. McCulloch thought he could avoid accountability, he was wrong. On Tuesday, August 8, 2018 the voters of St. Louis County made their power known by electing reform advocate Wesley Bell. Wesley Bell cannot ignore the voters of St. Louis County who have sent a mandate - secure justice for Michael Brown now.
    1,006 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by Attorney Jerryl Christmas, Attorney Ben Crump, Lezley McSpaddin
  • Change Indian Hill Name to Kizh-Toibingna
    Help change an offensive name and help educate people with the name of the village that use to be there. Toibingna also spelled Toybipet was the prehistoric Kizh (keech) Village that once occupied the entire area of what was historically known as Rancho San Jose . Today the cities of Pomona ,La Verne and parts of Claremont now lie within the Old Rancho . By sharing this you can help heal and unite. Why Kizh- Toibingna ? Kizh( keech) are the indigenous people who historical were later given the name Gabrieleño and that occupied and still occupy the Los Angeles Basin . By putting Kizh in front, it helps spread the awareness of how they are still alive and thriving. Toibingna helps restore our ancestors honor, by acknowledging our past we can allow old wounds to heal. Toibingna Blvd
    539 of 600 Signatures
    Created by Mike Lemos
  • Removal of North Arlington's Christopher Columbus Statue
    In the midst of great societal change, we as a community, are beginning to recognize the faults surrounding complacency alongside social and racial injustices. As we begin to open our eyes to the dark origins of white supremacy and minority oppression in America, it is important that we identify the catalysts behind this great suffering. Christopher Columbus represents genocide, slavery, and the destruction of the minority populace. We no longer honor these principles and as a community, wish to remove this symbol of injustice!
    404 of 500 Signatures
    Created by Activists of North Arlington Picture