Hundreds of people took a stand Saturday to put a spotlight on the recent Black Lives Matter movement. They said this uprising will continue until all Black people can live in full freedom with the dignity they deserve. … “It’s a call to tear down the system of white supremacy and other things that are ingrained in our country to start over. It can’t be the way that it was. We need to come together, white people, Black, brown, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, to come together to create something new,” Reverend Stacey Brown, with Faith in Texas, said. … In response to the past and present events, the crowd shouted “never again.” … Faith in Texas leaders said that together, we can unleash a new system of justice that ensures the hungry are fed, the vulnerable are cared for, and the sick are healed. Excerpted from Fox4 News. Read the full article here.
Grassroots Community Organizations Launch COVID-19 Mass Bailout Campaign in Celebration of Juneteenth
The Larry Hoover Project in partnership with Faith in Texas and For Oak Cliff is launching Operation Exodus, a large-scale bailout initiative in response to COVID-19 spreading at alarming rates in jails and prisons. Operation Exodus is a collaborative effort fueled by grassroots organizations, community leaders, small businesses, and formerly incarcerated people to free those in jail who cannot afford to post bail and are at increased risk of contracting the coronavirus. The campaign, which will begin in June in celebration of Juneteeth and continue until the threat of COVID-19 dissipates, aims to raise enough funds to bail out at least 250 people from the Dallas County jail. In the spirit of freedom ushered in by the Juneteeth holiday, Operation Exodus will secure the release of pre-trial detainees in local jails who cannot afford bail. The goal of Operation Exodus is to flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19 by making sure jail institutions can adequately implement social distancing. This will save the lives of the most at risk and vulnerable both inside and outside of jails. Operation Exodus will allow those who have been released the opportunity to self-quarantine in safe confines before returning home to ensure the virus isn’t spread back into the greater community. “In the height of this COVID-19 pandemic, waiting for your day in court could very well result in a death sentence,” said For Oak Cliff Executive Director Taylor Toynes. “Most people in jail have not been convicted of any crime and are there only because they cannot afford the price of their freedom. For Oak Cliff exists to liberate people from systemic oppression and we will not stand by while a broken system profits off of the pain and suffering of those in our community who need our support the most.” Operation Exodus will begin its program of mass bailouts in Dallas but hopes to expand to other hard-hit cities as resources are made available. The coalition will work together to execute the following: Facilitate bail for pre-trial detainees with justice-focused nonprofit organizations and bail funds Provide free COVID-19 testing to those released Offer wraparound services of food, transportation, and hygiene kits to support those released “As we continue the battle for liberation on many fronts, the needs of the present health emergency demonstrate what should have been clear all along — prisons and jails are a threat to public health and safety,” said Lola Vinson, spokesperson for Faith in Texas. “As a multi-faith organization, we believe that all people have inherent worth and deserve to be treated with care and respect. People who are incarcerated have a right to safety and dignity. Therefore, due to the inaction of our public officials, we are taking the necessary action to free our people.” Jails and prisons are the sources of many of the nation’s largest coronavirus outbreaks, with the number of confirmed infections doubling in the past month alone. In Texas, more than 7,400 incarcerated people and 1,100 employees statewide have tested positive for the coronavirus. “It’s widely accepted that this country’s justice system is broken and that it unfairly targets and punishes minorities and poor people,” said organizer and liberation attorney Justin A. Moore of The Larry Hoover Project. “Through a collective community effort, we have the ability to help those most vulnerable in our community. Our jails continue to serve as breeding grounds for the virus and the results will be devastating if there isn’t quick action.” Operation Exodus supports the larger justice movement in this country that aims to end predatory cash bail practices. This movement comes from a legacy of freedom fighters and resistance efforts dating back to abolitionist movements during slavery, through civil rights activism in the 1960s and to the current war to end mass incarceration now. For more information about Operation Exodus, please visit: hooverproject.org/opexodus
Faith in Texas in Dallas Morning News: COVID-19 sparks a new effort to support South Dallas businesses and nonprofits
As Juneteenth approaches, I think about how I learned nothing of it as a child growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana. It wasn’t until I moved to Texas to attend the University of Texas at Arlington that I was introduced to the significance of the day that for many African Americans represents freedom. Though that’s not exactly true in Texas. … Current conditions for African Americans in this country are hard reminders of the frustration, hurt, and pain that we still feel, and the holiday underscores for me that even in 2020 — in spite of the advances that have taken place — there are still enormous gaps and inequalities. We still have so much work to do. That’s why I’m proud to tell you about Power in Action: Mobilizing to Advance Black Communities, an intergenerational new organization created to address issues around education, economic development, criminal justice, health care/mental health and more. … I must acknowledge here that there are many groups already doing great work. I think of Faith in Texas; Dallas Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation; Lone Star Justice Alliance; Big Thought; and Young Leaders Strong City. Our intent with Power in Action is not to minimize that work or suggest that we have the sole answer. It is merely another approach to a multifaceted solution that requires a variety of experiences and perspectives. … I am honored that what started as a call to action is gaining traction due to the involvement of some amazing community partners who desire to move the needle on changing the landscape for African Americans. We recognize the sense of urgency that exists, and we cannot wait years to get freedom from the barriers and racism that plague our community. The time is now. Excerpted from Dallas Morning News. Read the full article here.
