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Families United 4 Justice Network Gathering
Families United 4 Justice Network Gathering is a call to all families affected by police violence and their trusted supporters to assemble, share skills, network and create a tangible and collective vision of reforming the criminal justice system. The National Families Network Gathering will take place at the 19th Annual Allied Media Conference held June 15th – 18th, 2017 at Wayne State University in Detroit. Families and supporters will participate in activities guided by a variety of activists, family advocates, and veteran family member activists. We will cover themes such as strategizing for collective justice, organizing and archiving the content of our individual narratives and cases, running effective social media campaigns, supporting other families in need, sourcing support from existing community structures, and integrating sustainable self-care routines. We have over 50 families interested in attending. Nine families are from the California area that needs your support. These victim family members are: Wanda Johnson, Uncle Bobby and Aunt Beatrice – mother, uncle & aunt of Oscar Grant III; Oakland CA; Gwendolyn Woods – mother of Mario Woods, SF CA; Reyna Duenez – sister of Ernesto Duenez Jr, Manteca CA; Jeralynn and Adam Blueford – parents of Alan Blueford, Oakland CA; Dionne Smith-Downs – mother of James Rivera, Stockton CA; and Cyndi Mitchell – sister of Mario Romero, Vallejo CA. Our goal is $8,000 to bring these nine family members to the June 15th-18th Families Network Gathering in Detroit. The funding will cover their travel, accommodations for three days, meals, video/audio documentation, and all programming material required. Families that have been impacted experienced more pain than anyone should. We do not want these families to worry creating stress in trying to finance themselves to Detroit.
The families will walk away with a larger network of families and supporters, concrete next steps for their individual situations and collective vision, constructive organizing toolkits and a deeper analysis of the anti-police brutality movement. Families will be introduced to mental health agencies and services that are available for their assistance.
Coordinators of this network gathering are Cephus “Uncle Bobby” Johnson, Vanissa W. Chan, Cynthia Howell, Allen Kwabena Frimpong, and Jasmine Graves.
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
We are calling for families affected by police violence, that is, individuals who have lost loved ones during a police-related encounter, and their trusted supporters. Supporters must be vouched for by family members. We are also calling for advocates who already work with the families or who are interested in doing so, including health, mental health and alternative healing professionals, public health administrators, trauma workers, legal services providers, educators and community organizers.
During this network gathering we will address the following questions:
- What happens when your loved one is killed by the police?
- What can the anti-police brutality movement learn from families affected by police violence?
- What can we learn from family members who have become veteran activists in the anti-police brutality movement?
- How can families affected by police violence build collective power locally and globally?
- How can communities assess the traumas experienced by families affected by police violence to better inform how we may better respond to future incidents?
- How can we strategically source local resources to support families affected by police violence?
- How can public health institutions specifically service families affected by police violence?
- What self-care practices can family members learn to address the short and long-term trauma they experience?
- What can we learn from the history of police brutality? And what do we still have to learn about this history?
- What is the meaning of justice to families affected by police violence?
- How can artists and media makers best support families in their struggle towards justice?
The positive influence of Families Network Gathering:
Network gathering families will walk away with a larger network of families and supporters, concrete next steps for their individual situations and collective vision, constructive organizing toolkits and a deeper analysis of the anti-police brutality movement. Families will be introduced to mental health agencies and services that are available for their assistance.
This network gathering is limited to 50 participants. To find out more and learn how to register email Uncle Bobby at info@lovenotbloodcampaign.org
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MAKE An MAIL-IN DONATION BY CHECK
Make your check out to “Social Good Fund – Love Not Blood Campaign”
Address c/o Cephus Johnson, PO Box 22111 San Jose Ca 95151
The Love Not Blood Campaign fiscal agent is the Social Good Fund, a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization
If you are a donor and need more information, please email coordinator Cephus Johnson at info@lovenotbloodcampaign.org or call at 510-706-7558