Share with lots of love and power:
Just released to the press:
The Coalition of Righteous Roots: 50 frontline community empowerment organizations and individuals have signed onto this open letter to demand San Francisco to divest resources from the police department and invest wholeheartedly in frontline community empowerment organizations. It must prosecute police officers who have unlawfully killed our brothers and sisters on the streets, develop and implement authentic education for our youth, and act with urgency to install the Amor for Alex Nieto Memorial on top of Bernal Heights Park.
Please share widely, and if you can, join us today, Wednesday, June 3 at 4:00 p.m. at Mission High School, San Fran Frisco, where your loved one will offer amor and speak, amongst many others.
We will march to the Mission Police Station, building spirit and taking care of each other along the way.
From: The Coalition of Righteous Roots
To: Mayor London Breed, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and District Attorney Chesa Boudin
Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Subject: AN OPEN LETTER REGARDING THE OFFICERS-INVOLVED MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AND THE INJUSTICE THAT EXISTS IN SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco-
The officers-involved murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis has sparked a new era in America: The Revolt of the Roots.
San Francisco, its politicians and its machine, can embrace and support grassroots’ righteousness or be left behind in bewilderment.
If San Francisco truly represents the spirit of its namesake, Saint Francis, if it actually wants to solve struggles in our most oppressed communities, it must divest resources from the police department and invest wholeheartedly in frontline community empowerment organizations. It must prosecute police officers who have unlawfully killed our brothers and sisters on the streets, develop and implement authentic education for our youth, and act with urgency to install the Amor for Alex Nieto Memorial on top of Bernal Heights Park.
We, the roots, may be lots of things, but we are not stupid, and we cannot afford to live or die based on lies. On Thursday, May 28, the San Francisco Police Officers’ Association made a public statement about police protocol that is disingenuous and full of lies.
The truth is that San Francisco is just as bad, if not worse, than Minneapolis. San Francisco has never criminally prosecuted any officers for killing Brown and Black brothers and sisters. Note some of the most recent egregious officer-involved killings: Kenneth Harding, Jr. (shot in his head in broad daylight for evading a two dollar bus fare), Alex Nieto (shot at 59 times, sparked the biggest movement ever in the United States to defend a Latino victim of a police killing), Amilcar Perez-Lopez (shot six times in the back), Mario Woods (shot at forty times while walking away, while shooting was filmed), Luis Gongora-Pat (shot and killed while lying down), Jessica Nelson-Williams (killed while pregnant), Keita O’Neil (killed by police drive-by shooting).
There is no way to beautify this truth. It is horrible, evil, and unjust. But the Roots are rising. Before the grassroots people rose, the police force and Police Officers Association acted as bullies. Politicians were scared, denied any problem even existed, and did not speak out publicly against the police.
In 2016, the grassroots people ultimately fired former police Chief Greg Suhr. The politicians acknowledged our power and began shifting sides.
San Francisco, you do not have to be scared anymore. You can support the people, and in that way there may be some reconciliation. At the very least, there will be truth. This statement is beyond politics. We need courage, not cowardice, during these unprecedented times.
Divest annual funding and resources from the police department and invest wholeheartedly in community-led health and safety strategies and frontline community empowerment organizations. Prosecute police officers who have unlawfully killed our brothers and sisters on the streets. Expand funds that develop and implement authentic education for our youth. Act with urgency to install the Amor for Alex Nieto Memorial on top of Bernal Heights Park.
Rise in Power, George Floyd.
Sincerely and Con Safos,
The Coalition of Righteous Roots:
Amor for Alex Nieto
ANSWER Coalition
The California Faculty Association at SF State University(CFA-SFSU)
CALLE 24 Cultural District
Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Northern California
Chinese Progressive Association
Faith In Action Bay Area
Galería De La Raza
Homies Organizing the Mission to Empower Youth (HOMEY)
Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco
Justice for Amilcar Perez Lopez
Justice for Luis Gongora Pat
La Raza Community Resource Center
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
Mission Nightwalks
Mujeres Unidas y Activas
Nurse-Midwives of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
Our Mission, No Eviction
Pochino Press Publishing House
PolicyLink
Rafiki Coalition
San Francisco Lowrider Council
Service Employees International Union – United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW)
Sunset Youth Services
University of California, Hastings College of the Law La Raza Students Association
The Young Women’s Freedom Center
Roberto Alfaro, Executive Director, HOMEY
Benjamin Bac Sierra, M.A., J.D., Professor and Author, City College of San Francisco
Kung Feng, Jobs with Justice San Francisco
The Rev’d Jeremy Clark-King, Priest in Charge, St John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, San Francisco
Maria D. Dominguez, Esq., Vice Chair, Alameda County Commission on the Status of Women
Socorro Gamboa, Corafuerte Community Consejos Consultants
Lucia Gonzalez Ippolito, Artist and Activist
Roberto Hernandez, Artistic Director & Executive Producer, SF Carnaval
Jon Jacobo, Vice President, Calle 24
The Rev. Monique L. Ortiz, St. Mary and St. Martha Lutheran – a Sanctuary Church
Adante Pointer, Esq., Civil Rights Attorney
Father Richard Smith, Retired Vicar, St. John The Evangelist Episcopal Church
Rev. Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Associate Pastor, First Mennonite Church of San Francisco
Carla Elana Wojczuk, M.Ed.
