Reimagine Policing: The Introduction
Defund, abolish, and reform: Where do you stand? You'll learn the three main strategies that organizers and activists are using to address police violence.
In The Birth of Brutality and The People in Power lessons, we explored why America’s current policing system is ineffective and how it creates an endless cycle of inequality and violence for Black Americans.
This lesson will provide you with the introductory context you need to understand the various strategies that activists and organizers are using to combat police brutality. It also offers a glossary of popular vocabulary terms so you understand the language that organizers, activists, and local officials are using. (This will help you feel confident when you select a local organization or activist to follow.)
America isn’t one-size-fits-all when it comes to implementing change. Each city has different approaches. Organizers and activists also have very different perspectives on how to effectively end police brutality. Some stand behind one specific strategy while others believe they all work together in stages to accomplish the ultimate goal of creating a new policing system.
This is a rapidly shifting space which means some of the definitions will evolve. This can be intimidating for a new advocate but what matters most is that you stay informed to know where you stand. Keep learning about these strategies through articles, activists, and organizers to stay up-to-date on the latest developments.
