​Hey!! Bienvenidos de nuevo a mi blog YAV, en donde les estaré compartiendo el paso a paso de las experiencias mas emotivas, enérgicas, fuertes, tristes y alegres de mi estancia en el programa YAV.
Y bien la verdad todo ha sido un subir y un bajar, como si fuera una rueda de la fortuna, subes y bajas, por las emociones que se van sintiendo durante el año de servicio, algunas veces querer estar en casa, extrañando las actividades y el trabajo de allá y otras disfrutando el tiempo de estancia como voluntario, sin duda experiencias que no se olvidan fácilmente y que estarán en mi memoria por toda la vida.
Y saben en todo el tiempo que he estado aquí he aprendido y conocido nuevas cosas que me han llamado la atención y otras que quizá no son parte de una buena experiencia, pero que sería de este voluntariado sin un bajón de emociones (me río por mis ideas), estoy a unos días de cumplir seis meses aquí y en serio que hay historias que me han impactado, tanto en mi servicio como YAV, así como en la iglesia donde me congrego. 

Hey!! Welcome back to my YAV blog, where I'll be sharing with you step by step the most emotional, energetic, powerful, sad, and joyful experiences of my time in the YAV program.

​And the truth is, everything has been up and down, like a Ferris wheel, ups and downs, due to the emotions felt during the year of service. Sometimes, I want to be home, miss the activities and work there, and other times, I enjoy my time as a volunteer. These are definitely experiences that are not easily forgotten and will remain in my memory for a lifetime.

And you know, in all the time I've been here, I've learned and learned new things that have caught my attention, and others that may not be part of a good experience, but what would this volunteering be without a downturn of emotions (I laugh at my thoughts). I'm a few days away from completing six months here, and seriously, there are stories that have impacted me, both in my service as a YAV, as well as in the church where I attend.

​Y una de las historias que me han impactado más tiene que ver con CATPSIC, el centro de rehabilitación donde presto mi servicio los días jueves, y es que dentro del Centro de rehabilitación o mejor conocido como “anexo” en el medio, he conocido a varias personas quienes pareciera que no son adictas y quienes, si parecen, y ese es el detalle o la enseñanza que quiero compartirles parecer o no parecer, ser o no ser.
Parecer o no parecer, o ser o no ser, son palabras hasta cierto punto un poco trilladas, o usadas demasiado en un momento especifico de tiempo, pero no podía pensar en otras que no fueran esas, porque en la platica que tuve con una de las personas internas en el anexo, llamada “Ronda” (por cuestiones legales el nombre que aquí escribo es ficticio), tuve que comprender que estas palabras toman sentido cuando te encuentras frente a frente con una situación, ¿que hago cuando me encuentro con una persona en adicción, pero no parece estar en adicción? y ¿que hago cuando me encuentro con una persona en adicción que si parece que esta en adicción? ¿Cómo determinamos que esta luchando con una adicción? Son algunas de las preguntas que vinieron a mi mente en ese momento.
Todo pasó porque ella me estaba comentado que las personas en la calle tienden a prejuzgar con solo ver a la persona, como quien dice juzgan un libro por su portada, y justamente ese es el asunto por el que puse las palabras parecer o no parecer, posteriormente a esa plática con “Ronda”, comencé a pensar que ella tiene mucha razón y yo me encontraba también en el error del prejuicio.

​Mi tiempo en el albergue se resume en atender las necesidades de ellos, desde la cosa mas mínima como entregarles artículos de higiene personal, artículos para que puedan hacer comida, hasta cosas mas complejas como crear actividades para ellos, darles orientación de lo que necesitan. Aparte de eso, mis actividades en el albergue también pasan de limpieza y acomodo de las instalaciones, como no hay muchas personas migrantes en este momento en el albergue, nos piden hacer limpieza de todo para que las instalaciones permanezcan limpias y confortables para los mismos migrantes.

Durante mi servicio aquí en la frontera ha sido un tiempo de muchas experiencias y aprendizajes por la falta población migrante estoy continuando mi servicio con Fronteras de Cristo en el Programa de Enriquecimiento Educativo en el que estoy dando atención psicológica a niños que lo requieren con alguna dificultad de aprendizaje o emocional. También imparto diferentes temas que los niños viven a diario entre esos temas esta la Justicia Social en la cual les conté un cuento para que ellos identificaran lo justo y lo injusto que se viven en la sociedad, hice un árbol en el cual cada niño dibujo frutas y escribió justicias e injusticias y las pegaron  en el árbol. 


​During my service here at the border, it has been a time of many experiences and learning. Due to the lack of a migrant population, I am continuing my service with Borders of Christ in the Educational Enrichment Program, where I am providing psychological support to children with learning or emotional difficulties who require it. I also teach various topics that the children experience daily. Among these topics is Social Justice. I told them a story so they could identify the just and unjust aspects of society. I made a tree on which each child drew fruit and wrote down the concepts of justice and injustice, which they then pasted onto the tree.

(English translation below)

Es increíble cómo el tiempo vuela y lo mucho que puede pasar en ciertos periodos de tiempo. Hace 11 semanas y 2 días exactamente que empecé una nueva aventura siguiendo a mi corazón e intentando seguir los pasos y el ejemplo de quien dio su vida por nosotros.

Estoy viviendo en Tucson, Arizona siendo parte de un programa de jóvenes voluntarios llamado «Young Adult Volunteers (YAV program)» De la Iglesia Presbiteriana en los Estados Unidos, programa del que supe luego de vivir un año en Agua Prieta, Sonora haciendo parte de otro programa de servicio y qué loco ¿no? lo que hoy decidimos hacer, es justo lo que nos va a llevar hacia nuestro futuro. Esto no estaba en mis planes, pero vivo agradecida porque Dios siempre me lleva de la mano, me lleva hacia las personas correctas y abre puertas llenas de oportunidades para mí.
Durante este tiempo he tenido la oportunidad de regresar a Agua Prieta, visitar a los amigos que hice y a mi familia en la frontera, algo que sin duda me hace muy feliz.

Actualmente estoy trabajando con una maravillosa organización sin fines de lucro llamada «Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona (CHRPA)».

En resumidas palabras y desde mi conocimiento, CHRPA es un puente y un actor importante en la realización de servicios de reparación en casas de personas de escasos recursos en la ciudad de Tucson y el Condado Pima. Los trabajos que se realizan son relacionados a la plomería, electricidad, carpintería y muchas cosas más, ¿y qué creen? yo estoy aprendiendo un poquito de todo eso y aportando mis ganas de querer hacer y aprender, pero algo que quiero destacar es que además de brindar una solución a las facturas de electricidad tan altas o a los riesgos que la falta de alguna cosa puede traer a una persona mayor de edad, es que realmente importa mucho el bienestar integral de los clientes a quienes servimos, también es nuestro objetivo escucharlos o hacerlos sentir que sus necesidades o sus historias son muy importantes.

Nunca antes me vi haciendo todo lo que he hecho en las últimas semanas, reparando las llaves de una ducha, reparando o instalando nuevos boilers, construyendo rampas o escalones, subiéndome a techos para tratar de encontrar y arreglar el problema en el enfriador de la casa, usando herramientas de las que ni siquiera sabía el nombre en español, poniendo nueva cerámica en un baño… demasiadas cosas nuevas y además, en un idioma que no es mi primer idioma.

He tenido mucho cansancio físico y mental, pero estoy feliz y mi estómago se llena de muchas mariposas por lo mucho que me emociona estar haciendo todo esto, aprendiendo tanto y poniéndome al servicio de quienes se benefician con nuestro trabajo, personas que sin duda necesitan de algo que a lo mejor para mí no es tan grande pero que para ellos significa seguridad y tranquilidad, y quién no quiere eso ¿no?
Así que aquí estoy, extrañando a mi familia y a mis amigos en El Salvador, pero satisfecha por estar viviendo la vida que yo elijo y que mi corazón me dice que está bien, porque además, sé que no estoy sola y que Dios siempre cuida de mí.

Guardo en mi corazón estos versículos en Romanos 8:38-39

38 “Por lo cual estoy seguro de que ni la muerte, ni la vida, ni ángeles, ni principados, ni potestades, ni lo presente, ni lo por venir, 39 ni lo alto, ni lo profundo, ni ninguna otra cosa creada nos podrá separar del amor de Dios, que es en Cristo Jesús Señor nuestro.”

Ninguna dificultad podrá apartarme de ese amor incondicional para mí, y es por eso que descanso tranquilamente en Él.

It's amazing how time flies and how much can happen in certain periods of time. Exactly 11 weeks and 2 days ago I started a new adventure following my heart and trying to follow the steps and example of someone who gave his life for us.

I am living in Tucson, Arizona being part of a young adult volunteer program called "Young Adult Volunteers (YAV program)" from the Presbyterian Church in the United States, a program that I learned about after living a year in Agua Prieta, Sonora as part of another service program and how crazy, right? What we decide to do today is exactly what will take us towards our future. This was not in my plans, but I am grateful because God always takes me by the hand, leads me to the right people and opens doors full of opportunities for me. During this time I have had the opportunity to return to Agua Prieta, visit the friends I made and my family on the border, something that undoubtedly makes me very happy.

I am currently working with a wonderful non-profit organization called “Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona (CHRPA).”

In short and from my knowledge, CHRPA is a bridge and an important actor in providing repair services to the homes of low-income people in the city of Tucson and Pima County. The work carried out is related to plumbing, electricity, carpentry and many other things, and what do you think? I am learning a little about all that and contributing my desire to want to do and learn, but something I want to highlight is that in addition to providing a solution to high electricity bills or the risks to a person of an older age, is that the comprehensive well-being of the clients we serve really matters a lot, it is also our goal to listen to them or make them feel that their needs or their stories are very important.

Never before have I seen myself doing everything I have done in recent weeks, repairing shower faucets, repairing or installing new boilers, building ramps or steps, climbing on roofs to try to find and fix the problem in a cooler, using tools that I didn't even know the name of in Spanish, putting new tiles in a bathroom... too many new things and also, in a language that is not my first language.

I have had a lot of physical and mental fatigue, but I am happy and my stomach is filled with many butterflies because I am so excited to be doing all this, learning so much and putting myself at the service of those who benefit from our work, people who undoubtedly need help. Something that maybe for me is not that big but for them it means security and tranquility, and who doesn't want that, right? So here I am, missing my family and friends in El Salvador, but satisfied to be living the life that I choose and that my heart tells me is right, because also, I know that I am not alone and that God always takes care of me. my.

I keep these verses in my heart in Romans 8:38-39

38 “For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, can separate from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

No difficulty can separate me from that unconditional love for me, and that is why I rest peacefully in God.

(English translation below)

Durante mi estancia en el Centro de Atención a Migrantes Éxodo ha sido la adquisición de experiencia y de servicio a la comunidad migrante. En los meses que van de agosto- octubre trascurrido de este año, he podido observar que las personas migrantes traen un caso migratorio de violencia, pobreza, marginación, exclusión y de amenaza que conllevaron a la migración forzada, muchos de ellos era imposible regresar a sus países por la falta de seguridad y bienestar. 

Opinar sobre
¿Por qué no te quedas donde vives?  ¿Porque te aferras a salir de tu país ?

Son diferentes elementos que están entrelazados llevan a la idea de LA META ES PARTIR porque es la única alternativa que tienen. 

Nuestra Visión
Es conocer los diferentes problemas sociales que existen.

“un llamando a la solidaridad y empatía ”— Anahi San

During my time at the migrant shelter (CAME) it has been the acquisition of experience and service to the migrant community. In the months from August to October of this year, I have been able to observe that migrants bring cases of violence, poverty, marginalization, exclusion and threats that led to forced migration, for many of them it was impossible to return to their countries due to the lack of security and well-being.

What your opinions about why you have migrated: 
Why don't you stay where you are from?
Why do you hold on the need to leave your country?

There are different elements that are intertwined and lead to the idea of THE GOAL IS TO LEAVE  because it is the only alternative migrants have.

Our vision
It is knowing the different social problems that exist

“a call for solidarity and empathy”—Anahi San

109ª JORNADA MUNDIAL DEL MIGRANTE Y DEL REFUGIADO 2023 – Yadamy (English translation below)
 
En el marco de la Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado, conmemorado el 24 de septiembre, el Centro de Recursos para Migrantes (CRM), ofreció un espacio para reflexionar y concientizar sobre el fenómeno migratorio en la frontera norte de México. En esta actividad participaron las personas voluntarias del CRM, los socios ministeriales de Frontera de Cristo, una familia con estancia en el Centro de Atención al Migrante “Exodus” (CAME), e invitados. 
 
Algunos voluntarios compartieron experiencias que han vivido en el CRM;  mencionaron que las personas migrantes que han pasado por este lugar, se han sentido en un espacio seguro, que al brindarles agua y alimentos, ropa y calzado, pudieron sentir la hospitalidad y la calidez en un momento de dificultad. 
 
También se leyó el mensaje del Papa Francisco para la 109ª Jornada Mundial del Migrante y Refugiado, en este mensaje señaló que “es necesario un esfuerzo conjunto de cada uno de los países y de la comunidad internacional para que se asegure a todos el derecho a no tener que emigrar, es decir, la posibilidad de vivir en paz y con dignidad en la propia tierra”. Se recordó también que las personas son libres de elegir migrar o quedarse. 
 
La reflexión bíblica estuvo a cargo del pastor Marcos Adams,  que tomó como base el texto de Hebreos 13: 1-2;  Permanezca el amor fraternal.  No os olvidéis de la hospitalidad, porque por ella algunos, sin saberlo, hospedaron ángeles. En nuestro caminar, hemos sido hospedadores de nuestros familiares, amigos y seres queridos, pero muy pocas veces nos hemos dado la oportunidad de hospedar a personas desconocidas, sin embargo ese es el reto para nuestra fe, el tener una actitud hospitalaria, sobre todo a aquellas personas que no conocemos. 
 
Mencionó que “en esta zona fronteriza de Estados Unidos y México, se pueden observar dos actitudes, una es la hospitalidad y otra la hostilidad. ¿Qué tipo de actitud estamos demostrando? ¿Nos encontramos en la región de la hospitalidad o de la hostilidad?”.
 
En esta Jornada Mundial del Migrante y Refugiado, somos convocados a ser defensores y defensoras de los derechos del extranjero, a los que van de paso o los que deciden quedarse, pues el mismo Jesús fue un migrante  y refugiado, quien tuvo la necesidad de ser acogido y sentirse en un espacio seguro. Dice el evangelio de Juan 11;53- 56:
 
 “Así que, desde aquel día acordaron matarle.  Por tanto, Jesús ya no andaba abiertamente entre los judíos, sino que se alejó de allí a la región contigua al desierto, a una ciudad llamada Efraín; y se quedó allí con sus discípulos…Y los principales sacerdotes y los fariseos habían dado orden de que si alguno supiese dónde estaba, lo manifestase, para que le prendiesen”. 
 
De igual manera muchas personas mexicanas y de otras nacionalidades, pueden identificarse con Jesús, y sentirse a salvo al ser acogidos y bien recibidos. Por ello, desde nuestros lugares de incidencia, elijamos hoy a quién servir, si a la hospitalidad o a la hostilidad. – Yadamy
 
(English translation)
​
In the context of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, commemorated on September 24, the Migrant Resource Center (CRM) offered a space to reflect and raise awareness about the phenomenon of migration on the northern border cities of Mexico. CRM volunteers, Frontera de Cristo ministry partners, and a family staying at the migrant shelter (CAME), and other guests participated in this activity.
 
Some volunteers shared experiences they have lived through in the CRM; They mentioned that the migrants who have passed through this place have felt a safe space that provided them with water and food, clothing and footwear, and were able to feel the hospitality and warmth in a time of difficulty.
 
Pope Francis' message for the 109th World Day of Migrants and Refugees was also read. In this message he noted that "a joint effort by each of the countries and the international community is necessary to ensure that everyone has the right to not migrate, that is, the possibility of having a life of peace and with dignity in one's own land.” It was also remembered that people are free to choose whether they immigrate or stay in their country of origin.
 
The biblical reflection was led by Pastor Marcos Adams, who reflected on the text of Hebrews 13: 1-2; Let brotherly love remain. Do not forget hospitality, because for doing that some without knowing it have entertained angels. In our life journey, we have been hosts to our family, friends and loved ones, but very rarely have we given ourselves the opportunity to host strangers, however that is the challenge for our faith, to have a hospitable attitude, especially to those people we don't know.
 
He mentioned that “in this border area of the United States and Mexico, two attitudes can be observed, one is hospitality and the other is hostility. What kind of attitude are we demonstrating? Are we in the place of hospitality or hostility?”
 
On this World Day of Migrants and Refugees, we are called to be defenders of the rights of foreigners and migrant, those who are passing through or those who decide to stay, since Jesus himself was a migrant and refugee, who had the need to be welcomed and feel in a safe space. The gospel of John 11:53-56 says:
 
  “So, from that day they agreed to kill him. Therefore, Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but he departed from there to the region adjacent to the desert, to a city called Ephraim; and he remained there with his disciples... And the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, they should alert them, so that they could arrest him.
 
In the same way, many Mexican people and other nationalities can identify with Jesus and feel safe when they are welcomed and well received. Therefore, from our places of influence, let us choose today who to serve, will it be hospitality or hostility.

My year in Tucson started out really rough. I was intimidated by a lot of things and I questioned if doing a second YAV year while still deep in grief after leaving Asheville was the right move for me. I started out not really feeling connected to anything or anyone. I missed trees and grass and rain. At Christmas, I really started to miss the snow. Up until Christmas day, I didn’t feel the “Christmas spirit” at work in this holiday season. Nothing around me was bringing holiday cheer. Families were separated in detention, work was busier than ever, and the desert was the same as it had been. But on Christmas eve, we attended a candlelight service at Southside Presbyterian Church, a social justice church in town, that put on a moving Nativity play with a woman who gave birth in the desert playing Mary and the baby as Jesus. It brought an interesting perspective to the Christmas narrative, having baby Jesus played by this tiny babe born in the desert. Joseph, was absent; this “holy family” was separated at the border and Joseph was serving time in a detention center awaiting trial. He was a client of our legal aid clinic I worked for. This night brought a new meaning to Christmas and how I felt about the dessert. I spent Christmas day with my boss and her family, learning Hispanic holiday traditions and hearing stories from her wife about how the desert has changed over time. How global warming and the border crisis has really helped in shaping this place into the desecration I see, instead of the beauty and mystery that it holds.

In January and February, I threw myself into connecting more with the community and the people. I tried to make a lot of friends and get out whenever I could to go talk to people. I met so many families that had never left Tucson and got to hear about how much they loved this place. I was introduced to local food trucks, Sonoran style hotdogs, and lots of burros. This spring, in light of COVID -19, we spent a lot of time hiking and when we weren’t hiking, we were watching videos and learning more about the town we were living in, the people, and the history of the desert. We watched a documentary on biosphere 2, just up the road from us, and later we went on hikes to Marshal Gultch where I notice that the mountains hold the mystery of the dessert that is more than Tucson’s saguaros but also holds trees and running water.

My year in Tucson has really been a lesson in not judging a book from its cover. Its been a journey in not letting fear intimidate me. I was scared of moving to Tucson, of saying the wrong thing, but that ended up delaying a lot of really impactful conversations. It makes me wonder how many opportunities fear steals us from.

I have been holding off on writing this blog, in normal Katie fashion- I have been waiting and intaking a lot of information. However, seeing posts from friends and family on my Facebook, and people still struggling with the meaning of “defunding the police” has me irritated and I am tired of waiting to find the right words. So, here it is plain and simple:

This fourth of July, I didn’t celebrate with fireworks, I wasn’t decked out head to toe in American flag garb, I was wearing black. I was in mourning for a country that only ever wants to focus on the positive things about America or the drama our media feeds us. In the middle of a pandemic, I put on my face mask, packed the sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and my water bottle, and headed to the park to meet with others for an anti-4th of July protest.

When my roommates and I arrived at the park, there was no organizer to be found and no one seemed to know what was going on. Random volunteers were showing up with water, first aid supplies, and fliers about what to do if the police show up and the slogans we would be chanting. We casually wandered around and safely asked others if they knew what was happening, no one seemed to know, we were all just in the waiting game. So, more and more gathered and it got closer and closer to the time to start. At 2pm, starting time, 3 police officers showed up and started asking what we were doing there, who we were meeting, and what was happening- they too wanted to know who the organizers were. We didn’t know. So, the cops radioed back and forth with the station, “there are a lot of people in the park”, “no, they don’t know who the organizers are”, “yeah, yep, they are all just waiting with there signs”, No, not sure what else to do”. 5 Minutes passed and before we knew it, 12 police officers flooded the scene, breaking off in teams of two they started more questioning of the people gathered- though we still had no answers. As I scanned the park, it became clear to my roommates that the people cops were asking were white, they were young. The Police were not asking the first aid people or any of the folks passing out fliers- the people that could presumably know something.

When the cops approached us, my roommate Laura spoke up asking them why THEY were here and what they knew about this event. The officer who had just got off of a facetime call with his son approached us and said “I’m officer _____, I have a background in deescalating hostage situations and distinguishing terrorist attacks. Although today I am only here to serve and protect, we as a task force respect your Freedom of Speech and are here to support you in any way.”

It seemed that that officer wasn’t the only one supporting us, the whole march, 8 police officers walked with us and 6 police cars followed us as we chanted “defund the police”, “say their NAMES”, and “Nana AYUDAME” (Grandma help me, the last words a local Tucsonian spoke before being killed by the police force in a similar fashion to George Floyd. His story was not released until three months after the incident. Carlos Ingram-Lopez, PRESENTE!). This protest was more than a mourning of America, this was a BLM stance for change and anger for what has taken place.

Throughout the whole march, it seemed the task force followed us. I started to feel guilty of my actions, embarrassed of what I was screaming to the friendly people around us, protecting us. But then, as we took our first break from the heat and drank water, I once again noticed who the police officers were interacting with and what their role was. When I say the WHOLE task force was looking out for us, I sincerely mean the majority of officers from TPD were “watching” this protest and as we looked around, it became less of an allyship and more of a watch party. The officer with a background in de-escalation and terrorist situations wasn’t there by accident. Also, even if he was, was it necessary to have the WHOLE police force at this gathering? Were we not paying them to be out protecting people, were there not “fireworks gone wrong” accidents or serious situations they needed to be in? This was a peaceful protest for change, not a riot or looting. Yet, our freedom of speech was met with fear and intimidation.

The defunding of police, to me, means that we cut their funding. Tucson Police just RAISED their budget by 2 MILLION dollars. Which, will be used for new squad cars, paid leave, more guns, and more officers. It does not offer more training, background screening for who gets hired, or therapy for cops that have experienced trauma at work.

I was 19 years old when I had a gun pulled on me by an officer in my small town of Mason City. I was being stopped for being at the park after hours and when I got out of the car to see what was happening, I was met with the barrel of a gun and a strict speech on never approaching the cop car. Something I was unaware of and didn’t think twice about being in a small town where my Grandma was neighbors with the former chief of police and we knew most of the officers in town. However, this incident was late at night, the man could not identify if I was a threat- could not tell my color of skin. He was scared. He was open about his fear and while searching my car for drugs and asking why I was at the park, told me about his three kids and how more than anything he prays every night to be able to return safely home to them.

I am not disgusted by his fear, I am glad he was honest and I could tell he was sorry he escalated the situation. I would be fearful too with what see in the media and what evil I see in the world. But that’s why I am not an officer. Our officers need better training, less stress in the workplace, and more time to process what they go through. They need to not be victims of capitalism and treated with human dignity so that, that dignity can then be given to the citizens they protect.

As I was walking down the street yelling “DEFUND TPD” and “JUSTICE FOR BREONNA TAYLOR”, I was reminded that the shame I was feeling and the guilt- was because of my white privilege and white response. Aside from that one incident with the police, I have never been afraid of an interaction with the police, or to ask an officer for directions. I have felt safe in their care because they, feel safe around me. However, my story does not account for George, Breonna, Carlos, and the COUNTLESS other BIPOC lives lost to police violence and victims of racial prejudice.

Our police deserve and need proper training, they need support in their work, they do not need more weapons. Our officers are stressed because their presence is requested everywhere, their jobs are demanding. By reallocating funds and reimagining their jobs, we will relieve their stress and as a society push towards equal pay for equal work.

Defunding the police, will reprimand and hold racist officers accountable for their actions. Jobs could be cut; many jobs, need to be cut or more evaluated. Not all cops are racist but many live in fear. Defunding the police starts to rethink and imagine our system.

By defunding the police, we recognize that there is a problem in our leadership. Because although black on black crime is a valid acknowledgment, it misses the point. Our officers are our leaders and when our leaders show discrimination and disrespect, our community reflects these values. We cannot allow leaders to reinforce racism, we are doing that enough already.