Justice Central

Statement from Andy Pond, President and CEO of JRI

JRI joins those who are loudly protesting the institutional violence against people of color, seeking systematic change in response to systematic racism. We believe that the justified anger and grief we feel must be coupled with action:

We should work as hard as we can to elect individuals who share our values, who will support the legal and economic actions needed to confront and stem the tide of race-based violence and discrimination. This next election matters--at all levels--maybe more than ever before.
We will work for racial justice in our own programs and advocate for it with the systems that we are a part of through our funders, regulators and trade organizations.
Many of us have joined peaceful protests, and we encourage others to join us if they feel safe enough to do so.
Despite our anger, we know that the response to this violence cannot be more violence—which is likely to hurt the very communities we are supporting.
And remember we are all accountable to each other to slow the spread of the virus that is killing people of color at up to three times the number of other groups.
Be safe—we need you to be here to fight tomorrow

Learning and Historical Material

Jailed in America, Why Slavery? How do prisons make a profit from crime? In the last 30 years, America’s prison population has surged from 330,000 to 2.3 million inmates. In this deeply personal and provocative film, Academy Award-winning director Roger Ross Williams sets out on a mission to investigate the prison system that has helped drive this explosive web of political, social, and economic forces that have consumed so many of Roger’s friends and family. Watch the film.
What is Juneteenth? This short video provides a very good explanation.
The History of Juneteenth - Visit the Juneteenth.com website
Tulsa Race Massacre: Intent on Killing, Stealing and Destruction, White Mobs Leveled a Thriving Black Community This article explains what happened in Tulsa, Oklahoma and can help you to understand why there was an outcry about the President holding a rally on June 19th in Tulsa. The rally was moved to June 20th.
Black Wall Street: The African American Haven that Burned and then Rose from the Ashes This article is a story of the white supremacist violence in Tulsa and an illustrated version
New York Times Podcast: 1619 “1619” is a New York Times audio series, hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones, that examines the long shadow of American slavery. Listen here
Not Just Tulsa: Five Other Race Massacres That Devastated Black America There is a long history of white terrorism destroying Black Communities. Read the article.
Uneducated & Unwelcome: The GI Bill in the Segregated South America's unequal implementation of the GI bill is a major reason why there is a huge wealth gap between white families and families of color today. Blacks were disproportionately denied employment benefits, job training, education and home ownership. Whites had access to those things and were able to build generational wealth. Learn more.
Rhode Island To Remove "Providence Plantations" from State's Name Providence Plantation Evokes a Legacy of Slavery
What is Owed? This article from the NYT magazine by Nikole Hannah-Jones, the creator of the 1619 Project discusses what is owed to black Americans in order for justice and equality to be achieved. Read here.
NPR: 'Interrupt The Systems': Robin DiAngelo On 'White Fragility' And Anti-Racism, 20 minute podcast
Pop Sugar: 10 Things Parents Should Know About Talking to Kids About Systemic Oppression
Center for American Progress: Systemic Inequality: Displacement, Exclusion, and Segregation. How America's Housing System Undermines Wealth Building in Communities of Color
Center for American Progress: Mass Incarceration, Stress, and Black Infant Mortality. A Case Study in Structural Racism
The New Yorker: My Mother’s Dreams for Her Son, and All Black Children. She longed for black people in America not to be forever refugees—confined by borders that they did not create and by a penal system that killed them before they died. 34 minute podcast
Washington Post: Perspective: My daughter reminded me that black joy is a form of resistance
Washington Post: What five black fathers are saying to their children about this historic moment

Upcoming Protests and Events

Grassroots Advocacy Convening on Housing / Criminal Justice - A free virtual webinar to highlight grassroots advocacy work that advances justice.
Listen. Learn. Lift. Virtually share perspectives with Lynn's youth (ages 13-17) about racial tensions and steps we can take towards racial equity. June 30 at 6pm
ADA30: A Call for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Virtual Event, July 22nd at 1pm. For more information, please visit the Boston Center for Independent Living website.

Legislation Supported by JRI

Ten point plan to combat systemic racism Elected officials of color developed a 10 point plan to combat systemic racism in policing and police brutality.
Today the House Ways and Means Committee released its FY 20 Supplemental Budget proposal. Please click here to ask your Representative to co-sponsor Rep. Decker's amendment (#7) to provide short-term relief for families and individuals in deep poverty. A fact sheet is available here. This amendment would provide a one-time immediate payment to Massachusetts’ 33,000 families with children who receive Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) benefits and 21,000 elders and persons with disabilities who receive Emergency Aid to Elders, Disabled and Children (EAEDC) benefits. Payments would equal the maximum grant for the household size (e.g., $593 for a family of 3 or $303 for an elder or disabled individual).
An Act Putting Patients First, proposes a number of healthcare reforms, including key provisions related to rendering services via telehealth.
Designation Act of 2020 (H.R. 4191/S. 2661) would designate 9-8-8 as the new three-digit mental health and National Suicide Prevention Hotline number.