Statement from Code for San José Leadership Team

Published in

Code for San Jose

4 min readJun 5, 2020

Dear Code for San José community,

We are deeply saddened and outraged by the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others who have not received national recognition. We are witnessing police brutality and white supremacy across the nation. Our nation is no stranger to police brutality and white supremacy — it’s been alive with over 400-years history in the United States. We reflect on the criminal justice system and government systems that have enabled inequality and injustice in the United States. We stand with peaceful protesters. We hear Black voices saying, “Enough is enough. These systems were not built for us.” We believe our government should work for everyone, not just the privileged. It is on all of us to fix these government systems.

To learn more about what Code for America is doing to reform criminal justice in the United States, please read this statement from our CEO Amanda Renteria. To learn more about the guiding principles of the Code for America Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee, read this statement.

We encourage you to keep a watchful eye and follow independent news organizations like San Jose Spotlight. Here are a few of their recent reports: I’m a journalist who was detained by San Jose police for doing my job, Assembly candidate arrested for violating curfew and Hundreds volunteer to clean vandalism from San Jose protests — San José Spotlight

Challenging and deconstructing systems of white supremacy and racism is central to our work. What action will you take to be an ally? Black liberation is required for collective liberation. We will be bold, and we are in this together. Here are some ways you can take action:

Complete the Census

We encourage you to respond to the Census as soon as possible. Traditionally, Black households are at risk of being undercounted. Your participation in the census ensures resources for our communities for the next ten years. For more information about the census, see our informational website sjcensus.com.

Educate yourself

Code for America DEI committee | Anti-racism, accountability, and support resources
Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources
Anti-Racism Resources for non-BIPOC
10 Books about Race to Read
Actions for racial justice
Check out the California Police Scorecard, a project of Campaign Zero

Get Involved

Get involved with your local BLM chapter, or start your own chapter
Get involved with SURJ @ Sacred Heart (South Bay chapter): Movement of primarily white people focused on action & education, answerable to our accountability partners of color, in the service of racial justice. Upcoming events include de-escalation training, how to attend and speak at City Council meetings, and ways to connect with community in ongoing efforts around housing, immigration, and decarceration
Support the National Police Accountability Project: This group, a project of the National Lawyers Guild, helps people find legal counsel.
Support Campaign Zero, a police reform group that has been working on policy solutions informed by data and human rights principles. Sign up.
Support local organizations like African American Community Services Agency and the NAACP | San Jose / Silicon Valley,
Resources for Accountability and Actions for Black Lives — in this google document, there are links to specific petitions and letter-writing campaigns for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and more victims of police brutality.
A virtual space for non-Black People of Color to connect, care for one another, and build plans for action to dismantle anti-black racism in ourselves, our communities, and our institutions — June 4, 2020: 9–11am HST, 11–1pm AKST, 12–2pm PST, 1–3pm MST, 3–4pm CST, and 3–5pm EST

Vote

Register to vote in Santa Clara County
Register to vote in California
Encourage your friends and family to vote. Learn more about upcoming elections in Santa Clara County and in California.

Donate or Fundraise

Donate to Black Lives Matter.
Donate to a bail fund: see this crowdsourced Google Doc of bail funds

Take care of yourself

Need Immediate Help In A Crisis

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — Call 800–273-TALK (8255)

If you or someone you know is in crisis — whether they are considering suicide or not — please call the toll-free Lifeline at 800–273-TALK (8255) to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline connects you with a crisis center in the Lifeline network closest to your location. Your call will be answered by a trained crisis worker who will listen empathetically and without judgment. The crisis worker will work to ensure that you feel safe and help identify options and information about mental health services in your area. Your call is confidential and free.

Crisis Text Line — Text NAMI to 741–741

Connect with a trained crisis counselor to receive free, 24/7 crisis support via text message.

National Domestic Violence Hotline — Call 800–799-SAFE (7233)

Trained expert advocates are available 24/7 to provide confidential support to anyone experiencing domestic violence or seeking resources and information. Help is available in Spanish and other languages.

National Sexual Assault Hotline — Call 800–656-HOPE (4673)

Connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area that offers access to a range of free services. Crisis chat support is available at Online Hotline. Free help, 24/7.

We thank Code for America, and Black Lives Matter activists for sharing these resources. This compilation is not a definitive list, but meant to be a starting point to find different ways to take action.

Please take care, and we hope you stay safe and healthy,

Code for San José Leadership Team: Cesar Arellano, Dane Olsen, Darren Pham, Diane Labenz, Emily Ramos, Erika Hudiono, Joseph Richardson, Kate Valdes, Lena Tran, Michelle Thong, Minh Nguyễn, Lorin Camargo and Yan-Yin Choy.