Ella Baker Center For Human Rights In California

ELLA BAKER CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (THE ORGANIZATION") IS BUILDING A MEMBERSHIP-BASED MOVEMENT TO ADVANCE JUSTICE REINVESTMENT BY REALLOCATING RESOURCES AWAY FROM PRISONS AND PUNISHMENT AND TOWARD FAMILY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND PROSPERITY FOR COMMUNITIES.

JUSTICE REFORM AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: WE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED LOCAL CAMPAIGNS TO HOLD THE ALAMEDA COUNTY SHERIFF ACCOUNTABLE FOR CREATING SAFETY AND JUSTICE FOR ALAMEDA COUNTY RESIDENTS. WE IMPLEMENT TRUTH AND REINVESTMENT AS A STRATEGY TO HIGHLIGHT NUMEROUS REPORTS OF WRONGFUL DEATHS, EXCESSIVE FORCE WITH AND WITHOUT WEAPONS, AND ABUSE AND BATTERY, BUILDING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR REDUCING THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET AND INVESTING RESOURCES IN MUCH NEEDED COMMUNITY SERVICES. NIGHT OUT FOR SAFETY AND LIBERATION (NOSL): WE KNOW THAT POLICING DOES NOT MEAN SAFETY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. WHAT KEEPS US SAFE IS RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THRIVE. NEIGHBORS CAME OUT TO RESTORE OAKLAND IN THE FRUITVALE TO CELEBRATE OUR NINTH ANNUAL NIGHT OUT FOR SAFETY AND LIBERATION (NOSL) IN OAKLAND. WE ARE RECLAIMING AND REDEFINING PUBLIC SAFETY TO MEAN LIVING WAGE JOBS, HEALTHY FOOD, MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR KIDS TO BE JOYFUL AND FREE. COMMUNITY PARTNERS JOINED US TO DISTRIBUTE RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY WHILE ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS FROM THE EAST BAY HELPED CREATE A SPIRIT OF CELEBRATION AND MUTUAL LIBERATION. EBC ALSO SUPPORTED 50+ PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ORGANIZE THEIR OWN NOSL EVENTS. HEALING THROUGH ACTION: EBC SUCCESSFULLY PILOTED OUR NEW HEALING THROUGH ACTION (HTA) PROGRAM WITH FIVE BLACK MOTHERS IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES WHO HAVE HAD A CHILD OR GRANDCHILD KILLED BY THE POLICE. THE HTA APPROACH ADDRESSES THE SILOS IN NORMATIVE TRAUMA HEALING APPROACHES, BY PROVIDING HEALING PRACTICES THAT RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE SEARCH FOR JUSTICE, WITHIN STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS WHO UNIQUELY UNDERSTAND THIS EXPERIENCE. EBC BROUGHT THE FIVE MOTHERS TOGETHER IN A KICK-OFF RETREAT AT HALF MOON BAY, AFTER WHICH WE LED 12 WEEKLY CIRCLES PROVIDING HEALING MODALITIES, POLITICAL EDUCATION, AND ORGANIZING TRAINING AND SKILLBUILDING. THE MOTHERS HAD ACCESS TO CALL-IN HEALING SUPPORT IN BETWEEN SESSIONS (EBC ALSO PROVIDED HEALING SUPPORT FOR STAFF HOLDING THESE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE PROGRAM). THE MOTHERS HAVE LED SUCCESSFUL ACTIONS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, INCLUDING SECURING WITHHELD CORONERS REPORTS, ORGANIZING DIRECT ACTIONS, AND ADVOCATING DIRECTLY WITH CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA. WE PARTNERED WITH FILMMAKER JANE GREENBURG TO CREATE A SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE. MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH THESE MOTHERS AND CONTINUING INVESTMENTS IN THEIR LEADERSHIP. INSIDE OUTSIDE FELLOWSHIP: LAUNCHED IN 2021, EBC'S INSIDE/OUTSIDE FELLOWSHIP IS A DUAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO INCREASE CONTRIBUTIONS TO POLICY REFORM BY PEOPLE WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE POLICIES WE ARE ADVOCATING TO CHANGE. TO THIS END, THE INSIDE/OUTSIDE FELLOWSHIP IS DESIGNED TO FOSTER THE LEADERSHIP OF CURRENTLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE (INSIDE FELLOWS) ALONGSIDE PEOPLE WHO ARE SYSTEMS-IMPACTED, EITHER BY HAVING A LOVED ONE INCARCERATED OR BY BEING FORMERLY INCARCERATED THEMSELVES (OUTSIDE FELLOWS). BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE FELLOWS WORK HAND-IN-HAND WITH EBC'S POLICY TEAM AND IN COORDINATION WITH THE BROADER EBC ORGANIZATION TO DETERMINE STATEWIDE POLICY PRIORITIES, SHAPE REFORM NARRATIVES, CONDUCT GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, AND BUILD AWARENESS WITHIN PRISONS AND IN THE BROADER CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM MOVEMENT. EBC OFFERS POLITICAL EDUCATION, SKILLS TRAINING, AND MENTORING FOR BOTH FELLOWS. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, THE INSIDE/OUTSIDE FELLOWSHIP DIRECTLY BUILDS THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE AND THEIR LOVED ONES TO LEAD POLICY REFORM AND BUILD CAREERS IN OUR MOVEMENTS. POLICY: WE LED TWO KEY VICTORIES IN THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE YEAR: (I) SB 483 (THE RISE ACT), TO REPEAL 1- AND 3-YEAR SENTENCE ENHANCEMENTS, AND (II) AB 292 (ACCESS TO PROGRAMMING ACT) TO REMOVE OBSTACLES TO PROGRAMS AND CREDIT EARNINGS, AND ENSURE PROGRAMMING CONTINUES DURING LOCKDOWNS.

RESTORE OAKLAND: WE CONTINUED BUILDING MOMENTUM FOR RESTORE OAKLAND, REACHING MORE THAN $15 MILLION IN TOTAL FUNDS SECURED FOR THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN BY THE END OF 2019. CONSTRUCTION AND PERMITTING PROCESSES ON THE BUILDING AT 1419 34TH AVE IN OAKLAND'S FRUITVALE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. STAFF FROM THE NEWLY-FORMED RESTORE OAKLAND 501(C)(3) CONTINUED CONDUCTING LISTENING SESSIONS AND OUTREACH TO LEARN ABOUT LOCAL NEEDS AND PRIORITIES. STAFF REACHED MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE THROUGH LISTENING SESSIONS AND 300 THROUGH OUTREACH EFFORTS. THIS WORK WILL ALLOW US TO PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICES AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS WE FIGHT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, LIVABLE WAGES, COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT, AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE.