For Immediate Release
July 29th 2020
The New Britain Racial Justice Coalition cautiously welcomes the passage of “An Act Concerning Police Accountability”
New Britain— 7/29/2020
Early this morning, “An Act Concerning Police Accountability,” passed the Connecticut State Senate and is headed to Governor Lamont’s desk. The New Britain Racial Justice Coalition welcomes the passage of this bill, while also acknowledging its shortfalls.
“We are pleased that the bill provides legal language that allows towns to create Civilian Review Boards with subpoena powers, as we have been pushing this in City Hall for the last month” said Alicia Strong, co-founder of the New Britain Racial Justice Coalition. “Nonetheless, this bill will significantly increase police funding and we firmly believe in the defunding and reallocating of police funds towards education and social services.”
Senator Gennaro Bizzarro Placed “On Notice”
The members of the New Britain Racial Justice Coalition strongly condemn Senator Gennaro Bizzarro for voting against the bill. The Hartford Courant quoted the Senator’s opposition, where he mischaracterized the bill as something that will “turn every single police interaction into a slip-and-fall case.” The Coalition plans to hold Senator Bizzarro accountable in the upcoming elections. See Article Here.
“If we want democracy to work for everyday people, we must be committed to holding our elected officials accountable,” said Tre Brown, co-founder of the New Britain Racial Justice Coalition. “If you don’t represent the people’s interest when you have the chance, then you will not be re-elected.”
Thinking Ahead: November 2020 Election
The Coalition is developing a get-out-the-vote [GOTV] strategy to get New Britain residents to the polls this August and November. They hope that the current political moment will motivate residents to vote for anti-racist candidates who promote widespread systemic change. The Coalition calls on City leaders and organizations to prioritize widespread political education in New Britain.
“Increasing the political consciousness of New Britain residents is a major priority of the Coalition,” said Victor Constanza, co-founder of New Britain Racial Justice Coalition. “We want the people of New Britain to have the knowledge and resources to dismantle oppressive systems and build a community of care and compassion.”
The New Britain Racial Justice Coalition is planning an online political debate this Sunday at 5PM between Manny Sanchez and Richard Lacourciere, two democratic candidates who are running for the 24th assembly district state representative seat in the upcoming primary on August 11th. As the November election approaches, the group plans to host another debate and support GOTV efforts across the city.
Founded in 2020, the New Britain Racial Justice Coalition (“the Coalition”) is a social welfare organization in New Britain, Connecticut dedicated to the eradication of racism both locally and globally. The group focuses on advocacy, community organizing and political education.
###
For more information, press only:
Alicia Strong
Phone number: 860-386-5030
Email: nbracialjustice@gmail.com