BLACK AGENDA POLICY ISSUES
Elected officials have the responsibility to represent the best interests and improved quality of life for the Black community. The following issues require urgent attention and strategic action.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
Elected officials should:
- Eliminate mandatory minimums for low level crimes
- Depopulate the prison system by reducing sentences for low level crimes
- Provide more funding and incentives for reentry programs
- Fund a federal database that monitors police misconduct including use of force
- Decriminalize marijuana and expunge marijuana misdemeanor charges
- Reduce the power of police unions’ protection of misconduct and eliminate qualified immunity for police officers.
Questions for Key Candidates
- What evaluations will you implement to identifying remove officers who demonstrate racial bias against the Black community?
- How will you implement an effective program that that disciplines police misconduct?
- What examples can you provide of community-oriented policing and reform initiatives?
- What is your perspective on the paramilitary police force and its place in community policing?
- How important are independent investigations of police and how will you handle these?
- In situations of police misconduct that result in civilian fatalities or injury , how would you define your role in ensuring justice for the victims?
- What are your perspectives on independent review boards and conviction integrity units (CIUs) for the purpose of identifying and reviewing potential wrongful convictions?
- What guidelines do you support establishing around the plea bargaining process to ensure that defendants who want to negotiate can do so on a fair, level playing field?
HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES
Elected officials should:
- Ensure healthcare facilities that provide services to Black Americans have the financial and technical support to improve the quality of physical, behavioral, and social care.
- Remove the barriers to quality healthcare by increasing access by expanding Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act’s coverage.
- Increase workplace diversity to ensure Black patients have access to culturally similar professionals which can improve confidence and trust in the healthcare system and providers.
- Stabilize and lower the cost of prescription drugs.
- Increase access to healthy fresh foods through government led and funded programs with community farms.
- Reduce the overabundance of junk food and fast food choices through federal, state, and local regulations, including penalties for predatory marketing.
Questions for Key Candidates
- What are your plans to make healthcare more affordable and accessible to the Black community?
- What strategic initiatives will you work on to improve the quality of care that Black Americans receive from the medical community?
- How will you reverse the lack of access to healthy food choices and eliminate food deserts in predominantly Black neighborhoods?
RACIAL WEALTH GAP
Elected officials should:
- End redlining practices and ensure access to quality and affordable housing to all Black Americans.
- Reduce loan-level pricing adjustments (LLPAs) that undermine and create barriers to black homeownership
- Implement a reparations plan that includes housing grants for Black
- Improve access to financial capital to support Black-owned businesses.
- Increase access to high-quality education for Black families
Questions for Key Candidates
- What are your plans for closing the racial wealth gap?
- What programs will you support to improve access to affordable housing?
- What strategies do you propose to help ease the student loan burden on Black college graduates or attendees?
VOTING RIGHTS PROTECTIONS
Elected officials should:
- Protect the voting rights of all eligible voters and work to restore the voting rights all previously convicted felons.
- Ensure adequate provisions for voting, including adequate polling locations, working and protected voting machines and software, in addition to sufficient voting times such as early voting and extended voting hours.
- Fight against voter ID laws that lead to voter suppression.
- Ensure each polling location is accessible to all persons, including those with disabilities.
Questions for Key Candidates
- What are the most critical actions needed to fight against voter suppression and to protect voting rights?
EDUCATION INEQUALITY
COMING SOON
Questions for Key Candidates
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COMING SOON
Questions for Key Candidates