Several dozen social justice advocates with the Re-Imagine LA Coalition rallied outside of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, chanting “care first, jail later,” demanding county supervisors prioritize the needs of marginalized communities.
“Prisons and policing aren’t what we need, we need care-first community investment in systems that prevent people from actually getting incarcerated,” said Stefanee Alcantar, justice transformation senior training associate for Urban Peace Institute.
Re-Imagine LA Coalition is a group of community organizations fighting for more investment in the health and economic wellness of marginalized people instead of investing in more incarceration and policing.
In 2020, this group helped pass Measure J, which guarantees 10% of the budget goes toward alternatives to incarceration, said Alcantar. The measure funds housing, mental health, youth and reentry services, Coordinator of Re-Imagine LA Coalition Megan Castillo said.
“Measure J was passed in 2020 and we have yet to see a full investment in Measure J,” said Alcantar. “So we’re here to really ask the county to fully invest in Measure J, which is what the people wanted.”
Alcantar said the budget does not represent the needs of these community-based organizations, as they are getting defunded while the Los Angeles Sheriff Department and Los Angeles Police Department are continuously getting funded.
Castillo said the budget translates into more abuse and more harm to the most marginalized communities, while investing less money for housing, healthcare and safety.
“We know that safety doesn’t come from cages or badges. Safety comes from care, from community, from resources,” Castillo said. “So today, we are calling on the Board of Supervisors to honor the will of the people, to stop delaying, to stop hiding behind excuses and to invest in real solutions that we have built. Because Los Angeles doesn’t need more jails, we need more homes.”
Castillo said the Board of Supervisors balances the budget on the backs of the marginalized communities while protecting departments that abuse them and bankrupt the county. Castillo also argues there is a need to divest from law enforcement departments that spend millions in lawsuits and settlements, while also addressing the LASD vacant positions and pushing for the closing of Men’s Central Jail.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Kathryn Barger did not respond to requests for comment as of publication.
According to TransLatin@ Coalition President Bambi Salcedo, there are many organizations doing a lot of work to end the cultural system built to make money off people. Organizations like Urban Peace Institute and The TransLatin@ Coalition aim to make sure that there is an investment in marginalized communities and that these communities are supported and protected the best way possible, getting the resources they need.
“Law enforcement departments continue to be militarized, like we don’t need tanks, we don’t need military type equipment to protect our streets,” Salcedo said. “What we need is a true investment in the livelihood of the most marginalized people, and invest in their livelihood and the services that they serve rather than criminalizing us for being who we are.”
Salcedo said the nation is going through unprecedented times but it is important to understand that local governments also have power, which is why there is a need to demand not only protections for marginalized communities but also investments in their livelihood.