Preamble:
We support the U.S. Constitution and its amendments, especially the 14th Amendment – Equal protection under the law via substantive due process, and procedural due process. Because all are created equal, any violation of this amendment should result in harsh penalties. We believe that a lack of access to jobs, equal justice, education, and the pursuit of happiness is a direct violation of the 14th Amendment and support some form of reparations through the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act (H.R.40). This Platform is a living document and will change as we work together with policy makers and community to resolve these issues or identify pressing obstacles to quality of life.
Education:
Jobs/Economic Development:
Black students in or near poverty in CCSD represent 73% of the Black student population and one of the highest rates in the District. This economic disparity is reflected both in CCSD statistics and unemployment rates in Nevada and is a critical issue. It requires immediate action.
Immigration:
Ex-Offender Re-Entry, Incarceration, Sentencing:
Law Enforcement & Judiciary:
Healthcare:
Faith Based:
We support the U.S. Constitution and its amendments, especially the 14th Amendment – Equal protection under the law via substantive due process, and procedural due process. Because all are created equal, any violation of this amendment should result in harsh penalties. We believe that a lack of access to jobs, equal justice, education, and the pursuit of happiness is a direct violation of the 14th Amendment and support some form of reparations through the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act (H.R.40). This Platform is a living document and will change as we work together with policy makers and community to resolve these issues or identify pressing obstacles to quality of life.
Education:
- The current policies of educational equality continue to fail Black students and our community, and must be reformed with 21st century learning. Black students on free and reduced lunch statistically reflect lower proficiency rates than their peers and should receive categorical funding where lowest proficiency rates exist
- Protection for equal access to quality public and charter education, and funding equity in urban schools
- Promote parent and community engagement, school transparency and school accountability
- Amend NDOE standards to incorporate multicultural education and staff cultural competency
- Eliminate the bias and over representation in school expulsions of Black students, currently three times more likely than any other student population
- Amend NRS to reflect reading/literacy mandates and mastery council to include native speaking students (including free and reduced lunch “FRL”) not yet proficient in English without representation in public policy
- Eliminate the proficiency gap in literacy, math, and science of Black students and increase their graduation rates
- Eliminate the disparity in Black student representation in higher learning programs, i.e. G.A.T.E., AP, Honors
- Provide highly effective and qualified teachers in urban schools
- Provide funding for wrap around services for students in poverty, including fee waivers for school electives
- Fully funded early childhood and full day kindergarten
Jobs/Economic Development:
Black students in or near poverty in CCSD represent 73% of the Black student population and one of the highest rates in the District. This economic disparity is reflected both in CCSD statistics and unemployment rates in Nevada and is a critical issue. It requires immediate action.
- Eliminate the growing jobs disparity of African Americans, currently twice the levels of both White and Hispanic communities, and identify this under represented group as “underrepresented minorities.”
- Expand employment laws that protect both jobs and wages for American workers and authorized immigrant workers
- Amend legislation to provide for strong penalties and strict enforcement of labor laws
- Increase jobs, on the job training, and apprenticeship opportunities leading to permanent jobs for African American workers on all public works jobs, hospitality, healthcare, technology and employment sectors where AfAm’s are underrepresented
- Mandate a “livable” minimum wage statewide indexed to inflation, increase the Earned Income Tax Credit nationally, and protect worker’s rights
- Fund mentorship and incubator programs for underrepresented minority small business owners
- Increase access to funding for underrepresented minority small business owners
- Amend NRS to allow for construction bonding on public works jobs by private investors
- Develop a statewide economic plan to address the economic disparity in the Black community
- Support fair trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good jobs for American workers
- Fund transition assistance to help workers learn new skills in underrepresented markets
Immigration:
- Pathway to citizenship for long-term undocumented immigrants with paid restitution, back taxes and reasonable penalties and restrictions that do not penalize immigrants already processing applications in the system
- Reform the immigration application process and ensure diverse representation of our global society including Caribbean, and Africa which are underrepresented, and therefore we support the Diversity Visa Program asking both Congress and the President to include it in any final comprehensive immigration reform plan
- Expand and enforce employment laws that protect both jobs and wages for American workers and authorized immigrant workers
- Secure US borders
Ex-Offender Re-Entry, Incarceration, Sentencing:
- Eliminate over representation by Black incarceration and disparity in sentencing
- Amendment to NRS preventing jail time from traffic offenses keeping families together
- Automatic restoration of voting rights upon time served and full restitution
- Amend requirements for juveniles on trail as adults to age 16
- Review of parole/probation policies, including excessive fees for non-violent offenders keeping families together
- Prohibit the use of criminal, parole, probation questions on preliminary employment applications and eliminate the disparity in job access of Black ex-offenders
Law Enforcement & Judiciary:
- Reforms in use of force policy that reduces violations of individual rights
- Required body camera recordings retrievable by the public, regulations requiring community input and an independent review board
- Promote community policing and eliminate for-profit policing
- Include periodic psychology and mandatory cultural competency training for all officers
- Access to opportunity for the appointment of African Americans to judgeships, judge pro-tem appointments, and other judicial appointments that bring more balance to a judicial system that is currently under represented.
- Strengthening social justice and civil rights enforcement, combat employment discrimination, and enforce hate crimes statutes, end deceptive voting practices, end racial profiling, reduce crime recidivism by providing ex-offender support, eliminate sentencing disparity, and expand use of drug courts, community courts, and alternative sentencing of non-violent offenders.
- Additional funding for the Public Defender’s office and the National Legal Services Cooperation, and empower local civilian review boards.
Healthcare:
- Support quality universal healthcare
- Protect patients and patient’s rights, and eliminates the health disparity in the African American community
- Stronger protections from insurance company exploitation, discrimination and health and wellness programs, and full funding of Medicare and Medicaid
Faith Based:
- Support social service grants and resources specifically for faith based organizations serving communities in need
