THE REAL CRIME IS THE MASS CRIMINALIZATION OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

For Jails and Cops friday at Scission, let's try something different.  Let's try a video that you should see, use, and spread around.  This is a video produced by the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI).  This video is only four minutes long but it clearly defines mass incarceration, mass criminalization, and the racist immigration detention and deportation agenda in this country.   As Stop Detaining Immigrants writes:

In a day and age where divide and conquer is the norm, and the folks aim to pit citizens against non-citizens, African Americans against migrants, and those with a criminal record against those without, it’s our duty to stand in unity against those who ultimately aim to keep our communities under-resourced and oppressed.

We know that we truly are stronger together, so please help us share the video and build beyond #TheRealCrime!

BAJI defines itself as:

...an education and advocacy group comprised of African Americans and black immigrants from Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean. It was founded in April 2006 in response to the massive outpouring of opposition of immigrants and their supporters to the repressive immigration bills then under consideration by the U.S. Congress.

Black activists in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area were called to action by Rev. Kelvin Sauls,a South African immigrant and Rev. Phillip Lawson, a long time Civil Rights leader and co-founder/co-chair of the California Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights.

BAJI also grew out of the efforts of the Priority Africa Network. PAN organizes Africa Diaspora Dialogues which have brought African Americans and black immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America together to dialogue about the myths and stereotypes as well as the cultural, social and political issues that divide our communities.

BAJI provides the African American community with a progressive analysis and framework on immigration that links the interests of African Americans with those of immigrants of color. BAJI’s analysis emphasizes the impact of racism and economic globalization on African American and immigrant communities as a basis for forging alliances across these communities.

Our VisionRacial, social, and economic justice for all.

Principles of  Unity

• All people, regardless of immigration status, country of origin, race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation or HIV status deserve human rights as well as social and economic justice.

• Historically and currently, U.S. immigration policy has been infused with racism, enforcing unequal and punitive standards for immigrants of color.

• Immigration to the United States is driven by an unjust international economic system that deprives people of the ability to earn a living and raise their families in their home countries. Through international trade, lending, aid and investment policies, the United States government and corporations are the main promoters and beneficiaries of this unjust economic system.

• African Americans, with our history of being economically exploited, marginalized and discriminated against, have much in common with people of color who migrate to the United States, documented and undocumented.

Values Statement: BAJI values the kinship of our humanity by embracing gender equality, diversity of generations, immigration status and experience.

Again, spend a few minutes, check out the video, and then pass it along.

The following is from BAJI.

THE REAL CRIME: MASS CRIMINALIZATION OF OUR COMMUNITIES

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#TheRealCrime Everyday, people of color in the United States are being criminalized for their economic condition, their race, their migrant status, gender and so much more. There is a pandemic of mass criminalization that is ravaging our neighborhoods and our society. Structural racism and oppression would have us believe that we are inherently flawed, that we are criminals. However, the real crime is demonizing, criminalizing and imprisoning millions of young men and women, relegating them to the margins of society as disenfranchised, unemployable pariahs. African Americans and other communities of color, including immigrants are being profiled, surveilled, locked up and locked out of society.  Watch the video to learn more about how this is happening and what we can do to stop the real crime in our communities. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU –  1) Will you join us in sharing what you think #therealcrime is on social media? 2) What are your solutions to #therealcrime?