Be the Bridge’s Post

Michigan lawmakers often prioritize party politics and their political ambitions over listening to voters, resulting in delayed and insufficient actions. The bills framed between 2019 and 2023 are now considered obsolete. In contrast, the Michigan Supreme Court is faced with raising the bar beyond the pending bills. Meanwhile, the highest court in Massachusetts recently ruled, in a narrow 4-3 decision, to raise the minimum age for mandatory life without parole from 18 to 21. This ruling is seen as a positive development by juvenile justice advocates. Juvenile Life Without Parole (JLWOP) sentences, the harshest punishment for underage offenders in the U.S., have faced criticism for being cruel and unusual, particularly affecting minority youth. In response to these concerns, some states, like California in 2018, have raised the age for JLWOP sentencing. It's crucial to recognize that juveniles are still developing individuals who deserve the opportunity for rehabilitation and a chance to contribute positively to society. Currently, 27 states and the District of Columbia have banned life sentences without parole for individuals under 18, while nine states have no one serving such sentences for offenses committed before age 18.

As we reflect on 2023, we are reminded that our mission to support the self-determination, power and liberation of Black, Brown, AAPI and Indigenous youth impacted by the youth justice, family policing and other disruptive systems is critical to realizing true liberation. Learn about the ways we supported an abolitionist framework, including insights from grantee partners in our year in review. https://buff.ly/48Grm5a #YearInReview #AFF #youthjustice

🌄 Personal Development Series: Finding Connection Under the Sacramento Sun 🌞 Recently, I embarked on a camping adventure in Sacramento, braving the summer heat to explore the great outdoors. But what truly made this trip memorable wasn’t just the stunning landscapes or the challenge of the elements—it was the people I met along the way. Despite the sweltering temperatures, the campgrounds buzzed with stories and laughter as strangers quickly became friends. We shared our experiences, hopes, and challenges around the campfire, forging bonds that extended beyond the duration of our stay. This trip reminded me of the power of "community" and the simple act of "communication". Whether we were swapping tips on staying cool or sharing personal anecdotes, each interaction helped build a sense of belonging and mutual support. In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel isolated, even when surrounded by others. Yet, taking the time to connect, listen, and share can turn a brief encounter into a lasting relationship. Just like the men at the All Kings retreat, who find strength and healing in communal experiences, we too can find incredible value in opening up to those around us. Here’s my encouragement to everyone: - Start a conversation with someone new. - Share your story and be open to hearing others’. - Build your community, one interaction at a time. Every person we meet is an opportunity for connection and growth. Let's embrace these moments and strengthen our bonds, whether in the wilderness or our everyday lives. 🌟 Your next meaningful connection could be just a "Hello" away. 🌟 #Community #Connection #Storytelling #PersonalGrowth #Sacramento #CampingAdventures #Networking #Inspiration

The resilience of officers upon hiring varies, as individuals bring diverse life experiences to their roles. Some may have effectively navigated adverse childhood experiences or sought help for traumatic events, contributing to their inherent resilience. However, this is not universal, and individuals may enter the profession with varying degrees of resilience. Understanding an officer's prior experiences with adversity and trauma is crucial, as it can impact their coping mechanisms, decision-making, and overall well-being on the job. Officers who have effectively managed and sought help for traumatic events may possess a certain level of resilience that can positively influence their performance and mental health. However, it's essential to recognize that resilience is a dynamic quality that can be nurtured and developed over time. The demanding nature of law enforcement work may require ongoing support and training to bolster officers' resilience throughout their careers. Therefore, while prior experiences may provide a foundation, ongoing efforts to cultivate and enhance resilience can be crucial for officers' overall well-being and effectiveness in their roles. Resilience, a unique set of characteristics, manifests through unwavering persistence, adaptive flexibility in navigating life's challenges, proactive measures in adversity, and a capacity for embracing negative emotions and setbacks (Ogińska-Bulik, 2015). Coping strategies, often deployed in response to perceived threats, play a crucial role in an individual's resilience (Martínez et al., 2020). To enhance the well-being of Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs), it is imperative to comprehend the detrimental coping strategies they employ in their roles, enabling the design of more effective wellness programs and services (Bradley, 2020). For resilience training initiatives to exert a positive impact on LEOs' mental health, bolster job satisfaction, and fortify resilience, they must zero in on fostering constructive coping skills sourced either from within the department or through peer networks. Additionally, these programs should enhance leadership capabilities, particularly in promoting fairness (Stogner et al., 2020). Jason M. Palamara and I are grateful to Donna Brown for her contribution to our book, Living Blue. Donna is resilient and we can learn much from her. #suicideprevention #suicideawareness #lawenforcementtraining #vicarioustrauma #resilience

"Those of us who critique these punitive methods who are committed to justice, practice our own versions of prisons, blacklists, takedowns, and public executions. When we don't agree with each other, we destroy each other. When we feel competitive with each other, we splinter and...destroy the other. We say we don't care, and then we invest time and energy into cultivating conflict with each other. When we feel scared, we destroy each other instead of working to get to the root of our fear. How do we shift into a culture in which conflict and differences is generative? I will admit here that even some of my closest loved ones find me naive for holding a vision of a humanity with no enemies. I can imagine it though, in fact, it seems like the only viable long-term solution. We need to transform all the energy we currently put into war and punishment into creating solutions for how to continue on this planet. We have been growing otherness, borders, separateness. And in all that division we have created layer upon layer of trauma and vengefulness, conditions for permanent war, practices that move us into a battle with the very planet we rely on for all life. Finding the places of healing and transformation, moving towards a world beyond enemies, is work that has to be done for our survival."-adrienne maree brown in Emergent Strategy.

What happens when constituents come together respectfully calling for action! In a 9-3 vote Council President Elliott Payne as well as Council Members Aurin Chowdhury, Aisha Chughtai, Robin Wonsley, Jason Chavez, Jeremiah Ellison, Jamal Osman, Andrea Jenkins and Katie Cashman voted for the resolution! This is what Upright Leadership and Government Process looks like! Elected officials intentionally listening to their Constituents Concerns and Reviewing Facts for the Greater Good of Humanity, because the Truth is Undeniable, and because Right is Right and Wrong is Wrong! If Majority of Minneapolis City Council Members can see it, what is President Biden and Congress using as their moral compass to continue to stay silent, but be very intentional in actions to finance Genocide with our tax dollars and veto Resolution's calling for Ceasefire and stop US Funding of Arms to Isreal!? Early Presidential Primary Voting is happening right now! Inaction is willingly letting anyone decide how you, your family, your loved ones, the community, the world live, work, eat, sleep, breathe, or lack thereof. Review All Candidates, Review Checks and Balances, Review Their Policies - Current As Well As Past, Review Their Funding Policies - How do they vote in Congress? Don't overlook this voting right as nothing more than a checked box! Don't overlook this voting right as insignificant, your voice and vote matter! Don't undermine your ability to educate yourself and fact check, not just go with the status quo or popular vote. Do the work, take the time to make an intentional vote. Do the work, take the time to respectfully hold elected officials accountable, vote for who resonates with your values! Inaction is willingly letting anyone decide how you live, work, eat, sleep, breathe, or lack thereof. #dotheworktakethetime #Yourvoicematters #Yourvotematters #AccountableLeaders #Strengthinnumbers #Uprightleadership

Now, more than ever, it is important to understand ourselves better, how we objectify others, how we demonize others, how we make them less than human and worthy of eradication. A couple good books in the territory are: Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others https://a.co/d/eCP2gQs And The Objectification Spectrum: Understanding and Transcending Our Diminishment and Dehumanization of Others https://a.co/d/5FyRVdH Also, there are YouTube videos that introduce Non-violent Communication ideas of Marshall Rosenberg. https://lnkd.in/dRu7ZMh2

Shooters in houses of worship. Gangs attacking mass transit commuters in New York. Deadly road and club/bar rage. Youngsters killing youngsters. Antisemitic, racial attacks on campuses and public spaces. Media that feeds on and entertains with violent news clips and programming. Political circles that further divide for advantage. We have long since abandoned our dedication to civil society and become a house divided. We are strangers to one another and to ourselves. The center no longer can hold. And enemies are at the door. So where do we go from here? First, we need to take a long look at ourselves. Do we in what we say and do contribute even in a small way to the discord/negativity around us? Do we look for/bring out the best or the worst in others? How does that reflect our attitude toward ourselves? Do we do exactly what our employer/client wants even if that may not be for the best of our community? Do we spend most of our time working and what’s left with family/friends? Do we ever spend time in prayer? Perhaps it’s a good time to reflect on the Civil War – in which more people died in our country than in all the wars combined – and meditate on what President Lincoln said at Gettysburg. https://lnkd.in/esTB3uBf

the future of policing in Pasco.

I would LOVE and APPRECIATE your questions and comments on this day. This is not black history, This is American history. We just happened to be black in it. After this day, June 19th, 1865, so much happened. Under the direction of then President Andrew Johnson, nearly all the southern states would enact their own black codes in 1865 and 1866. While the codes granted certain freedoms to African Americans—including the right to buy and own property, marry, make contracts and testify in court (only in cases involving people of their own race)—their primary purpose was to restrict Black peoples’ labor and activity. Black people who broke labor contracts were subject to arrest, beating and forced labor, and apprenticeship laws forced many minors (either orphans or those whose parents were deemed unable to support them by a judge 🤨) into unpaid labor for white planters. Passed by a political system in which Black people effectively had no voice, the black codes were enforced by all-white police and state militia forces—often made up of Confederate veterans of the Civil War—across the South. After passing the Civil Rights Act (over Johnson’s veto), Republicans in Congress effectively took control of Reconstruction. The Reconstruction Act of 1867 required southern states to ratify the 14th Amendment—which granted “equal protection” of the Constitution to former enslaved people—and enact universal male suffrage before they could rejoin the Union. The 15th Amendment, adopted in 1870, guaranteed that a citizen’s right to vote would not be denied “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” During this period of Radical Reconstruction (1867-1877), Black men won election to southern state governments and even to the U.S. Congress. However, white southerners showed a steadfast commitment to ensuring their supremacy and the survival of plantation agriculture in the postwar years. Support for Reconstruction policies waned after the early 1870s, undermined by the violence of white supremacist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan. By 1877, Black people had seen little improvement in their economic and social status, and the vigorous efforts of white supremacist forces throughout the region had undone the political gains they had made. Discrimination would continue in America with the rise of Jim Crow laws, but would inspire the civil rights movement to come. For more information on this post, go to HISTORY.COM