Black Love Resists In the Rust

We are grateful that Byron Jr. received the help he needed during a mental health crisis. We are grateful that Mayor Byron Brown acknowledges that people in the midst of mental health crises deserve a level of assistance that police officers are not equipped to provide. We also can't help but acknowledge that when 911 was called regarding Willie Henley "shouting for 3 hours", he was met with the force of more than six officers with guns drawn. Public servants do not get to c...hoose who is worthy of dignity and assistance and who is not. Byron Jr., Mr. Henley, and all persons experiencing mental health crises need adequate care from professionals who are equipped to deal with individuals in a state of crisis, not police. #DefundBPD #investInMentalHealth Drop the charges against Mr. Henley now! https://buffalonews.com//article_298aafbe-5816-11eb-b06c-1

BIPOC fam! Join us next Thursday for a BIPOC-restricted PE salon centered on the examination of "late" fascism in the context of the attempted coup and insurrection at the Capital and its close connection to us in Erie County. Event page with details here: https://fb.me/e/1vLs5SZqH --- White accomplices: we also need you!... Showing Up for Racial Justice - SURJ Buffalo is hosting a virtual general meeting for both new and existing members next Tuesday on how to identify, combat and disrupt white supremacy groups locally. Register in advance now: https://fb.me/e/3WMEUToqG See more

Beloveds, In moments like these we remember not only our commitment to collective struggle, but to collective healing as well. Tonight, at 6pm, we will be offering a centering/grounding space for Black and POC people (only). DM us for the link. ... Peace, and Love See more

Happy Holidays Family. Today begins the Kwanzaa celebration. Did you know Buffalo has one of the biggest Kwanzaa celebrations in the country? Kwanzaa is rooted in seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, creativity, faith, and purpose. ... The centering of these principles (along with others) keeps us on the path toward Black Liberation. We come together to not only fight, but to build and restore our families, and communities with creativity at the center. We stand in the collective dignity of all our Kindred, in faith that we are purposed for this work and that the future is ours to build. We know that to achieve a future where ALL Black people feel safe and secure its going to take all of us working and learning together, pooling resources where we can, providing radical mutual aid to one another, and being the keepers of our communities. Let these seven days of Kwanzaa be a time where we reflect on where we've been and look to where we're headed.

TW: State Violence Last night, at 9:27pm Brandon Bernard was executed by the federal government. Brandon was sentenced to death for a crime committed when he was 18, more than 20 years ago. Since then, 5 of the sentencing jurors have stated that, had they known all of the facts of the case, they would not have sentenced Brandon to the death penalty. The federal government stopped executing people in 2003. However, in July of 2020, and in the middle of a global pandemic, the ...Department of Justice, led by Attorney General William Barr, resumed federal executions. Brandon is the ninth person to be executed by the federal government since then, the ninth person to be executed in six months. Our thoughts and prayers are with Brandon's family and loved ones. This work to dismantle a system that is so brutal, unjust, and rooted in violence is a more than reform movement. Our people are dying as a result of state violence, be it in the streets, in their homes, in prison cells, or by execution. We need more than reform, we need abolition. #AbolishTheDeathPenalty #AbolishDeathByIncarceration #HALTSolitaryConfinement #FreeThemAll