URBAN JUSTICE CENTER

THE SAFETY NET PROJECT STANDS IN UNCONDITIONAL SOLIDARITY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ALL FORMS OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND ANTI-BLACKNESS. WITH SORROW AND RAGE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE KILLINGS OF GEORGE FLOYD, BREONNA TAYLOR, TONY MCDADE, DAVID MCATEE, AND AHMAUD ARBERY REPRESENT ONLY SOME OF THE MANY BLACK LIVES LOST TO RACIST STATE VIOLENCE IN ALL ITS FORMS. WE SPEAK THEIR NAMES AND THE NAMES OF OTHERS LIKE. ELEANOR BUMPER, AMADOU DIALLO, KIMANI GREY, ERIC GARNER, AKAI GURLEY, DAVID FELIX, DELRAWN SMALL, DEBORAH DANNER, SAHEEN VASSELL,AND SO MANY MORE KILLED BY THE NYPD. WE MOURN THEIR DEATHS AND WE UNEQUIVOCALLY CONDEMN THE RACIST POLICING APPARATUS THAT HAS TAKEN SO MANY BLACK LIVES.WE SEE THE RIGHTEOUS ANGER AND THE DEEP SORROW IN ALL THE CURRENT UPRISINGS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. WE SEE THE DEEP STRUCTURAL INEQUALITY OF OUR SOCIETY, WHICH VALUES PROFITS AND PROPERTY OVER PEOPLE. A SOCIETY THAT HAS SPENT MORE ON MILITARIZING POLICE AND PRISONS THAN IT HAS ON HOSPITALS, ESSENTIAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES, AND HOUSING FOR OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS, EVEN WHILE A GLOBAL PANDEMIC BRINGS WIDESPREAD DEATH. AND WE ASK: WHAT ARE WE SAYING ABOUT THE VALUE OF BLACK AND BROWN LIVES WHEN THE NURSE WHO WILL TREAT YOU IS WEARING A GARBAGE BAG BUT THE COP WHO WILL BEAT YOU IS EQUIPPED WITH THE FINEST MILITARY GRADE WEAPONRY? WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO GO ON.OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY. HOWEVER, WE ARE INSPIRED BY THE TENS OF THOUSANDS WHO HAVE HAD THE BRAVERY TO CONFRONT RACIST STATE VIOLENCE HEAD-ON. WE ARE ALSO STRENGTHENED IN OUR RESOLVE TO BRING ALL THAT WE CAN TO THE COLLECTIVE STRUGGLE FOR A WORLD BEYOND POLICE AND PRISONS, A WORLD THAT CHERISHES BLACK LIVES, A WORLD THAT HAS JUSTICE AND EQUALITY RUNNING DEEPLY THROUGH ITS VEINS.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROJECT (DVP) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2003 AS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE DISCONNECT AMONGST LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS FOR SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS EMERGING AS ONE OF THE FIRST PROVIDERS TO CHAMPION ALL SURVIVOR VOICES REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR OTHERWISE. DVP HAS GROWN FROM 1 STAFF MEMBER IN ONE BOROUGH TO 23 FULL TIME STAFF AND A TEAM OF INTERNS, PRO BONO ATTORNEYS, AND VOLUNTEERS, CITYWIDE.WE MEET THE FULL NEEDS OF SURVIVORS THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL AND ADVOCACY SERVICES. DVP IS UNIQUE IN ITS APPROACH THAT VALUES AND RECOGNIZES THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF ALL INDIVIDUALS. OUR WORK IS HOLISTIC, BASED IN CLIENT SELF-DETERMINATION, STRENGTHS-BASED, AND COLLABORATIVE.SERVICES ARE TRAUMA-INFORMED, ALLOWING STAFF TO DEVELOP WORKING ALLIANCES WITH CLIENTS WHILE THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS ARE MET. FOSTERING SKILL BUILDING TO BETTER NAVIGATE AND OVERCOME BARRIERS, STAFF PRIORITIZE SERVICES IN WAYS THAT REFLECT CLIENT PREFERENCES WHILE ALSO ENSURING SAFETY. CURRENTLY, OUR SERVICES INCLUDES LEGAL ASSISTANCE, ADVOCACY, OUTREACH & TRAINING.