Many of you have asked for more information about the follow up meeting to the National Moment of Silence, announced from the pulpit last Sunday morning.

The meeting will take place at the Minneapolis Urban League this Thursday, August 21, from 5:30 – 7:00 PM. 

Minneapolis Urban League 2100 Plymouth Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55411

From the Minneapolis Urban League:

On Thursday August 14, hundredscame together in Minneapolis (one of 1219 vigils in 43 states) to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of those who killed by police violence. Every 28 hours, a Black man, woman, or child.is extra- judicially killed by by police, security guards and vigilantes. Most recently, this includes Michael Brown, Eric Garner, John Crawford, and Renisha McBride, and so many more.

This follow-up meeting will discuss next steps for action both locally and nationally. Police violence exists in a larger context of criminalization, which includes:

• Mass Imprisonment: The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with more than 2.3 in prisons and jails, many as the result of the War on Drugs. Another 7 million are on supervisor, either probation or parole.
• Collateral Consequences: Those with arrest or conviction records are hindered in pursuit of employment, voting rights, access to housing, education and economic assistance.
• School to Prison Pipeline: The process of suspending, expelling and arresting children at school via harsh zero tolerance policies and an increased presence of police in the hallways.

These issues and actions we can take as a community will be the focus of discussion as we continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Ferguson Missouri and victims of police violence.

Please invite others. Everyone is both welcome and needed to work for change.