Photo by Axel Drainville of Flicker

by Karen Melton, Southeast PA volunteer

Chloe Selles, Eastern PA Community Organizer, lives in Harrisburg, but in her role supporting Ready for 100 programs (RF100), she speaks with many volunteer leaders from around the state.  A leader call in late June began what will be an ongoing dialogue about the intersection of racial and environmental justice, and about values that need to underpin the RF100 program – community, justice, equity – and how to practice those values. Many RF100 volunteers she works with are actively engaged in supporting Black Lives Matter actions and protests in their local communities.

 In Harrisburg, the mayor has been speaking about possible changes to the police budget such as filling vacant officer positions with social workers or community members who could act as ‘violence interrupters’. Other changes being considered are investments in police training and adopting additional specific policies about the use of force. Local activists have been organizing protests, packing city council meetings, and raising money for a school fund to assist low income students predominantly Black public schools.

State College saw repeated marches of up to 1,000, including many young people. In March of 2019 police shot and killed a young Black man while serving a mental health warrant. In response, an organization known as the 3/20 Coalition was formed, and has been seeking action on a list of ten demands ranging from specific use of force policy changes to a number of measures that would increase transparency and public access to policing data and misconduct information.

Multiple protests have been held in Reading, including the July 9th March against White Supremacy that saw six people arrested when they blocked the entrance to the parking garage for city hall. One officer threatened the protesters with an attack by a police dog. The demands being made include removal of a Columbus statue; closure of the Berks Detention Center and release of the immigrant families being held there; elimination of cash bail; and defunding of the Reading police and sheriff’s department.

  This blog was included as part of the 2020 Fall Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!