June 5, 2020 Dear Price Community - Students, Faculty, Staff, & Friends - George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade are only a few of the recent unjust murders that have sparked unrest across the nation. We are at a time when injustices against communities of color, particularly Black communities, are normalized and perfunctory acts of violence are tolerated through a code of silence. For decades, policies and planning practices have systematically marginalized communities of color while the discriminatory policing practices in Black neighborhoods have grown. As a community of students, activists, and allies intent on positively changing the world, we are heartbroken and demoralized by these continued acts of racial violence across the country. The mission of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy is to improve the quality of life for people and communities worldwide. As constituents of this school, it is imperative that we lead with the intent to address and end discriminatory policies and systems that negatively impact and rob our marginalized, oppressed communities of their lives. Today, we continue to stand with Black communities in protest of state-sanctioned violence against Black lives. As a coalition of students of color and allies alike, we want you all to know that we stand unwaveringly in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. We join our voices alongside yours to demand justice! As student organizations, we came together because we recognize that change requires everyone’s participation. By doing this, we were able to share ideas, experiences, and more importantly, identify some action steps that we believe will be impactful immediately and long-term. Through a shared consensus, we will be proposing and actively building towards the following actions for the Price Community and our greater Los Angeles communities at large: For the Price Community: ● Transparent and institutionalized efforts, including funding infrastructure and student involvement, to recruit and retain a diverse staff and student body. This includes advocating for student involvement in the hiring process for the new Price Dean. ● Clear accountability for faculty who do not lift up and incorporate issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in the curriculum. ● Advocate for changes in policing, such as those that align with the “8CantWait” campaign, and for more transparency on testing and training of DPS personnel. ● Garner support from both internal and external networks to advocate for the people’s budget and additional policies that call for the intentional allocation of funding to community needs identified by the people ● Work to develop an updated framework to meet modern standards for diversity, equity, and inclusion, with the collective input of all faculty, student organizations, and students. For the Los Angeles Community: ● Commit to collaborating in a shared space in an ongoing series [that we will facilitate] that allows community organizations, local officials, individuals, and other entities to converse, educate, and share plans to combat racism and white supremacy through various lanes and ensure accountability on follow through. ● Affirm a commitment to combat racism and discrimination in the different systems that make up the community, including, but not limited to, housing, transportation, education, employment, and healthcare. ● Advocate for the implementation of the following policies measures across Los Angeles: ○ Require officers give warning before shooting ○ Require officers exhaust all other means before shooting ○ Require comprehensive Use of Force reporting Please note that the above list is not exhaustive. We are continuing conversations and brainstorming to ensure that there is follow-through, accountability, and long-term change. We also want to share with you a plethora of resources that you can use to support changing these issues through different capacities. United, we will continue the momentum of bringing about positive action and change! In solidarity, Graduate Policy Administration Community (GPAC) Black Price (BP) Students of Color and Allies Policy Forum (SCAPF) Mentorship for an Accessible Price (MAP) Student Health Council (SHC) International City/County Management Association at USC (ICMA@USC) Associated Students of Planning & Development (ASPD) Price Women and Allies (PWA)
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