The stars earning from beyond the grave
When community infrastructures like after-school programs, affordable housing, childcare, and health services are defunded, there are less counselors and support services within the community to help people meet their needs. Police are then sent in to “solve” the problems that inevitably arise.
Since crime is widely recognized as a response to social conditions, when needs are met—in a sustainable way, through grassroots groups who know their communities—the idea is that there will be much less need for police.
Those who are calling to defund the police want to end the violent approach that disproportionately leaves black and brown people imprisoned or killed, and instead find better ways to uplift communities.
The money will be reallocated to marginalized communities through things like mental health services, livable wages, food security, education, employment, and affordable housing.
In the last few decades, police power and jurisdiction has expanded exponentially, but it's asking too much of police (whose training is usually around or less than 870 hours), as they respond to calls related to mental health, domestic violence, drug addiction, homelessness, and other areas where they’re not especially trained.
Policing reforms are changes to protocols including implicit bias training, mindfulness, de-escalation, police-community dialogue, body cameras, etc. It sounds nice, but it costs cities millions of dollars and Minneapolis is just one example of how none of the aforementioned reform tactics work.
In 2020, they had cut US$150 million from the police budget, which sounds like a lot, but it came out of their budget of US$1.8 billion. On the day of Derek Chauvin's trial, however, they announced a projected US$3 billion increase to the LAPD, calling much criticism.
The singer signed the petition and also pledged to donate money to Movement for Black Lives, National Lawyers Guild, and The Bail Project to protect Americans' "first amendment right to peacefully protest oppression and injustice."
When you consider how often we hear about funding cuts for things like education, health care, and social services, defunding the police doesn’t sound so radical, especially since their budgets have been steadily increasing.
The singer has shared several links to bail funds, community relief efforts, and initiatives to defund the police, noting that she has made donations and signed the petition.
In addition to signing the petition, the actress has also shared footage of the protests to her Instagram page and urged people to vote in the presidential primary election.
The actress has been advocating for a decrease in police budgets, and she shared the words of James Baldwin: "You always told me it takes time... how much time do you want for your progress?"
The singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, signed the letter to defund police and also shared screenshots of his donation receipts: US$200,000 to the Black Lives Matter Global Network, US$200,000 to The Colin Kaepernick Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative, and US$100,000 to National Bail Out.
In Minneapolis, the site of George Floyd's murder, the city council members announced their intent to disband the Minneapolis Police Department and invest in community-led public safety.
The actress wrote on Instagram, "In my home city of Los Angeles, 54% of the city's budget goes to police! OVER HALF!!! I can't even find 'education resources' on the Mayor's budget pie! A healthy society is not built on policing! We need healthcare, education, jobs and social services!"
The rapper and actor signed the petition and has urged his followers to make their voices heard at the voting booth.
The actress was vocal about the petition to defund police, and called on her followers to get Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to cut the proposed budget. She shared photos with the hashtag #CareNotCops.
The model and activist has been in protests in LA, and tweeted, "How many cops have resigned because their bosses ordered them to shoot rubber bullets and tear gas at unarmed civilians? #DefundThePolice."
The 'Insecure' and 'Flash' actor has signed the petition and been on the frontlines of protests, witnessing police brutality on peaceful demonstrators and getting hit with rubber bullets himself. "Now is the time," he wrote on Instagram, "to make concrete demands for a future where Black lives not only matter, but can thrive."
The 'Insecure' creator/star was snapped protesting on the street with a sign that read, "Bye, Policia! Defund the police."
The 'Westworld' actress signed the letter to defund the police and has been sharing a lot of information on her Instagram about the pitfalls of policing as it has historically functioned.
The singer has repeatedly posted her support for defunding the police and she's been protesting in LA and sharing information with her millions of followers.
See also: African-American celebrities who are vocal about equality.
Almost a year after the video of George Floyd's murder went viral, the police officer Derek Chauvin who kept his knee on Floyd's neck has finally been found guilty in a history-making trial. But though this justice for George Floyd's family is significant, there is much work to be done. From Breonna Taylor to Ahmaud Arbery who were killed around the same time, to more recently Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo, and the 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant who was shot dead by police just minutes before the Chauvin verdict was read, there remains a profoundly harrowing intersection of racial inequality and police brutality.
One of the biggest goals shared by protestors around the world is to “defund the police,” which has come with the support of numerous organizations, a huge trending hashtag, and various celebrities’ influence. Many stars have signed a petition started by The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of black-rights organizations, to advocate for state and local governments to defund the police, and many others have voiced their support online. Click through to see which celebs are onboard, what exactly it means, and how it’s already taking shape.
Celebs who want to defund the police—and what that actually looks like
Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of George Floyd's murder, but these stars envision more for their communities
CELEBRITY Social justice
Almost a year after the video of George Floyd's murder went viral, the police officer Derek Chauvin who kept his knee on Floyd's neck has finally been found guilty in a history-making trial. But though this justice for George Floyd's family is significant, there is much work to be done. From Breonna Taylor to Ahmaud Arbery who were killed around the same time, to more recently Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo, and the 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant who was shot dead by police just minutes before the Chauvin verdict was read, there remains a profoundly harrowing intersection of racial inequality and police brutality.
One of the biggest goals shared by protestors around the world is to “defund the police,” which has come with the support of numerous organizations, a huge trending hashtag, and various celebrities’ influence. Many stars have signed a petition started by The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of black-rights organizations, to advocate for state and local governments to defund the police, and many others have voiced their support online. Click through to see which celebs are onboard, what exactly it means, and how it’s already taking shape.