Tomorrow, July 24, the Board of Supervisors will hold hearings on two critical issues for our community. Please join us in Martinez to make your voice heard. Share this message with other to help spread the word.

Speak up in support of approving and implementing the Board-appointed Contra Costa Racial Justice Task Force’s recommendations to address significant racial disparities in our criminal and juvenile justice systems.

Tuesday, July 24 at 9:30 AM

Contra Costa Board of Supervisors Chamber

651 Pine St., Room 107, Martinez

Background: In response to advocacy by the Contra Costa Racial Justice Coalition, in 2016 the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the creation of the Racial Justice Task Force. The members of the Task Force represent a wide range of local stakeholders including County criminal and juvenile justice agencies, County health and behavioral health, community-based organizations, local school districts, law enforcement agencies, and the community at large.

Over the past year, the Task Force reviewed data on local criminal and juvenile justice systems, discussed best and emerging practices for addressing racial disparities in those systems, and developed recommendations to address those disparities. Read the Final Report to the Board of Supervisors for key findings and the list of recommendations, including how each Task Force member voted on each recommendation.

Ensuring Opportunity has been deeply engaged in this process through our participation in the Contra Costa Racial Justice Coalition. We are grateful for the diligent advocacy and leadership this community-based coalition has provided on this issue over the past year.

For tomorrow, please prepare to speak up during public comment. Please read the final report above and come ready to speak for two minutes during Public Comment.

If you can’t come to the meeting tomorrow, please write to your Supervisor today to express support for the work the Task Force has done and urge adoption of all the recommendations, including the funding required to convert the Task Force to the next necessary committees.

TRUTH Act Forum

Join Ensuring Opportunity and our fellow members of the Contra Costa Immigrant Rights Alliance at the first annual TRUTH Act forum in Contra Costa.

Tuesday, July 24

Rally at 1:00 p.m.    Forum at 2:00 p.m.

Contra Costa Board of Supervisors Chamber

651 Pine St., Room 107, Martinez

Under California’s TRUTH Act, any jurisdiction that has allowed ICE access in the past year is required to hold a community forum describing the nature of that access and allowing opportunity for public comment. The goal is to bring transparency to local jurisdictions’ involvement with immigration enforcement.

Through community advocacy efforts, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors scheduled the forum to ensure that our community can get informed and ask questions about how our county works with ICE.

Sheriff David Livingston and Probation Chief Todd Billeci will attend the forum to present information on their respective agencies’ involvement with ICE, and will answer questions from the Board of Supervisors and the community.

Please come prepared to ask questions and share your experience. Note that because of the way the law is structured, this forum will only address the county’s involvement with ICE during the 2017 calendar year – not 2018.

Let’s make sure we show up for our community and our values!