A Black Agenda
We witnessed a historic showing of outrage and an uncompromising demand for change following the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by law enforcement. The message was clear: All Black Lives Matter. This phrase is more than a slogan, it is a call to action. Protests on the street must become real, fundamental reforms in the halls of power. These changes must not only affect how the Black community is policed, but also its health outcomes, financial security, and participation in American democracy. If Black Lives Matter, our laws should affirm and reflect it.
There is urgent work to be done on behalf of Black Americans. Covid-19 relief efforts must address the fact that African Americans are disproportionately represented both in cases and in unemployment. We will reinforce voting access to ensure no citizen — not Black nor low-income nor incarcerated — is denied the ballot. We will commit to restorative justice for descendants of slaves. We will take steps to ensure that Black trans people are given the resources to avoid homelessness and harm, as they so often historically experienced. We can, and will, do all these things knowing that the energy and solidarity demonstrated in the summer of 2020 can translate into lasting change in Congress.
Mckayla supports:
Reparations for the descendants of slaves, starting with H.R.40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act. H.R. 40 is a means to not only inform the public about the congenital effects of slavery that affect the African-American community but also prescribe measures of restorative and rehabilitative justice.
Strengthening voting rights in our community, especially through the For the People Act. This bill includes automatic voter registration, redistricting reform, and expanding public financing of elections.
The designation of Election Day as a federal holiday.
An end to the forty-year “War on Drugs”: abolition of the federal death penalty, cash bail, and the private prison system.
Investing in communities impacted by the forty-year “War on Drugs”: prioritizing home and business loans, funding for public and higher education, wrap-around services, community resources, etc.
Ensuring that the Green New Deal achieves equal economic and environmental outcomes for Black communities.
Achieving improved healthcare outcomes, including maternal health, for the Black community through a Medicare-for-All single-payer scheme.
Combatting the school-to-prison pipeline by targeting increases in funding for public schooling toward underserved communities — particularly in counseling and mental health resources in order to address the disproportionate rate of suspension and expulsion for Black students.
Investing federal dollars to reduce tuition and fees at private institutions that educate historically marginalized groups.