Black And Latinx Theatre Companies Of Dallas Host A Conversation About Dallas Police Reform

Black and Latinx Dallas theatre companies will host a virtual Q & A entitled, "New Policies to Support the Protest", with three authors of a 10-point plan to reform policing in Dallas in light of George Floyd's murder and protests that have shaken the city.

The plan's creation was requested by Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

This Wednesday, June 10th at 5:30 p.m. on Facebook Live, Sara Mokuria and John Fullinwider from Mothers Against Police Brutality (MAPB) and Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes III from Friendship West Baptist Church will outline their demands for police reform, contained in a document entitled 10 New Directions for Public Safety and Positive Community Change. These demands were co-authored with eight other community and faith leaders.

10 New Directions for Public Safety and Positive Community Change was presented to Judge Jenkins, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Dallas City Manager TC Broadnax and Dallas Police Chief Reneé Hall.

"Over-policing, racial profiling, and police brutality are not making our communities safer or more just." says John Fullinwider from MAPB. "We are specifically offering ideas for new budget priorities and greater accountability concerning police use of deadly force - ideas that should be included in the coming year's budget."

Those that signed this proposal and submitted for presentation to Judge Jenkins, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Mr. Broadnax and Chief Hall are:

Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes III, Friendship West Baptist Church
Pastor Michael Waters, Abundant Life AME Church
Sara Mokuria, Mothers Against Police Brutality
Kristian Steffany, DSA North Texas
Imam Dr. Omar Suleiman, Faith Forward Dallas
Jodi Voice, American Indian Heritage Day
Maria Yolisma Garcia, North Texas Dream Team
Brittany White, Faith in Action
John Fullinwider, Mothers Against Police Brutality
Rabbi Nancy Kasten, Faith Commons
Rev. Dr. George Mason, Wilshire Baptist Church and Faith Commons

"The vision for our coalition is to combine the extensive networks of each theatre to press Dallas City Council to pass the reforms in this plan," says CMT Executive Artistic Director David Lozano.

"We are at a pivotal moment in time," says Executive Artistic Director of Bishop Arts Theatre Center Teresa Coleman Wash. "What we do in these next few months will determine the fate of our existence on this planet. The foundation of this country is indeed rotten through and through. It's time we start have real conversations and real accountability. For some of us, we've been waiting all of our lives for this dialogue to happen."

New Policies to Support the Protest:
Interactive Facebook Live Q & A

Date: Wednesday, June 10th at 5:30 pm CST

Facebook Event Page: www.facebook.com/events/546797849318575/

To view the 10 New Directions for Public Safety and Positive Community Change, visit www.caramiatheatre.org/10-new-directions

Presented by Cara Mía Theatre, Bishop Arts Theatre Center,
Teatro Dallas, and Soul Rep Theatre Company

Mothers Against Police Brutality (MAPB) is a Dallas-based multi-generational, multi-racial, and multi-ethnic coalition uniting people nationally, from all walks of life, to hold law enforcement agencies more accountable. Collette Flanagan founded MAPB in 2013 after her son, Clinton Allen, an unarmed young man in custody, was shot to death by a Dallas police officer. MAPB works for an immediate end to the use of deadly force against unarmed persons; for changes in the overall use of excessive and deadly force to stop unnecessary injury and death; for changes in the treatment of mentally ill persons by police; for assistance to the families of the victims of police violence; for transparency and objectivity in the investigations of police misconduct; and for other changes in police policies and procedures to protect the lives of civilians, with a particular focus on protecting the lives of African American and Latino youth. Transforming grief into determination, Flanagan and MAPB are leading the charge to change deadly force policy in Dallas and throughout the U.S., lifting up families who have lost loved ones to police violence, and to help restore trust between the police and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect.

 

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