Happy Monday from APA! We are sharing upcoming events and ways to get involved every week. Here's your weekly blast:

Check this out! Mary Heinen, co-founder of the Prison Creative Arts Project at the University of Michigan, spoke from experience at “Green Decarceration: The Intersection of Environmental Justice and Criminal Justice Reform”. 

When Heinen was incarcerated, prison guards told her that properties 100 miles around the prison would not sell because the water was toxic. 

“If you got a cup of water and tried to make a cup of coffee, you can see oil on the top of it and little white crystals in it,” Heinen said. “And there were warnings in the visiting room: don’t drink the water, and if you’re pregnant, really don’t drink the water. But you knew, I’m drinking this, I’m bathing in this, my clothes are being washed in this. You knew you were in trouble.”

Click here to read the full article!

This event will be an opportunity for participants to explore how communities of faith can be supportive of the on-going, long-term efforts of organizations that have been working with law enforcement and local government to bring about changes for the common good. This gathering will be a space to listen, learn, ask questions, and identify how we can best do our part in this important work. 

We will explore how we can effectively work together in saving lives and keeping the peace as communities, communities of faith, faith-based organizations, and community-based organizations 

Vigil in memory of Jim Rogers and Peter Spencer - at 12:30-1:00 p.m.

on the corner of Centre Ave. and South Aiken

Food available for purchase at the Revival Chili Food Truck - at 12:00 noon

 Masks are required per First United Methodist Church policy

Saving Lives, Keeping the Peace: A Forum on Policing and Social Justice

Sunday, April 10, 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

First United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh, 5401 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh

Registration: https://savinglives-keepingpeace.eventbrite.com/

What does abolition look like to you? Join us for a discussion of how institutional punishment has impacted our community.

On October 14, 2021 Jim Rogers was pronounced dead in the hospital after an altercation with Pittsburgh police. The Police officers shocked him with a Taser gun multiple times during an encounter involving a missing bike. The officers involved claimed that Rogers, age 54 at the time, was non compliant which caused his death.

On March 23, Mayor Ed Gainey announced the firings of the five officers connected to the death of Jim Rogers. Jim Rogers was murdered by these 5 police officers after a call about a bicycle theft.

Here is APA's response to Gainey's Administrations statement:

#JusticeforPeterSpencer

Peter Spencer was a young, Black immigrant from Jamaica that was gunned down and murdered in Venango county on Dec 11th. Alliance for Police Accountability(APA) is asking for handwritten letters to be sent to Cindy Chung, "since she has direct responsibility for Western PA and ranks over Venango County DA Shawn White."

The ask is to remove the local DA from the case and for a true investigation to be conducted. These do NOT have to be long letters. Please use this Washington Post article for reference.

Send letters to:

The Hon. Cindy K. Chung

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania

700 Grant St., Suite 4000 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Petition to Reunite Philadelphia Immigrant Detainee with his Family

Mamadee is a Muslim Immigrant from West Africa. He has lived in Philadelphia since he was six years old.

Mamadee has been detained by ICE since May 2020. He was transferred from York County Prison to Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, a thousand miles from his family and lawyer in Philadelphia. His continued detention is unnecessary, inhumane, and serves no purpose. Due to his detention, he has been unable to meet his 3-year old daughter, Tena, forcing her mother to raise her as a single parent.

Join Mamadee, his family, Gian-Grasso, Tomczak, & Hufe P.C. Law Firm, Africom, Southern Poverty Law Center, and New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia in our efforts to get his family back together. Please click and sign the petition link below to support Mamadee's freedom

We need your support! APA is calling out to #EndCashBail

Did you know? Studies have shown that defendants' rates of appearance for trials after the reforms were implemented are similar or better to rates of appearances before the reform. Non convicted individuals face the challenges of losing their homes, jobs, and livelihoods because they cannot afford to pay the amounts the judge has given them. This system was built to profit off of the backs of individuals who are over policed and most commonly from low income communities.  

Please join us with the fight against cash bail that targets our communities, this is something that needs to end. 

To learn more, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join us in the fight to #EndCashBail

We are concerned about the over policing in Allegheny County when it comes to the traffic stops. The police do not record data on why you're being pulled over, and we want to know why as we are working on expanding the new traffic stop legislation that was just passed to stop police officers from pulling over civilians for minor traffic violations. We want to make sure the new traffic stop legislation is reflective of the reasons why YOU are being pulled over. Please fill out the traffic stop survey below!

The courts on the local, and state level in Pennsylvania are accepting proposals to change the rules for cash bail, and would like to hear from the community! While our position is to completely end cash bail altogether, your input on this issue is extremely important.

Here are the local, and state proposed rules, as well as a guide, and summary from American Civil Liberties Union on the local, and state proposals. We look forward to hearing from you!  

Are you hiring or looking to post a new job opening? Email your job description to info@apa-pgh.org so we can help you spread the word!