The letter can be found below, and a PDF version is available here.

Black people have been killed, Black people are dying at the hands of police, our country is in crisis, and we all need to take action. We cannot sit on the sidelines, we cannot acquiesce, and we cannot assign responsibility to others. We, as leaders in the LGBTQ movement, must rise up and call for structural change, for divestment of police resources and reinvestment in communities, and for long-term transformational change. Now is the time to take action, and this letter amplifies our strong calls for urgent and immediate action to be taken.

Ongoing police brutality and systemic racism has plagued this nation for generations and has been captured on video and laid bare to the public in the United States and around the world. In 2019, more than 1,000 people were killed at the hands of the police. We mourn the unacceptable and untimely deaths of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Stephon Clark, Freddie Gray, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Mya Hall, Tony McDade, Rayshard Brooks and many more who were gone too soon.

We have seen with increased frequency the shocking video footage of police brutality. Officers have been recorded instigating violence, screaming obscenities, dragging individuals out of cars, using unnecessary force, holding individuals at gunpoint, and kneeling on peoples’ necks to the desperate plea of “I can’t breathe.” These occurrences are stark reminders of a police system that needs structural changes, deconstruction, and transformation. No one should fear for their lives when they are pulled over by the police. Parents should not have to “have a talk” about how to engage with the police to their children. We as a nation are bleeding, and it is now, once again, time to call for change at every level of government.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with more than 400 other civil rights organizations including LGBTQ organizations, outlined critical steps ranging from demilitarizing law enforcement to ending qualified immunity that must be taken at the federal level to end police brutality and create accountability. In response to the continued violence, Representative Karen Bass (D-CA), working closely with the Congressional Black Caucus and other leaders in Congress, introduced the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 that reflects those core priorities which we support.

We also call for a divestment of public funding from police and a reinvestment in communities. Specifically, both the power and scope of police responsibilities should be significantly curtailed, by shifting certain responsibilities — such as mental health crisis response — from armed police officers to the professionals who are properly trained and better equipped to manage those responsibilities. True change must include the following principles.

Divesting of Public Funding From Police and Investing in Our Communities

Public funding should be shifted from police to reinvesting in our communities. Crime is often a symptom of scarcity and our frayed social safety net is sorely underfunded. The United States spends twice as much on policing, prisons, and courts as it does on direct welfare programs such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and supplemental social security. Congress, states, and local governments can reduce incidents of crime and create healthy communities by investing in direct assistance programs, affordable housing, education, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and early intervention programs (including violence interruption programs).

Shifting Most First Responder Responsibilities Away From Police

Our current crisis-response system should place healthcare workers, like social workers and psychiatrists, at the frontline of immediate health crisis events, not police officers. Inadequate healthcare and a lack of social safety nets have led to increased police interaction with individuals experiencing mental health crises. As a result, police officers are often called to assist in mental health emergencies, despite having little or no relevant training. This should change.

End Predictive Policing

We must address and stop the current use of predictive policing techniques that disproportionately affect minority communities. Predictive policing forecasts crime using algorithmic techniques, based on historical crime data, to determine where to deploy police and who is most likely to commit a crime. Not only does this dangerously reinforce discriminatory biases in the criminal justice system, resulting in over-policing of vulnerable communities, such as people of color and those from the LGBTQ community, but there is a lack of transparency from agencies that employ this method. Law enforcement agencies are often not required to share how or what data is being analyzed. Furthermore, these predictive technologies serve to escalate the level of enforcement and increase police presence in communities that are already over-surveilled. All law enforcement strategies must take into account the privacy concerns of the communities being policed, as well as the impact of over-policing on vulnerable communities. The use of predictive policing algorithms disregards both.

Police Union Contracts Should Be Made Public and Officers Held Liable

Currently, police union contracts make it nearly impossible for civilians to view information about officers, including incidents of prior misconduct. In doing so, police officers are shielded from accountability for their actions. The disciplinary history of a police officer whose personnel records are riddled with instances of misconduct and bad behavior should not be protected from public scrutiny. Making these contracts public and removing barriers that restrict access to records of police misconduct would allow for greater transparency and oversight and are necessary for public safety. Police union contracts must also hold police officers financially liable for killings and excessive use of force, including ending paid administrative leave and eligibility to be rehired by police departments.

As we consider these proposals, we should also evaluate how we reduce our over-reliance on policing to secure public safety.

We, the undersigned, call out for change and call out for change now. There is no state, no municipal jurisdiction, and no law enforcement agency where transformational changes are not necessary and urgent. When celebrating Pride Month this June, we must remember that the protests and riots from Compton’s Cafeteria to Stonewall were sparked by Black and Latinx transgender women calling for police reform due to harassment and mistreatment of LGBTQ people. We commemorate the history of the LGBTQ Movement, namely our resistance to police harassment and brutality across the nation, when such violence was common and expected. We remember this time as transformative, where we overcame our pain and fear to push for the ability to live a more authentic and free life. Today, we join together again to say that enough is enough. The time for structural change and transformation is now.

Signers

  • African American Office of Gay Concerns
  • African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC)
  • AMAAD Institute
  • American Civil Liberties Union
  • American Protestant Union
  • Annapolis Pride
  • APAIT
  • APLA Health
  • Aqua Foundation for Women
  • Arianna’s Center
  • Asexual Outreach
  • Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN)
  • AsylumConnect
  • Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network
  • AVOL Kentucky
  • Riley Sober House
  • Basic Rights Oregon
  • Baton Rouge Pride
  • Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice
  • Being Alive/People with AIDS Action Coalition, Inc.
  • Bet Mishpachah
  • BHT Foundation
  • Bi Women Quarterly
  • BiLaw
  • Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center
  • BiPOL
  • Bisexual Organizing Project (BOP)
  • Bisexual Resource Center
  • BJF Interiors
  • Black Trans Advocacy Coalition
  • Black Trans Women Inc
  • Blue Ridge Pride Center, Inc.
  • Boston Gay Men’s Chorus
  • Boston Pride
  • Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
  • Brooklyn Community Pride Center
  • Campaign for Southern Equality
  • Campus Pride
  • CANDLE
  • Care Resource Community Health Centers, Inc.
  • Cascade AIDS Project
  • CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
  • Central Outreach Wellness
  • Cincinnati Men’s Chorus
  • Coastal Bend PRIDE Center
  • Colors+
  • Community Education Group
  • Compass LGBTQ Community Center
  • Contigo Fund
  • Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide
  • Dallas Voice/Voice Publishing Co.
  • Deaf Queer Resource Center
  • Desert AIDS Project
  • Diocese of Southern Ohio
  • Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance – AllianceQ
  • Dolphin Democrats
  • Drag Story Hour- Arizona
  • East Bay Getting to Zero
  • EduTechnologic
  • End Hep C SF
  • Equal Rights Washington
  • Equality Arizona
  • Equality Business Alliance
  • Equality California
  • Equality Delaware Foundation
  • Equality Florida
  • Equality Michigan
  • Equality Nevada
  • Equality New York
  • Equality North Carolina
  • Equality Ohio
  • Equality Prince William
  • Equality Texas
  • Equality Utah
  • EqualityMaine
  • Equitas Health
  • Equitas Health Institute
  • Family Equality
  • Fijate Bien Program/MPact Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights
  • FL NOW (National Organization for Women)
  • Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus
  • Florida Trans Proud Inc
  • FORGE, Inc.
  • Four Corners Rainbow Youth Center
  • Frank Harr Foundation
  • Freedom for All Americans
  • Freedom Through Healing
  • FreeState Justice – Maryland’s LGBTQ+ Advocates
  • Friendly House Inc/SAGE Metro Portland
  • GAPIMNY—Empowering Queer & Trans Asian Pacific Islanders
  • Gay City: Seattle’s LGBTQ Center
  • Gay Freedom Band of Los Angeles (GFBLA)
  • Gender Equality New York
  • Georgia Equality
  • Get Out And Trek (GOAT)
  • GLAAD
  • GLBT Alliance of Santa Cruz
  • GLBT Historical Society
  • GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
  • GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
  • GLSEN
  • GLSEN Southern Nevada
  • GMHC
  • Harvey Milk Festival, Inc
  • Harvey Milk Foundation
  • Have A Gay Day
  • Hawai’i Institute for Human Rights
  • Hearts on a Wire
  • Henderson Equality Center
  • Hester Street Fair, LLC
  • Hetrick-Martin Institute: New Jersey
  • Holyoke Pride
  • Hope & Help, Inc.
  • Horizons Foundation
  • Houston GLBT Political Caucus
  • Howard Brown Health
  • Hudson Pride Center
  • Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation
  • Human Rights Alliance Santa Fe
  • Human Rights Campaign
  • Identity, Inc.
  • Immigration Equality
  • Inside Out Youth Services
  • Institute for LGBT Health and Wellbeing
  • International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
  • InterPride
  • Jackson Pride Center
  • JustUs Health
  • KatKeo Properties LLC
  • Keshet
  • Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles
  • Lambda Legal
  • Latino LinQ
  • Lesbians of Color Symposium (LOCS) Collective, Inc.
  • Lesbians Who Tech & Allies
  • Leslie Lohman Museum of Art
  • LGBT Caucus of the California Democratic Party
  • LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland
  • LGBT Life Center
  • LGBTQ Allyship
  • LGBTQ Center OC
  • LGBTQ Center of Bay County
  • LGBTQ Community Center of Southern Nevada
  • LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert
  • LGBTQ Northwest Indiana / Northwest Indiana Pride
  • LGBTQ+Allies Lake County
  • Liberty City LGBTQ Democratic Club
  • Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY)
  • Long Island LGBT Community Center
  • Lorain County LGBTQ+ & Allies Task Force
  • Los Angeles Bi Task Force
  • Los Angeles LGBT Center
  • Mass Equality
  • Math4cure
  • Mazzoni Center
  • Media for the Public Good, Inc. / OutCasting Media
  • Meroe & Wellness, LLC
  • Methodist Federation for Social Action
  • Movement Advancement Project
  • Nashville LGBT Chamber
  • Nashville Pride
  • National Black Justice Coalition
  • National Center for Lesbian Rights
  • National Center for Transgender Equality
  • National Coalition for LGBT Health
  • National Equality Action Team (NEAT)
  • National LGBT Cancer Network
  • National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
  • National LGBTQ Task Force
  • National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals, Inc.
  • National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
  • National Queer Theater
  • National Trans Visibility March
  • National Working Positive Coalition
  • New England Aces
  • New York City AIDS Memorial
  • New York City Gay Men’s Chorus
  • New York LGBT Network
  • North Carolina AIDS Action Network
  • North Shore Alliance of LGBTQ Youth
  • Oakland LGBTQ Community Center
  • Oasis Legal Services
  • Oklahomans for Equality
  • ONE Archives Foundation
  • One Colorado
  • One Orlando Alliance
  • one-n-ten
  • Openhouse
  • ORAM – Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration
  • oSTEM
  • Our Family Coalition
  • Out & Equal
  • Out Boulder County
  • OUT Georgia Business Alliance
  • Out in Tech
  • Out in the Open
  • Out In The Vineyard
  • Out Leadership
  • Out on Film
  • OutCenter of Southwest Michigan
  • Outfest
  • OutNebraska
  • OutRight Action International
  • OUTspoken Leaders
  • Palm Beach County Human Rights Council
  • Pan Eros Foundation
  • Partnership Project
  • Peer Support Space, Inc.
  • Peoria Proud
  • PFLAG Cape Cod
  • PFLAG Crown Point (Northwest Indiana)
  • PFLAG National
  • PFLAG NYC
  • PFLAG Olympia
  • PFLAG Orlando, Inc.
  • PFLAG South Miami
  • PFLAG Spartanburg
  • PFLAG Washington State Council
  • PFund Foundation
  • Philadelphia Family Pride
  • Phoenix Gay Men’s Chorus
  • Phoenix Pride
  • Planned Parenthood Keystone
  • Planned Parenthood Keystone’s Youth Programs (Rainbow Room, The Spectrum, The Curve)
  • Plexus LGBT Chamber of Commerce
  • Point Foundation
  • PRC
  • Pride Arts (Pride Films and Plays)
  • Pride at Work
  • Pride Center of the Capital Region
  • Pride Center West Texas
  • Pride Community Center, Inc (Brazos Valley, Texas)
  • Pride Community Services Organization
  • Pride Films and Plays/Pride Arts
  • Pride Fund 1
  • Pride Law Fund
  • Project MORE Foundation
  • Project No Labels
  • PROMO
  • Proud Haven Inc
  • Q Christian Fellowship
  • QLatinx
  • QLaw Foundation of Washington
  • Queens LGBT Center (Q-Center)
  • Queer Connect, Inc.
  • Queer Kid Stuff
  • Queerocracy
  • Rainbow Elder Care of Greater Dayton
  • Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance
  • Rebellious PR & Consulting
  • Reconciling Ministries Network
  • Resource Center
  • Rhode Island Pride
  • Ring of Keys
  • Rockland County Pride Center
  • RUSA LGBT – Russian-speaking American Association
  • Sacramento LGBT Community Center
  • Safe Schools Action Network
  • SAGE — Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders
  • SAGE Metro Detroit
  • SAGE Upstate
  • San Diego LGBT Visitors Center
  • San Diego Pride
  • San Francisco AIDS Foundation
  • San Francisco Community Health Center
  • San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® Womens Motorcycle Contingent
  • Sandhills PRIDE
  • Sarwood Inc.
  • SAVE – Safeguarding American Values for Everyone
  • Seattle Aces and Aros
  • Seattle Choruses: SMC/SWC
  • Sero Project
  • SF LGBT Center
  • Side by Side VA
  • Silver State Equality-Nevada
  • SOJOURN
  • Southern Arizona Gender Alliance
  • SpeakOUT Boston
  • Spectrum Spokane
  • Stanislaus LGBTQ+ Collaborative for Well-Being
  • StartOut
  • Still Bisexual
  • Stonewall Columbus
  • Stonewall Democratic Club
  • Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio
  • Stonewall National Museum & Archives
  • Stonewall Sports – Richmond
  • SunServe
  • TBuddy
  • Tennessee Equality Project
  • Texas Pride Impact Funds
  • The Affirmative Couch, LLC
  • The Bearded Ladies Cabaret
  • The Box Gallery
  • The Bros in Convo Initiative
  • The Chroma Museum
  • The Cubbyhole Bar
  • The DC Center for the LGBT Community
  • The Diversity Center
  • The Fund for Community Reparations for Autistic People of Color’s Interdependence, Survival, and
  • Empowerment
  • The Great Griffon
  • The Hetrick-Martin Institute
  • The Human Rights Alliance Santa Fe
  • The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
  • The LGBT Asylum Project
  • The LGBT Center of Greater Reading
  • The LGBT Pink Panthers Movement
  • The LGBTQ Center Long Beach
  • The LOFT LGBT Community Services Center
  • The OUT Foundation
  • The Pride Center at Equality Park
  • The Pride Center of Maryland
  • The Rainbow Times
  • The San Diego LGBT Community Center
  • The Source LGBT+ Center
  • The Spahr Center
  • The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative
  • The Transgender Training Institute
  • The TransLatin@ Coalition
  • The Trevor Project
  • Three Dollar Bill Cinema (Seattle Queer Film Festival)
  • TPAN
  • Trans In Color
  • TransFamily Support Services
  • Transgender Assistance Program Virginia
  • Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund
  • Transgender Michigan
  • transnewyork
  • TransOhio
  • True Colors United
  • True Colors, Inc.
  • Truth Wins Out
  • TurnOut
  • Under The Arc
  • UNITY COALITION|COALICION UNIDA
  • Uplift Outreach Center
  • Uptown Gay & Lesbian Alliance (UGLA)
  • Valley AIDS Council
  • Valley Community Healthcare
  • Virtual Arizona Pride
  • Watermark
  • Waves Ahead Corp & SAGE Puerto Rico
  • WayOUT
  • Wenatchee Pride
  • White Mountains Pride
  • Whitman-Walker Institute
  • William Way LGBT Community Center
  • Woodhull Freedom Foundation
  • Yakima Pride
  • Yale GALA: Yale’s LGBT Alumni
  • Young Democrats of Georgia LGBTQ+ Caucus
  • Youth Outlook
  • Youth Pride, Inc.
  • Zebra Coalition

Click here for a PDF version of the letter.