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For Immediate Release
Contact Richelle Terese
richelle@sandsj.org
Trenton to Washington D.C.: SandSJ Sends Policy Director to discuss Biden-Harris Impact on Local Communities
Today, Salvation and Social Justice will be among a group of statewide leaders invited to the White House to discuss some of New Jersey’s most pressing issues and the work that is currently being done to address them. Communities in Action: Building a Better New Jersey will feature local elected officials and community leaders working on behalf of their communities to create opportunities and improve the everyday lives of New Jerseyans. The meeting will be held in person at the White House and seeks to share the impact of the Biden-Harris Administration on local communities across the state. New Jersey continues to lead the nation in racial disparities from education, maternal morbidity, incarceration, and racial wealth gap. On February 28th, in response to Gov. Murphy’s budget address, Salvation and Social Justice offered recommendations for 6 key areas of investments by the state in order to redress and repair communities most harmed by decades of inherently racist policies and ensure a more just, equitable and fairer New Jersey. That vision is realized first through deep investments to Build Back Black in the following areas: (1) Black maternal health centers throughout the state as well as targeted workforce development programs that would support Black women in midwifery training as a response to the maternal health disparities that exist in the state; (2) investments in a guaranteed income pilot program that would provide pregnant , Black women with unconditional monthly stipends to provide economic stability ensuring that Black women begin their “motherhood journey healthy and supported”; (3) community led first response teams as an alternative to police responses for services that do not impact public safety; (4) reinvestment of cannabis revenue and opioid settlement funds to repair the harm done to communities harmed by the war on drugs; (5) services in Black communities through the funding of harm reduction efforts, restorative justice hubs and community programs; and (6) desegregating New Jersey’s public schools. In January of 2021, The Biden-Harris administration announced the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion emergency legislative package intended to provide direct and immediate relief to communities most affected by the COVID-19 Crisis of which New Jersey received $6.2 billion. Salvation and Social Justice’s advocacy has included the call to ensure that this plan offer economic recovery for everything from schools to infrastructure in the city of Trenton. SandSJ convened a series of visioning sessions in the city of Trenton featuring the voices and concerns of directly impacted residents. Our advocacy and recommendations have all been informed and led by those who understand the struggles best and most intimately... directly impacted folks. Black residents in the state were among those most devastated by the COVID 19 pandemic, therefore the use of these funds to aide in the recovery of these communities, is scene as an important part of Salvation and Social Justice’s Build Back Better plan We look forward to this opportunity to discuss the impact of work dealing with financial and community programs; share the real-life experiences of the communities we stand with; and to explore opportunities for partnership with the Biden-Harris administration to support and advance the work providing a New Jersey that is not only possible, but one that the people deserve. Salvation and Social Justice seeks to liberate public policy theologically by modeling the hope and resiliency of Black faith; where historically marginalized people move from lament to liberation by envisioning and creating their own community led solutions to a structurally racist society. Representing the organization at the White House will be its Policy Director, Racquel Romans-Henry. American Rescue Plan: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/American-Rescue-Plan-Fact-Sheet.pdf
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