The Building Bridges Project is a partnership between four branches of the Southern California NAACP, community organizations and local law enforcement. Building Bridges addresses a reality: Communities of color experience higher rates of violence than their white peers and lower rates of accessing services. Despite high rates of victimization, only 10.1% of Black serious violence victims received assistance from victim service agencies from 2010-2015. Nearly 90 percent of victims of a serious crime did not receive assistance in the aftermath of their trauma.
We need more culturally relevant, accessible and trauma informed services and to create the foundations for people to feel comfortable accessing them. Many communities of color do not feel comfortable accessing services when they experience a crime or may be unaware that these services exist. This is due, in part, to historical mistrust, a poor relationship with law enforcement, “and feelings that, even if a report is made, they still may not get justice.”
Building Bridges seeks to address underreporting, improve service provision and rectify disparities in treatment and services for crime victims from communities of color. This project promotes reconciliation through a productive and healing dialogue about what law enforcement should know in order to achieve effective encounters with victims of crime from marginalized communities.
Constructive, healing conversations between communities of color, community organizations and law enforcement, are necessary to improve trust in law enforcement and to better serve victims of crime. An essential component of this project is it’s centering of community voices and concerns, working with the community and those who provide services to the community to understand what they need.
HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED
To support this grassroots campaign, our founder has generously pledged to match funds. To support a more just future and double your impact:
Click below to view a short, readable FAQ that answers common questions. These questions were asked at our Community Town Hall, which you can view here:
This community needs assessment highlights community voices in Los Angeles. It closes in August 2021.
We are also seeking community partners in the Los Angeles area to join the Building Bridges Project. Know an organization that would be a good fit? Click the button below:
WEBINAR
To learn more about the Building Bridges project, watch this webinar.