Freedom Fighters and Friends,
We call on you to join us in reaching out to Santa Rosa City Council to implore them to invest in the Street Outreach and Crisis Response Services through the Violence Prevention Partnership.
OVERVIEW:The proposed agreement with New Hope for Youth (NHFY) for Street Outreach and Crisis Response Services represents a pivotal investment in Santa Rosa’s violence prevention efforts. Funded by Measure H, this initiative is rooted in trauma-informed care and equity-driven practices to address the rising youth and gang violence exacerbated by post-pandemic challenges. NHFY’s community-based approach employs Credible Messengers—trusted individuals with lived experience—who use proven strategies like conflict de-escalation, victim support, and family engagement to foster safer neighborhoods, reduce law enforcement burdens, and create opportunities for at-risk youth.
Key Takeaways of program value as a Call to Action:
- Empower Youth and Families: Support programs like NHFY that provide vital resources to high-risk youth and their families, fostering long-term community safety.
- Promote Trauma-Informed Care: Endorse approaches that address violence through equitable, evidence-based strategies rooted in public health principles.
- Support Violence Prevention Partnerships: Advocate for collaborative frameworks that unite city stakeholders, law enforcement, and community members to achieve shared safety goals.
- Invest in Credible Messengers: Leverage the effectiveness of individuals with lived experience to build trust, mediate conflicts, and break cycles of violence.
- Prioritize Sustainable Solutions: Approve funding for initiatives that provide wraparound services, reduce law enforcement burdens, and deliver measurable community benefits.
We need the city to invest dollars in the Violence Prevention Partnership, including this Street Outreach and Crisis Response Team.
In Community,
Kirstyne A. Lange
President, NAACP Santa Rosa – Sonoma County Branch
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About the NAACP:
The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy, rooted in grassroots activism by 20th-century civil rights pioneers, is sustained by 21st-century advocates. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our nationwide network works to end race-based discrimination and secure social and political power for all marginalized people. Our commitment is to a world free from racism, where Black communities and all marginalized people thrive. The Santa Rosa – Sonoma County NAACP Branch #1074, chartered in January 1953, is a 501(c)4 civil rights organization.