Original Mission Statement of the National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation
June 14, 1996, October 22 National Office
(See current mission statement)
The National Day of Protest was initiated by a diverse coalition of organizations and individuals. We came together out of our concern that the peoples’ resistance to Police Brutality needed to be taken to a higher level nationwide.
The National Day of Protest aims to bring forward a powerful, visible, national protest against police brutality and the criminalization of a generation. It aims to expose the state's repressive program. It aims to bring forward those most directly under the gun of Police Brutality AND to also reach into all parts of the society--bringing forward others to stand in the fight against this official brutality. And the National Day of Protest aims to strengthen the peoples' organized capacity for resistance in a variety of ways.
National Coordinating Committee (NCC)
The core of the NCC is the six representatives of groups who participated in the finalizing of the date, call and slogan. These are Pam Africa (International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal), Akil Al-Jundi (Community Self-Defense Program), Angel Cervantes (Four Winds Student Movement), Omowale Clay (December 12th Movement), Carl Dix (Revolutionary Communist Party) and Keith McHenry (Food not Bombs).
Organizations and individuals may be added to the NCC if they are either:
1. A national or regional organization that endorses the call, supports its basic thrust--as laid out in the Mission Statement--and commits forces to the work of building the day. (It will be especially important for such organizations to, where possible, commit to help staffing the National Office)
2. Nominated by one of the local organizing committees to represent their locality on the NCC or
3. An individual or representative of an organization who the NCC decides would enhance the work of building for the National Day of Protest.
In all cases the NCC should decide by a majority vote whether the organization or individual in question fulfills the criteria for participation on the NCC.
Local Coordinating Committees should be constituted by the local committees. They should be made up of:
1. Representatives of organizations who endorsed the call and support its basic thrust (as laid out above) and commit forces to doing the work of building for the day in the local area.
2. Individuals who endorse the call and have made a serious commitment to build for the day and whose participation would enhance the ability of the coordination committee to do the work of building for the National day of Protest. Local coordinating committees should also add new members by majority vote of the Local Coordinating Committee.
Where questions exist about whether an organization or individual adequately fulfills the criteria for participation at the coordinating committee at that level, these should be decided by the Coordinating Committee at that level.
Coordinating Committee meetings should be open to all those who support the effort to come and voice their opinions. Only coordinating committee members have the right and responsibility to vote on matters at these meetings.
To participate in organizing for the National Day of Protest, an organization or individual must endorse the call and make a specific commitment to do work to build the effort. Endorsements should be secured in writing because we plan to publish the call with its list of endorsers, and publications have been known to question whether people have really endorsed.
By: Akil Al-Jundi, Carl Dix, Sheba Haven. June 1996
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