Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Urges Mayor Bill de Blasio to Reform and Redirect NYPD Funding
Contact: Jacquelyn Marrero, [email protected], 646-642-6682
For Immediate Release: June 27, 2020 (Updated: June 27, 2020, 12:06 p.m.)
Budget Justice requires shifting $1 billion of the NYPD’s FY21 budget to communities of color
New York – Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) proudly stands in solidarity with community partners and the #NYCBudgetJustice campaign to urge NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio to reallocate $1 billion of the NYPD’s budget to crucial social services and black-led nonprofits that directly serve communities of color devastated by over-policing, police violence, and systemic racism.
Over-policing and police violence robs our communities of fundamental human rights, causing generations of harm to health and well-being. New York City’s current budget prioritizes policing and criminalization over community safety and wellness. For every dollar that goes to the NYPD and the Department of Corrections, youth and community development receives 12 cents. PPGNY calls on Mayor de Blasio to redirect at least $1 billion of the NYPD’s FY21 expense budget to protect and strengthen education, youth services, health care, and housing in Black, Latinx, and other neglected communities of color.
Statement from Fran Fox-Pizzonia, Government Relations & Public Policy, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York:
“Racism is a public health crisis. Black and Brown parents and caregivers deserve to raise a family free from fear of police violence and discrimination. Black and Brown children deserve to live in a community where they are protected, not targeted by law enforcement and greater access to programs. For far too long the NYPD has robbed communities of color fundamental human right to thrive. Planned Parenthood of Greater New York proudly stands in solidarity with community partners and Black nonprofit leaders to reform New York City’s criminal justice system and to shift $1 billion from the NYPD budget to crucial social services in communities of color. It is past time NYC prioritizes the well-being of communities of color and all New Yorkers over a police department that has systematically denied the humanity of Black and Brown lives. Freedom from over-policing and police violence is reproductive justice.”
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Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) is a leading provider, educator, and advocate of sexual and reproductive health care in New York State. PPGNY offers a wide range of services at its 30 locations across 65% of NYS - including gynecological care; birth control; cancer screenings; pregnancy testing; STI testing and treatment; HIV prevention, testing, and counseling; transgender hormone therapy; and vasectomy. PPGNY is also proud to provide abortion services to anyone who needs compassionate, non-judgmental care. PPGNY is a trusted source of medically accurate, evidence-based information that allows people to make informed decisions about their health and future. As a voice for reproductive freedom, PPGNY supports legislation and policies that ensure all New Yorkers have access to the full range of reproductive health services and education.