PEOPLE’S MORATORIUM ONLINE DAY OF ACTION: Halt Construction on New Youth Jail and Courts!

PEOPLE’S MORATORIUM ONLINE DAY OF ACTION

It’s Day 3 of the People’s Moratorium on construction of the youth jail, demanding King County Executive Dow Constantine halt the building of the jail until the site can be repurposed away from incarcerating youth and towards meeting basic human needs.

On Monday, we blocked construction at the youth jail and courts on 12th and Alder.
On Tuesday, we held the lobby of the King County Building where Dow’s office is located.
Today, we’re calling for an online day of action for #NoNewYouthJail!
Today, we’re asking Dow #WheresTheMoneyComingFrom?

1) Help us reach 1,000 signatures by the end of the day! Sign and share our petition telling Dow to implement a moratorium on construction on the youth jail and courts! https://action.mijente.net/petitions/the-people-s-moratorium-no-new-youth-jail-seattle

Sample Phone Message:
I am calling you to demand a moratorium on building the youth jail at 12th and Alder. For the past six years, individuals and organizations have been opposing this project. The opposition to the jail is widespread. Stop the construction now and begin real negotiations with community stakeholders to repurpose the site for basic human needs and implement an end to youth detention.

Sample email:(this is just a sample, please add your own experiences and thoughts!)
Dear Dow Constantine,
I am writing you to demand a moratorium on building the youth jail at 12th and Alder. For the past six years, individuals and organizations have been opposing this project. The opposition to the jail is widespread, and based on many shared understandings:
King County’s policing and imprisonment systems are widely understood to be racially targeted and to criminalize poverty.
The child welfare system in King County targets Black and indigenous families and produces terrible health, education, and employment outcomes for foster youth.
The County’s rationale for the $210 million project was a lie. The project was labeled a “Children and Family Justice Center” on the tax levy, when in reality it is a jail and courts that will target and harm low-income families of color.
The funding for the jail is now in jeopardy, since the Washington Court of Appeals found that the tax levy was unlawful.
Stop the construction now and begin real negotiations with community stakeholders to repurpose the site for basic human needs and implement an end to youth detention.

Sincerely,
Your name

Sample Tweets:
-@kcexec where will the money come from to fund the youth jail? #PeoplesMoratorium
-@kcexec now’s the time! #PeoplesMoratorium #NoNewYouthJail
–#StopCagingYouth @kcexec implement a moratorium on the youth jail and court construction! #PeoplesMoratorium
–#WheresDow? @kcexec Show up for youth and shut down the jail construction! #PeoplesMoratorium #NoNewYouthJail
-@kcexec Our future shouldn’t involve jails! #LoveTheYouthStopTheJail #PeoplesMoratorium #NoNewYouthJail
-@kcexec As a XX(fill in, mother, teacher, KC employee, youth..) I am against the youth jail. #PeoplesMoratorium #NoNewYouthJail