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Orozco, Norma From:Gabriella Wilson <gabriella8280@gmail.com> Sent:Thursday, June 18, 2020 4:57 PM To:eComment Subject:Call to defund the police and invest in the community Good afternoon Mayor and councilmembers. My name is Gabriella Wilson and I am a resident of Ward 4. I’m writing to express my extreme opposition to the proposed budget. I am against the $13.5 million increase to the police’s budget, and I am for a complete defunding of the police. It’s hard to imagine a community without the police system when we have all been raised to submit to white supremacy. The police pose one of the biggest threats to me and my family because we are Black americans. I am a full time junior at the University of California, Berkeley, which means that most of my time is spent away from my family. I have a fifteen year old Black brother who is now taller than me and bigger than me. I want to be confident that anytime I am away that my brother makes it home safely. With police presence, he is not even safe in his own home. And I know you all know that. Every single day, I wake up ing terrified of what the day may bring. I’m terrified that my brothers and sisters will become another hashtag that stops trending and never get justice. Considering the current climate, you know, with all of the Black americans being senselessly murdered by the force you want to fund SO BADLY, I am uncomfortable with the police being granted millions of more dollars and stupid tahoe trucks, let alone continuing to be funded at all. Besides the more obvious reasons the police should cease to exist, I am so embarrassed to be a resident of a city that prioritizes the police force (that may I add doesn’t do ) over the education of its students. I am a Santa Ana High alum, I had so many opportunities as a musician because the arts are extremely funded there. As a city that prides itself on having outstanding education and opportunities for its students, I’m disgusted with how little regard the school district got when this budget was drafted. Is $3 million going to ensure that every single Santa Ana Unified student is equipped with a stable wifi connection and the necessary tools to continue remote instruction? Will they be enriched in all areas of their academic and personal growth? Or will more students get harassed and arrested by the police because you care more about funding them than you do about the success of these kids? I was ing LUCKY to make it out. A ing statistic made it out. So I call on you, especially you Mr. Bacerra to fight for me, and my brother and the rest of my siblings and all of the other thousands of students you committed to serving. Fund our schools, fund rehabilitation centers and community services, defund the police, and then abolish it. By the looks of the budget, you all have a ton more to learn about what it means to be for the people. Do better. Thank you. -- Gabriella Wilson she/her/hers University of California, Berkeley c/o 2022 Experience Berkeley HS Coordinator EOP/AAI Peer Academic Counselor gab828@berkeley.edu | (c) 949-942-9559 1