Difference between revisions of "Pittsburgh delegation to Human Rights Cities Leadership Summit in Atlanta, May 2023"

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(Resources & Background)
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=Resources & Background=
 
=Resources & Background=
'''Housing Justice'''
+
<big>'''Housing Justice'''</big>
 
:*Pittsburgh advocates have been working to build a broad coalition calling on the city to treat housing as a human right, not a market-driven commodity. Market-led policies let developers decide who can live here and under what conditions. We believe that residents must be included in policy decisions that affect our communities, and are advocating for a [http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/d/de/Human_Rights_Housing_Strategy_and_Action_Plan_Discussion_Draft_April_2023.pdf Human Rights-based Housing Strategy and Action Plan for Pittsburgh, PA]
 
:*Pittsburgh advocates have been working to build a broad coalition calling on the city to treat housing as a human right, not a market-driven commodity. Market-led policies let developers decide who can live here and under what conditions. We believe that residents must be included in policy decisions that affect our communities, and are advocating for a [http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/d/de/Human_Rights_Housing_Strategy_and_Action_Plan_Discussion_Draft_April_2023.pdf Human Rights-based Housing Strategy and Action Plan for Pittsburgh, PA]
 
::*We're excited to have the chance to see UN Housing Rights leader Leilani Farha, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Adequate Housing, who [http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/b/b6/Farha_visit_follow_up_recap.pdf visited Pittsburgh in April, 2022]
 
::*We're excited to have the chance to see UN Housing Rights leader Leilani Farha, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Adequate Housing, who [http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/b/b6/Farha_visit_follow_up_recap.pdf visited Pittsburgh in April, 2022]
  
  
'''Community safety, police accountability, & resisting the militarization of police'''
+
<big>'''Community safety, police accountability, & resisting the militarization of police'''</big>
:*In response to the global uprisings protesting the deaths of George Floyd and other people of African descent at the hands of police, the United Nations created the [https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrc-subsidiaries/expert-mechanism-racial-justice-law-enforcement International Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement], also known as the “George Floyd Mechanism” or EMLER. The EMLER visited the United States April 24-May 5 for fact-finding on systemic racism, including its root causes in law enforcement and the criminal justice system, excessive use of force, racial profiling and other violations of international human rights law by law enforcement officials.
+
:*''UN Fact-Finding Mission Addresses U.S. Police Violence & Human Rights Violations''--In response to the global uprisings protesting the deaths of George Floyd and other people of African descent at the hands of police, the United Nations created the [https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrc-subsidiaries/expert-mechanism-racial-justice-law-enforcement International Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement], also known as the “George Floyd Mechanism” or EMLER. The EMLER visited the United States April 24-May 5 for fact-finding on systemic racism, including its root causes in law enforcement and the criminal justice system, excessive use of force, racial profiling and other violations of international human rights law by law enforcement officials.
 
::*Pittsburgh advocates and researchers teamed up to submit this [http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/e/ec/PGH_Report_on_Policing_to_UN_2023_BEST.pdf “Report on the Treatment of People of African Descent by Law Enforcement Agencies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Allegheny County”] as part of this review process.
 
::*Pittsburgh advocates and researchers teamed up to submit this [http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/e/ec/PGH_Report_on_Policing_to_UN_2023_BEST.pdf “Report on the Treatment of People of African Descent by Law Enforcement Agencies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Allegheny County”] as part of this review process.
 
::*[https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/05/usa-whole-government-leadership-needed-address-legacy-slavery-and-redefine '''Press release:''' Whole-of-government leadership needed to address legacy of slavery and redefine policing, UN experts say] (May 5, 2023)
 
::*[https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/05/usa-whole-government-leadership-needed-address-legacy-slavery-and-redefine '''Press release:''' Whole-of-government leadership needed to address legacy of slavery and redefine policing, UN experts say] (May 5, 2023)
 
:::*[https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/05/press-conference-independent-un-expert-mechanism-racism-and-law-enforcement '''EMLER Press conference'''-Visit to U.S., May 5, 2023]
 
:::*[https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/05/press-conference-independent-un-expert-mechanism-racism-and-law-enforcement '''EMLER Press conference'''-Visit to U.S., May 5, 2023]
  
:*'''Atlanta's "Cop City" protests reveal larger problem of police militarization'''
+
:*''Atlanta's "Cop City" protests reveal larger problem of police militarization''
 
::*[http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/7/7d/PGH_Cop_City_Article_Spring_2023.pdf Cop City model threatens forests in Pittsburgh] (by Alice Smith, ''Heartbeat'', Spring 2023)
 
::*[http://wiki.pghrights.mayfirst.org/images/7/7d/PGH_Cop_City_Article_Spring_2023.pdf Cop City model threatens forests in Pittsburgh] (by Alice Smith, ''Heartbeat'', Spring 2023)
 
::*[https://issuu.com/pghcitypaper/docs/issue_09_2023 "Cop City Comes to Pittsburgh?"] ''Pittsburgh City Paper'', March 1, 2023
 
::*[https://issuu.com/pghcitypaper/docs/issue_09_2023 "Cop City Comes to Pittsburgh?"] ''Pittsburgh City Paper'', March 1, 2023
  
  
'''Reparatory Justice'''
+
<big>'''Reparatory Justice'''</big>
 
:*Scholar-activists at Pitt have teamed up with community leaders to create a [https://www.worldhistory.pitt.edu/support/working-groups/transforming-systemic-racism-historical-truth-telling-and-reparations Working Group on Historical Truth Telling and Reparations]. This team convened a conversation with Pittsburgh organizers on contemporary struggles for reparations in our city and [https://www.worldhistory.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/Reparations%20Nov%2016%20notes_0.pdf compiled this report] based on input from leaders including Randall Taylor, Khalid Raheem, and Rev. Dale Snyder (Bethel AME Church). This Working Group will support our follow-up work to bring back lessons from the Summit and build support for reparatory justice initiatives in Pittsburgh.
 
:*Scholar-activists at Pitt have teamed up with community leaders to create a [https://www.worldhistory.pitt.edu/support/working-groups/transforming-systemic-racism-historical-truth-telling-and-reparations Working Group on Historical Truth Telling and Reparations]. This team convened a conversation with Pittsburgh organizers on contemporary struggles for reparations in our city and [https://www.worldhistory.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/Reparations%20Nov%2016%20notes_0.pdf compiled this report] based on input from leaders including Randall Taylor, Khalid Raheem, and Rev. Dale Snyder (Bethel AME Church). This Working Group will support our follow-up work to bring back lessons from the Summit and build support for reparatory justice initiatives in Pittsburgh.

Revision as of 10:00, 10 May 2023

As part of our work with human rights cities and human rights advocates around the country and around the world who are involved in the U.S.-Canada Human Rights Cities Alliance, we're bringing a team of more than two dozen Pittsburgh activists, youth, and policy experts to Atlanta for the 2023 Human Rights Cities Leadership Summit to learn, share, and network. Our travel is supported by a grant from the Heinz Foundation and is supported by The Global Switchboard

Delegation members

Resources & Background

Housing Justice

  • Pittsburgh advocates have been working to build a broad coalition calling on the city to treat housing as a human right, not a market-driven commodity. Market-led policies let developers decide who can live here and under what conditions. We believe that residents must be included in policy decisions that affect our communities, and are advocating for a Human Rights-based Housing Strategy and Action Plan for Pittsburgh, PA
  • We're excited to have the chance to see UN Housing Rights leader Leilani Farha, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Adequate Housing, who visited Pittsburgh in April, 2022


Community safety, police accountability, & resisting the militarization of police

  • UN Fact-Finding Mission Addresses U.S. Police Violence & Human Rights Violations--In response to the global uprisings protesting the deaths of George Floyd and other people of African descent at the hands of police, the United Nations created the International Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, also known as the “George Floyd Mechanism” or EMLER. The EMLER visited the United States April 24-May 5 for fact-finding on systemic racism, including its root causes in law enforcement and the criminal justice system, excessive use of force, racial profiling and other violations of international human rights law by law enforcement officials.
  • Atlanta's "Cop City" protests reveal larger problem of police militarization


Reparatory Justice

  • Scholar-activists at Pitt have teamed up with community leaders to create a Working Group on Historical Truth Telling and Reparations. This team convened a conversation with Pittsburgh organizers on contemporary struggles for reparations in our city and compiled this report based on input from leaders including Randall Taylor, Khalid Raheem, and Rev. Dale Snyder (Bethel AME Church). This Working Group will support our follow-up work to bring back lessons from the Summit and build support for reparatory justice initiatives in Pittsburgh.