The 14th Amendment of our country’s constitution guarantees equal protection under the law along with the guarantees of life, liberty, and equal justice. The killings of black citizens are a tragic reminder of our failure as a country to ensure these rights to all. LIFT Dane is committed to working with others in our community to address historical inequities and inequalities across all systems.
We not only join the voices condemning the use of police violence in our communities, but we also believe it is equally important to direct resources towards economic empowerment and justice system reform. We at LIFT are committed to addressing economic and racial equality. We are developing a driver’s license reinstatement app that is focused on getting licenses back in drivers’ hands. So many police stops are due to racial profiling and poverty—a broken taillight cascades into a ticket, surcharges on the fine, and a license suspension. Black people are disproportionately put at risk of arrest due to a lack of a valid driver’s license. We also are joining with others in our community to reduce and eliminate excessive fines and fees charged by governments and courts. Fixing these root problems for many of Dane County’s citizens is essential. Everyone has a right to safely drive on our roads without being stopped, harassed, and possibly arrested. It is one small step to combat systemic racism in our society, and we support all of the other efforts being made on all fronts. LIFT Dane joins others in first listening to the voices of our Black and Brown community leaders and then actively engaging in the work necessary to bring about equity and justice.
