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EQUITY ANALYSIS ON VIOLENCE AND CRIMES AGAINST BLACK WOMEN

Posted on 01/26/2022
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On Wednesday, Councilman Price presented a motion with Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Council President Nury Martinez, Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, and Councilwoman Nithya Raman instructing the Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department, with the assistance of the LAPD, to report back with an equity analysis on violence and crime facing Black women and girls in the City of Los Angeles, the rate at which homicides and violent crimes against them are solved, how missing persons cases involving Black women and girls are handled, and policy recommendations for providing equity and justice for these victims and their families. 

The introduction of this motion follows the $50,000 reward motion during Tuesday’s Council meeting to help apprehend the coward(s) who murdered 16-year-old Tioni Theus. The loss of Tioni is tragic but is not an isolated incident. In the United States, there is a long history of violence against Black women and girls where in many instances often goes underreported, overlooked, or unsolved. According to FBI data, in 2020 Black women and girls faced the highest murder rate of any ethnic group in the United States with an average of four murders per day. While these statistics are staggering and sad, national news coverage tends to be disproportionately low and needs to be changed. The goal of this motion is to help bring justice and equity to the Black women and girls who are victims of violence and their families. Click here for the motion. 

Additionally, Councilman Price co-introduced a motion requesting that the Economic Workforce Development Department, with assistance from the Mayor and other City Departments, report on options to ensure that the City of LA can leverage the Summit of Americas to promote foreign direct investment in Los Angeles. The Summit of Americas is where the heads of state from the Western Hemisphere meet every three years to discuss policy issues affecting the region and foster intra-hemispheric relations. Click here for motion. 

Further, Councilman Price seconded a motion to establish a new Office of Job Quality Stabilization (Office) within the Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department. The Office will serve a key role as the City continues to automate and decarbonize as they will help transition workers to the new industries focused on providing cleaner energy. The motion sets out six goals for the new office to help hundreds of workers as best as possible. Click here for motion.  

Lastly, the Los Angeles City Council approved reports from multiple policy committees initiating the process to phase out oil drilling and gas extraction within City boundaries and ban new oil wells. The reports direct various City departments to help with determining the best plan of action to phase out oil drilling over the next two decades. This move helps tremendously with other efforts like getting California on 100 percent renewable electricity by 2045. Click here for more.