Civil Rights Campaign

BACKGROUND

Because federal responses to homelessness have been so ineffective, a growing number of localities are using "broken windows" policing to remove homeless people from public view. These punitive measures involve gross human and civil rights violations.

This nationwide pattern has escaped civil rights protections because these ordinances are drafted very carefully to appear as if they apply equally to all people, but enforcement is very much impacted by people’s skin color and housing, economic, and mental health status.

WRAP civil rights campaign combines street outreach, documentation of civil rights violations, organizing, legal defense, and direct action.  None of us can do this alone. We must work in solidarity with one another to defend those being attacked and pressure local governments to end these discriminatory programs.

 

CURRENT  ACTIVITIES

April 1st  Bi-National Day of Action

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WRAP and USA-Canada Alliance of Inhabitants are designating April 1, 2012
"No Fooling Day." We're organizing simultaneous actions across the USA and Canada to protest the appalling treatment of homeless and poor people and to launch a national civil rights campaign to stop the inhumane and wasteful process of criminalization.

For a list of participating communities, contacts, and endorsers click here.

Action Materials:
April 1st Call to Action
Palm Sunday Call to Action
"The Time to Organize is Now" Call to Action
April 1st Action Flyer
April 1st Media Advisory
List of Participating Cities & Endorsers

San Francisco Call to Action Flyer:

English
Spanish

National Street Outreach

In preparation for launching a national campaign, WRAP and USACAI have been documenting homeless people's experiences with the police, criminal justice system, and private security guards.

The findings of our research are an affront to fairness and decency:

  • 78% of survey respondents reported being harassed, cited, or arrested for sleeping.
  • 75% of survey respondents reported being harassed, cited, or arrested for sitting or lying on the sidewalk.
  • 76% of survey respondents reported being harassed, cited, or arrested for loitering or hanging out.
  • Only 25% of the respondents said they knew of a safe place to sleep at night.

Below is a fact sheet with the preliminary results from outreach to over 716 homeless people in 13 communities.

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National Civil Rights Outreach Fact Sheet>>
Right to Exist Article>>

If you would like to add your communities voice to this effort download the forms below, complete the surveys, and send them into us. We will add them to the national results and send you your local & national results.

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English Form                       Spanish Form

English Outreach Form Download>>
Spanish Outreach Form Download>>

WRAP thanks the Diane Middleton Foundation for the generous support that helped make this outreach and organizing possible.