Color Of Change PAC Announces Plans to Advance Critical Public Safety Ballot Question in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Today, Color Of Change PAC announced its plans to throw its support behind a one-of-a-kind proposal to transform public safety in Minneapolis. Color Of Change PAC will build community support for a ballot question on the November ballot to amend Minneapolis’ city charter and adopt a public health approach to public safety. Starting today, one of the largest Black-led PACs in the country will begin in-person and digital organizing, billboards, and radio ads, to reach voters across the city of Minneapolis.

“Every Minneapolis resident deserves to feel safe — and every person should be able to get effective, competent help when they need it. The Minneapolis Police Department has failed to meet that basic need, and has failed to keep Black people in Minneapolis safe. This much-needed, new Department of Public Safety will promote a holistic, community-led approach to public safety.” said Arisha Hatch, Executive Director of Color Of Change PAC. “The police as the only model of public safety doesn’t work and hasn’t worked. Minneapolis taxpayers have the right to redefine public safety in their community.

The question will be on the ballot during this year’s general election. Early voting for this general election begins on September 17.

Last year, millions of people protested the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. This charter amendment is a referendum on police and a chance to understand the willingness of communities to invest in alternative safety measures. Color Of Change PAC will run a people-powered campaign to reimagine public safety in Minneapolis. This April, more than 20,000 Minneapolis residents signed a people’s petition to introduce a ballot question that would amend the city’s charter to remove the requirement that it maintain a police department and create a Department of Public Safety that would adopt a public health approach to addressing community crises. On July 23, the ballot question was approved for the November ballot.

Color Of Change PAC is planning voter mobilization efforts in Minneapolis to reach voters ahead of November. The PAC will hold events to help Black communities get out the vote while staying safe during the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, Color Of Change PAC has explored ways to ensure that events are safe and follow social distancing requirements while remaining, with food, music, and celebrity guests. The PAC will also host a number of trainings, text-a-thons, canvassing and phone banking parties in the coming weeks that allow people to participate in the democratic process in new and exciting ways. The organization will also mobilize voters through digital ads, direct mail, videos, email and SMS.

This announcement comes after Friday’s failed attempt from Mayor Jacob Frey to prevent approved ballot language from remaining on the public safety ballot. Minneapolis politicians and police have long failed to address the race-based harm and violence that continues to plague the police department and the current city charter has blocked any attempts of structural reform. Color Of Change PAC will help make the case to policymakers that to effectively address the needs and challenges that lead to crime, Minneapolis must build a holistic, community-led approach to public safety that protects and affirms Black lives and keeps all of us safe.

For more information, visit votingwhileblack.com/mpls.

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Color Of Change PAC is a Political Action Committee focused on building independent Black political power, amplifying Black voices, electing candidates who share our values, and holding them accountable to our communities. For more information on Color Of Change PAC, visit votingwhileblack.com.