dream defenders
TRANSCRIPT
Executive [email protected]
Legal and Policy [email protected]
Political [email protected]
Field [email protected]
Communications [email protected]
North Florida Regional [email protected]
South Florida Regional [email protected]
OriginsOrigins
• Born from the outrage of the shooting death of teen Trayvon Martin
• Three long-time friends with a background in politics at Florida State University and Florida A&M University began to plan and create a Facebook invitation for a conference call to act on behalf of Martin
• This marked the beginning of the Dream Defenders with 150 participants bouncing ideas on how best to protest Martin’s death
Action PlanAction Plan
• Start a civil rights movement that was similar to those of the past that was for “our” generation. This sparked the name “You all are defending the dream. You should call yourselves the dream defenders”(Abuznaid)
• This resulted in a 40 mile, three-day protest march from Daytona Beach to Sanford
• The movement grew and organized themselves for the rest of the year by August of 2012 they were a formal organization.
Branding & FundingBranding & Funding
• Logo• T-Shirts• Website http://dreamdefenders.org• Social Media Presence• The organization was funded through
$42,000 in donations obtained during the sit in at the Capitol which paid for T-shirts and some expenses. The group’s signature POWER hats came through a partnership with a maker in Washington D.C.
ResultsResults
• In July 2013 George Zimmerman in the Martin case was acquitted, however, the group who is mostly college age 20 something’s and even younger didn’t stop.
• They came across the state to Tallahassee Capitol building in July demanding a review of the “stand your ground” law by imposing a 31 day sit-in of Gov. Rick Scott’s office.
• They offered their version called the Trayvon’s Law which would repeal it seeking an end to racial profiling.
Bringing Awareness to Stand Your Bringing Awareness to Stand Your GroundGround
In an effort to campaign through Election Day they have launched “The Dream Vest”. This is to help encourage voting. “You need to vote, or you need to come to the realization that your child may soon need to wear a vest just to be safe in their own community”.
Stand Your Ground Law-There is a huge disparity in the way sentencing is imposed on Blacks than Whites with the use of this law.
Because “liberty and justice for all” is still a dream, not a reality. Because people of color are disproportionately imprisoned in the United States, and our country makes up 25% of the world’s imprisoned population. Because our children and brothers and sisters are forced to attend inadequate schools. Because a college education has become a privilege for the wealthy. Because our LGBTQ citizens still face discrimination in the street and the workplace. Because women still face unequal pay. Because the American Dream is just a dream deferred. For too long, those who don’t wish to see us succeed have kept us divided. They break us down into simple categories – women, LGBTQ, the black vote, the Latino vote, people of color, the poor, the sick. This year, we merge into one voting bloc and reclaim our power. Join us by pledging to vote in 2014 STAND.
Bringing AwarenessBringing Awareness
The #VestOrVote campaign features a billboard of a child wearing a bulletproof vest. The ad says the "Dream Vest" can be purchased by calling a toll-free number or visiting DreamDefenders.org. The vest isn't really for sale. Callers and web visitors are given more information about the Dream Defenders.Credit DreamDefenders.org
STAND YOUR GROUND GIVES AN INDIVIDUAL THE RIGHT TO USE DEADLY FORCE WITHOUT BEING SERIOUSLY THREATENED. IT IS A
PIECE OF AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNCIL (ALEC) MODEL LEGISLATION THAT EXISTS IN SOME FORM IN 31 STATES.
AS LONG AS STAND YOUR GROUND LEGISLATION IS IN PLACE, OUR COMMUNITIES REMAIN UNSAFE.
DREAM DEFENDERS HAS MAINTAINED FROM THE START THAT A TRUE REPEAL OF STAND YOUR GROUND IS NEEDED TO MAKE OUR
COMMUNITIES SAFER. IF A FULL REPEAL IS NOT POSSIBLE, WE SUPPORT THE BEST REFORM POSSIBLE. WE WILL EXAMINE AND
RECOMMEND CHANGES TO REFORM LEGISLATION WITH RESPECT TO LEGITIMATE CONCERNS.
Bringing AwarenessBringing Awareness
Free Marissa AlexanderJail ZimmermanFree CeCe McDonaldNational Unity Against
Police Brutality
Works CitedWorks Cited
• https://envisioningtheamericandream.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/policehands-up-dont-shoot.jpg?w=810&h=433
• http://www.wuft.org/news/2013/10/15/who-are-the-dream-defenders/
• http://wlrn.org/post/dream-defenders-get-attention-bulletproof-vest-campaign
• http://www.workers.org/articles/?s=jail+zimmerman
• http://dreamdefenders.org/syg/