Thanks to everyone who came out to our October General Body Meeting! We appreciate all of you and hope to see you at our next GBM!

🍰☕ Join us for a cozy gathering at Black Lion Cafe in Silver Spring on Friday, October 18 from 6-8 PM! Enjoy tasty pastries and great coffee while diving into Deportation to Prison: The Politics of Immigration Enforcement in Post-Civil Rights America with the Decrim Reading Group. It’s the perfect opportunity to socialize and spark meaningful conversations! 👉 Don’t miss out—register now at bit.ly/YPPReadingGroup All are welcome! 📚✨

We hope to see you tomorrow! All are welcome to join.

Join us for our October GBM on Saturday, October 5, from 12 - 2 PM! We will be meeting at the Silver Spring Library.

We DEMAND public input and transparency. A policy is NOT enough!

Studies demonstrate a power imbalance between officers and civilians. Individuals are more likely to comply with a request from a person in authority. Consent is often not truly voluntary if drivers find it difficult to exercise their 4th Amendment freedom to leave following a traffic stop when there is no basis for an officer to search without consent.

On September 16, 2024, the Public Safety Committee received a briefing on the FTLA. Councilmembers Katz (Chair) and Luedtke voted to dispose of the bill and allow the CE to develop a "policy". The policy, which was not shared with the public to receive feedback, will have a different impact than Bill 2-24. Policies are often changed and not held with fidelity. Our members and community members DEMAND the passing of Bill 2-24 (FTLA), NOT a policy.

There are clear racial disparities in traffic enforcement. Montgomery County traffic data from FY18 to FY22 reveal that Black drivers made up 30% of traffic stops in an adult population that was 18% Black. Very few traffic stops lead to the recovery of contraband. In Montgomery County, approximately 1 out of 205 traffic stops (less than 0.5%) lead to the recovery of a firearm.

The Freedom to Leave Act will: ● Prioritize 4th Amendment rights and reduce disparities in traffic enforcement by prohibiting consent searches of a motor vehicle or person by a police officer; ● Improve data analysis for traffic stops by requiring the collection of additional data.

Please read YPP's statement on the outcome of the FTLA worksession.

Freedom to Leave Act Press Conference

Join us this upcoming Monday September 16th, 9am at the city council building in Rockville. Sign your RSVP link: bit.ly/f2lpressconference

Give a listen to Paige Ackman, a legal fellow with the Center for Innovations in Community Safety at Georgetown Law. She highlights real-life examples of why F2L is necessary and how consent searches currently operate. #DecriminalizeMontgomeryCounty

Amyra Hasan, the campaign organizer for Young People for Progress, states statistics that from 2016-2022, black drivers made up of nearly half of all consent searches, but are only 1/5th of the population. #DecriminalizeMontgomeryCounty

Police do NOT prevent school shootings. Watch this clip to learn why. #DecriminalizeMontgomeryCounty

Listen to Dyan Owens from the Maryland Office of the Public Defender speak on how individuals feel pressure to consent then endure the humiliation of the search of their vehicles that often lead nothing incriminating. #DecriminalizeMontgomeryCounty

Omodamola Williams’ experiences prove that simply complying is not enough to be racially profiled by police. #DecriminalizeMontgomeryCounty

Clarky Yamtcheu bravely discusses his traumatic experiences in which he felt uniquely targeted by the police for the color of his skin. #DecriminalizeMontgomeryCounty

Hear from Marie Ngoueko, a member of CASA, as she describes how police stops disproportionately targets black and brown drivers. #DecriminalizeMontgomeryCounty

Watch Ndhili Jones’ experience when he denied police to search his car. Simply saying “no you cannot” will not stop police from racially profiling. #DecriminalizeMontgomeryCounty

Listen to Audree Gabaree, who provides her testimony on how LGBTQIA+ individuals are targeted by police for being “suspicious.” #DecriminalizeMontgomeryCounty

Two weeks ago, we hosted a successful Townhall focused on community and school safety. We explored the significance of investing in our communities to enhance safety. Thank you to everyone who attended—we look forward to seeing you at the next one!

Join Young People for Progress in our Podcast-Book Club! RSVP through our QR code or our link in our bio! 📚

Are you a passionate advocate? Young People for Progress is hiring for a Campaign Organizer now! To apply, please submit the following materials via email to admin@ypforprogress.org with the subject line: “Your name – Organizer” 💼 A cover letter stating your interest, availability, and general qualifications 🌟A resume or CV outlining your education, skills, and experience 📌List of 2 References

Join Young People for Progress’ August General Body Meeting to hear important campaign updates and engage in some open discussions about important issues in our community!

Another great General Body Meeting! We talked about so much and had a fun time! Thanks to everyone who came out and we hope to see you at our next GBM!!

June may be coming to a close, but we at YPP celebrate LGBTQ diversity and organizing all year round. We are fighting the same fight—liberation and equality for everyone. Let’s take a look at the history of Pride Month and why it’s so important!

Summer picnic ☀️

On June 1, YPP had our June General Body Meeting. First, we welcomed a new YPP member: Alex from Blair High School! Next, we discussed a number of organizational updates for the summer season. We are consolidating our Membership and Political Education teams into a single committee, meeting more frequently, and outlined our canvassing approach for the summer. We also shared some campaign updates, including our successful meeting with MCPS Interim Superintendent: Dr. Monique Felder. We learned that she strongly supports restorative justice (RJ) and supports maintaining RJ at the current level. She even asked to meet with us again in July. Finally, we closed the meeting by wrapping our presentation on mental health and policing. We briefly spoke about the history of mental health institutions as carceral systems, particularly focusing on Nellie Bly’s journalism. We also did a short introduction on abolition. We asked each other to consider the ways that our institutions and everyday interactions can be improved, so that we can start building a liberatory, more community-centered future.

The school year may be winding down, but we are still raising awareness on restorative justice! In the last couple of weeks, our high school student leaders at Blair HS polled their fellow teachers/students on why restorative justice is important to them and their school. Check it out!

Young People for Progress’ Letter to County Executive Elrich on Police Chief Candidate Marc Yamada Dear County Executive Elrich, On May 9th, we attended a meet and greet with the new Montgomery County police chief candidate Marc Yamada. While we appreciated the chance to meet him, we left with a number of concerns. There has been a notable lack of input from young adults and youth, who are the most policed demographic in the county, and from the community overall. While the meet and greet was supposed to be of “key community stakeholders,” no other organizations or individuals representing young people were present, nor were there enough representatives from the most policed areas of the county. The absence of young people was especially concerning because young adults 18 to 29 years old comprise the majority of arrests and two-thirds of people subject to use of force by Montgomery County police. This raises serious questions about equitable representation and whose voices are being heard. We also expressed concerns about racial disparities in student arrests and the criminalization of young people of color. Assistant Chief Yamada did not provide a clear plan to address these issues. Assistant Chief Yamada also mentioned a “crisis with our youth,” that he attributed to a lack of respect for authority and weak family structures. This explanation was concerning because it seemed to stereotype and generalize youth and young adults, and oversimplify social issues. It also seemed to unfairly blame young people and their families for social problems and could lead to punitive policing that does not address root causes. Despite these concerns, we appreciate that Assistant Chief Yamada agreed to meet with Young People for Progress members and other young community members to hear our feedback. We would also appreciate the opportunity to meet with you as well to further discuss our concerns. Best regards, Young People for Progress

Despite many concerns, we appreciate that Assistant Chief Yamada has agreed to meet with YPP members and other young adult and youth community members to hear our feedback. We invite other young people and organizations to join us in this meeting with Assistant Chief Yamada. If you are an organization or individual that would like to join the meeting, please let us know.

YPP was invited to a meet & greet happening today with the new Montgomery County police chief candidate, Marc Yamada. DM us with any questions or things you want to bring up about safety or policing in Montgomery County.

Young People for Progress' Statement in support of Palestinians & Student Solidarity Protestors Young People for Progress condemns state violence against Palestinians and student protestors. As a multiracial, multifaith organization, we believe that young people should have the power to live with dignity and thrive. This value is in direct opposition to the military and state violence that has been displayed in recent weeks and months. Military, police, and surveillance technologies create apartheid in occupied Palestine and segregation in the U.S. Gazan students cannot attend school through an ongoing genocide. Students in the West Bank cannot go to class because of highly restrictive checkpoints and immigration barriers. Many American students cannot access proper education because of the school-to-prison pipeline. Now the whole world bears witness to these events, including the violent police repression of college student protestors. The students operating the Gaza Solidarity encampments are courageous and diverse: Black and white, trans and cisgender, Jewish and Muslim. The students are motivated by a shared desire for liberation and justice, not antisemitism. To claim otherwise is not only bad faith, but inaccurate. Historically, young people have been on the front lines of progress because we know what it feels like to be disempowered. We have a lower tolerance for injustice, so we mobilize towards liberation. Our struggles are connected, and state violence is a global issue. We urge our allies to support and amplify student voices, from Montgomery County to Palestine. In solidarity, Young People for Progress

Last Saturday, we had our May General Body Meeting! We reconnected to our members and learned about all the great progress that they’ve done to decriminalize drivers and students. We also learned about the connection between mental health and policing. An estimated 100,000 suicide hotline callers have had police called on them without their consent. We also briefly explored different models that other jurisdictions have tried to find non-policing solutions to mental health crises, like the Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS). Mark your calendars for our next General Body Meeting on Saturday, June 1!

Check out a testimony clip from YPP’s student leader, Setyana! In her testimony, Setyana said restorative justice is all about relationship building and personal accountability. She compared it to a sports team, where everyone has to work together to improve their skills. When there is mutual trust, sports teams can win games, and students can excel in the classroom. Setyana urged the Council to add money to the MCPS budget so that we can fund critical restorative justice coaches. We will be posting testimony clips from our student leaders for the rest of the week. Stay tuned!

This Sunday, we held a restorative justice workshop! We learned just how important relationship-building was to restorative justice. We even got the chance to participate in a restorative circle ourselves. Thanks to Dwanna from Restorative Justice Partnership for facilitating!

Check out a testimony clip from YPP’s student leader, Danny! Danny spoke about how RJ can shrink the school-to-prison pipeline. The school-to-prison pipeline is a process where students, usually Black students, are more likely to end up in the criminal justice system as adults when they are suspended/expelled as students. Luckily, we know that Black student suspensions have dropped by 41% in “RJ focus schools.” These are schools where there is an RJ specialist two full days a week. Danny urged the Council to add money to the MCPS budget so that we can fund critical restorative justice coaches. We will be posting testimony clips from our student leaders all throughout this week. Stay tuned!

Check out a testimony clip from a high school student leader, Clare Song! In her testimony, Clare described a time when restorative justice could have helped her resolve a conflict with her, her friend, and their teacher. RJ is a philosophy focused on relationship building, mutual trust, and honest communication. It is an effective approach to everyday conflict at school, both big and small. She urged the Council to add money to the MCPS budget so that we can fund critical restorative justice coaches. Stay tuned for testimony clips from more student leaders!

Check out a testimony clip from YPP’s Vice President, Tracy Espinoza, from earlier this month! She, and other student leaders, urged the Council to add money to the MCPS budget so that we can fund restorative justice coaches. In her testimony, Tracy said she needed RJ when she was unfairly, racially targeted at her school. She is not alone–YPP spoke to some students earlier this year and most thought that race was somewhat or a major factor in school disciplinary decisions. Stay tuned for testimony clips from more student leaders!

Check out a testimony clip from YPP’s President, Junee Kim, from earlier this month! She, and other student leaders, urged the Council to add money to the MCPS budget so that we can fund restorative justice coaches. In her full testimony, Junee described an instance of how an RJ circle helped resolve a conflict between her class and their teacher. Stay tuned for testimony clips from more student leaders!

YPP and our President, Junee Kim, was mentioned in the coverage of last week’s budget forum! Thank you to everyone who came out— there’s clear power in numbers 💪🏽 The need for expanded restorative justice in MCPS couldn’t be more urgent. https://moco360.media/2024/04/19/school-community-shares-concerns-questions-as-county-budget-approval-nears/

Budget season is in full swing in MoCo! We are hard at work monitoring fast-paced budget updates, testifying at the County Council Budget Hearings, and asking questions at Councilmember Jawando’s Education Budget Forum. This year, we are urging the County Council to add funding to the proposed MCPS budget, in order to maintain FY 24 funding for restorative justice coach stipends and specialists. The Council is considering cutting some RJ coach stipends and three RJ specialists in the upcoming budget, which would make it even more challenging for schools to transition away from punitive discipline. Our high school student leaders shared their experiences with unfair school discipline and how RJ could have helped them resolve conflict and repair relationships with their teachers and fellow students. Other students explained how they already incorporate RJ principles, like personal accountability and self-sufficiency, into their academic lives, and how restorative justice would enable MCPS to incorporate these values districtwide. Still others shared statistics about how restorative justice is effective at shrinking the school-to-prison pipeline: 81% of RJ service calls last year did not repeat the violation and Black student suspensions in RJ focus schools dropped by 41%.

Sunday, April 7 there will be a canvassing opportunity at the Rockville Town Center surrounding the Freedom To Leave Act! Please come join us!!

Just a reminder: The RJ training is being RESCHEDULED. Our GBM will be on SATURDAY, APRIL 6 and the RJ Training will be rescheduled some time this month! Hope to see you there!!

While our extended RJ workshop will be rescheduled, our regular April meeting will continue this Saturday from 11:30 to 1:30 at Silver Spring library. See you then!

Come to our virtual Canvassing Workshop to learn more about The Freedom To Leave Act and Canvassing!! Our meeting link is: http://meet.google.com/uhn-hbfs-var

Come to the Rockville Library to learn more about canvassing, the Freedom to Leave Act, and for snacks!!

In Honor Of Women’s History Month (Part 1)

🚨 Attention MoCo high school students! 🚨 Take our SHORT survey on restorative justice and make a BIG impact! We need your insights on school discipline and climate to understand + build a more racially just school system. Click the link in bio to take the survey! Every response counts 💪 ENGLISH SURVEY: bit.ly/rjsurvey2024 ENCUESTA ESPAÑOL: bit.ly/rjsurvey2024ESP

We had a great General Body Meeting on March 2! We heard from our newly established teams, who are doing great work to build up the internal and external strength of our organizing. We also heard from guest speakers Cherri Branson, Vice President of the NAACP, and Dyan Owens, Supervising Attorney at the Office of the Public Defender. They both shared valuable information about how they use their positions to fight for equality, especially for Black residents, and how important it is for young people to be involved in their community.

Calling all MC students! The MC Rockville chapter will have a table in the green space tomorrow from 1:30-2:30 to spread awareness about the Freedom to Leave Act. Come say hi and make a call to your councilmember!

NEW CALL TIME: 6:30 PM On Tuesday, February 27, come to the public hearing and tell the County Council to vote YES on the Freedom to Leave Act! The hearing will start at 7 PM, but we will meet at 6:30 PM to share snacks and be briefed on the bill. We will NOT meet at 6 PM for dinner, as an earlier version of this flier stated, so please be sure to eat beforehand. RSVP here: bit.ly/f2lhearing The Freedom to Leave Act would ban consent searches in MoCo. Consent searches are when a police officer gets your permission to search your car, even when they have no reason to suspect that you’ve done a crime. Consent searches are a high-cost, low-reward tool. in FY18-FY22, Black drivers made up 30% of traffic stops but Black people made up 18% of the population. In MoCo, less than .5% of traffic stop searches led to a gun recovery. Banning consent searches will remove one of the reasons that officers stop drivers, rebuild community trust with the police, and reduce racial disparities in traffic enforcement.

On Tuesday, February 27 at 7 PM, come to the public hearing and tell the County Council to vote YES on the Freedom to Leave Act! We will met at 6 PM for dinner and can provide SSL hours/transportation. If you'd like to testify at this public hearing, please sign up at bit.ly/freedomtoleavetestimony. We will help you write your testimony; just DM us. The Freedom to Leave Act would ban consent searches in MoCo. Consent searches are when a police officer gets your permission to search your car, even when they have no reason to suspect that you’ve done a crime. Consent searches are a high-cost, low-reward tool. in FY18-FY22, Black drivers made up 30% of traffic stops but Black people made up 18% of the population. In MoCo, less than .5% of traffic stop searches led to a gun recovery. Banning consent searches will remove one of the reasons that officers stop drivers, rebuild community trust with the police, and reduce racial disparities in traffic enforcement.

YPP fully supports the Freedom to Leave Act (Bill 2-24), introduced by Councilmember Will Jawando, which would ban police consent searches in Montgomery County. Join for the introduction of this historic bill TODAY, Feb 6, at 1 PM: bit.ly/freedomtoleave Danielle and Petros will represent YPP during this press conference! BACKGROUND: When Vincent Miller, a Black man, was coerced into giving permission for a consent search in Glenmont, he and his passenger were held for over an hour. The search yielded no contraband. Miller and his passenger left terrified and harmed by the experience. Unfortunately, drivers like Miller are not alone. Many drivers are pressured into giving consent because the police intimidate drivers and passengers, even when they know they can refuse. The pressure to consent can be heightened by the power imbalance between police and civilians, language barriers, disability, race, and past negative interactions with police. The Freedom to Leave Act would prohibit police from getting a driver or passenger’s permission to search for contraband. This bill would grant drivers like Miller reprieve from this discriminatory practice. From 2018-2022, Black drivers made up almost half of all traffic stop searches, but less than a fifth of the county’s population. This disproportionality is the opposite for white drivers. White residents make up almost half of the population, but 21% of searches. Consent searches are also largely fruitless. In Montgomery County, less than half of one percent of all consent searches lead to recovery of firearms. That means less than 1 in 205 traffic stops result in the recovery of an illegal firearm. The bill will also free up time for county police to pursue more serious violations. Law enforcement will conduct a consent search even if they do not have reason to believe that the driver was involved in a crime. When police conduct consent searches, they operate under the presumption of guilt before innocence; an injustice that must be corrected through the Freedom to Leave Act. We urge the County Council to pass the Freedom to Leave Act so that all residents can exercise their right to move freely and safely.

Happy Black History Month from Young People for Progress! We celebrate the achievements and joy of Black people in our everyday lives. May Black culture, activism, and strength continue to inspire us all year round.

“We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” - Martin Luther King, JR (Letter from a Birmingham Jail, April 1963) Martin Luther King Jr. was born today, 95 years ago. Although this letter was written 61 years ago, the urgency of racism in America remains. While MLK championed peace and love between all people, he also recognized that we must WORK to build people power. Sometimes oppressors will punish us in our pursuit of justice; Dr. King was incarcerated at the time of writing this letter. But we must not be afraid to do the right thing. We must organize into direct action, and become a force that the ruling classes cannot ignore. MLK is just one person, and he could not fight for liberation alone. YPP is proud to be in community with a number of racial justice community organizations in MoCo. Together, we hope to carry MLK's legacy of freedom and equality for all Black people, and all oppressed peoples.

Our 2024 annual retreat is TOMORROW! Check out the recap from last year's retreat in this video to get a preview of what to expect. Last year's retreat was incredibly informative! It was invigorating to be around fellow passionate, young organizers. We are so proud of the critical campaign and organization expansion progress that we've made in the last year. We are poised to enter the new year stronger than ever, and ready to fight for a liberated MoCo. DATE: Jan 13-14, 2024 TIME: 12-5 PM LOCATION: 8070 Georgia Ave

Reminder that YPP’s annual retreat is THIS WEEKEND! Check out Junee’s, the President of Watkins Mill HS’s YPP chapter, message about the important organizing activities that we’ll do. See you there! DATE: Jan 13-14, 2024 TIME: 12-5 PM LOCATION: 8070 Georgia Ave

Why should you come to YPP’s annual retreat over MLK weekend? Let our Vice President, Eleanor, explain the great things you can expect this Saturday and Sunday! Then, RSVP HERE: https://bit.ly/ypp2024retreat DATE: Jan 13-14, 2024 TIME: 12-5 PM LOCATION: 8070 Georgia Ave

Join us on next Wednesday, January 10 at 8:30 AM to defend Anton's Law! We will meet on the Monroe St side of the Montgomery County Circuit Court (50 Maryland Ave). Anton's Law, passed by the General Assembly in 2021 following years of effort by state community activists, finally allows the public to access police misconduct records. But the Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) filed a lawsuit seeking to stop it from being effectively implemented and is challenging its legality. The FOP lawsuit was enabled by an improper side deal with the County, allowing the police to intervene in public records requests. The County then agreed to the FOP’s request to keep the arguments in the lawsuit a secret. The Montgomery County Circuit Court will hear arguments on what information in the lawsuit will remain secret. Help keep the police transparent and accountable by coming out to a demonstration before the hearing! Afterwards, feel free to join us for the rest of the hearing. Read more about Anton's Law here: bit.ly/antonslaw

10 DAYS LEFT UNTIL THE RETREAT! Young People for Progress (YPP) will host its fourth annual member retreat and organizing training Saturday & Sunday, January 13th & 14th from 12 to 5 PM in downtown Silver Spring at our office in the Silver Spring Innovation Center (8070 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910). Attend exciting training sessions on the school decriminalization movement, learn critical organizing and community building skills, and meet other young organizers in MoCo! SSL hours, free items, and food will be provided! The retreat and training is open to new and returning YPP members under 35 years old and YPP alumni. Because space is limited, spots for attendees who can attend both full days of the retreat and training will be prioritized. RSVP HERE: https://bit.ly/3uMoFQO DATE: Jan 13-14, 2024 TIME: 12-5 PM LOCATION: 8070 Georgia Ave

YPP wishes you a happy holiday season! This year, we strengthened our organizing power, expanded our base of young organizers, and are recommitted to fighting for a safer, racially just, and liberated communities. We are so grateful to all our members, supporters, and allies that we've met along the way. And don't forget to kick off the new year at our annual YPP retreat during MLK weekend at Downtown Silver Spring! See below for details: DATE: Jan 13-14, 2024 TIME: 12-5 PM LOCATION: 8070 Georgia Ave RSVP HERE: https://bit.ly/3uMoFQO

Last week, we had our final YPP teach-in of the year: “Community Control of the Police and the Environment.” SirJames Weaver, an Environmental Justice Organizer at Progressive Maryland, explained how environmental racism affects the Black community’s health in Baltimore. Trash incinerators are one of the leading causes of the pollution in Baltimore. There is even one in Dickerson, MD, right here in MoCo. Petros Bein, a YPP member, explained basic Marxist terms to the group. By analyzing our issues through the lens of class conflict and anti-capitalism, we will be able to approach each of our problems in a more consistent way. Each speaker inspired us to take action in our communities; our only path to victory is through the power of the people! Missed our teach-ins this month? We will have one more teach-in next month about both restorative justice in MCPS and consent searches. This teach-in will be held on Tuesday, January 9th at 6:30 PM. Shoot us a DM for the link :)

Young People for Progress (YPP) will host its fourth annual member retreat and organizing training Saturday & Sunday, January 13th & 14th from 12 to 5 PM in downtown Silver Spring at our office in the Silver Spring Innovation Center (8070 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910). Attend exciting training sessions on the school decriminalization movement, learn critical organizing and community building skills, and meet other young organizers in MoCo! SSL hours, free items, and food will be provided! The retreat and training is open to new and returning YPP members under 35 years old and YPP alumni. Because space is limited, spots for attendees who can attend both full days of the retreat and training will be prioritized. RSVP HERE: bit.ly/ypp2024retreat DATE: Jan 13-14, 2024 TIME: 12-5 PM LOCATION: 8070 Georgia Ave

Consent Search Teach In - Thursday, December 14 2023

You’re invited to our joint teach-in with Progressive Maryland THIS FRIDAY (12/15) at 6:30 PM! We will meet at 8070 Georgia Ave. The topic is “Safe and Sound: Community Control of Safety and the Environment.” Today, ruling class interests, resource inequality, and police protection of private property conflict with community safety. Join us to learn how community control over the budget and other state institutions will lead us to a more equal, liberatory future in Montgomery County!

Restorative Justice teach in 12/7/23

On November 29, we attended the Montgomery County Council’s Youth Town Hall! This was an excellent opportunity to develop our advocacy skills and share the most pressing issues facing the County’s high school students. Engaged young people asked about zoning, the environment, online disinformation, and substance abuse in schools. When it comes to public safety in MCPS, we know that harm won’t end by criminalizing our students. Councilmember Katz said that we “cannot arrest our way out of the problem.” Councilmember Jawando and Councilmember Mink both expressed their support for MCPS’ restorative justice (RJ) program. Restorative justice is a set of practices that allow students and teachers to resolve conflicts and repair harm through better communication, not by arresting students. Students want RJ because we know it works to improve school climate and reduce the suspension rate. We are asking MCPS to fund a full-time restorative justice coach in every middle school and high school. Thanks to everyone who attended the Youth Town Hall!

In our December General Body Meeting, we shared updates on YPP’s latest activities and held a restorative justice teach-in. In our teach-in, we shared our own experiences with the school-to-prison pipeline, discussed what RJ looks like in MCPS, how restorative justice can end the school-to-prison pipeline, and what we can do to make it better. We also reviewed articles on how RJ has been implemented in other school districts so that we understand how it could benefit students and where, if not implemented properly, RJ can fall short. We learned that: - One of the most common challenges that school districts have in implementing RJ is time and resources constraints. - One school district adopted RJ for race-specific reasons but implemented it as a race-neutral policy, so it produced mixed results. Suspensions decreased, but racial disparities in suspensions persisted, and in some cases, even worsened. - Keeping the worst-performing students in school lowers the overall averages for test scores, but every student deserves an education. Higher test scores should not come at the expense of pushing students out. We also recruited members for our winter teach-in series. Thank you to everyone who attended our last GBM of the year!

You're invited to two teach-ins about banning consent searches! A consent search is when a police officer gets your permission to search your car. Racial biases means that they are more likely to ask Black drivers to do consent searches than other drivers, even if they are not effective. We can reduce racial discrimination in traffic policing by banning consent searches. RSVP here for more details and the Zoom link: https://bit.ly/3QZlSuZ ZOOM: Tuesday, December 12, 6:30 PM Instagram Live: Thursday, December 14, 6:30 PM Montgomery County, MD has many opportunities to thrive. Unfortunately, young people of color, particularly Black youth, are disproportionately arrested and criminalized as part of a historic, racist system of oppression. Over-policing and policing misconduct are huge barriers that prevent young people from succeeding. In our winter teach-in series, you will have the opportunity to meet other young organizers and discuss the most pressing issues facing young people in MoCo, particularly with over-policing. We will also learn what it takes to organize, influence change, and build a strong base of power. We can better change the system when we understand how Montgomery County operates and what came before us.

Join us for two restorative justice teach-ins next week! Restorative justice (RJ) is a set of practices that allow students and teachers to resolve conflicts and repair harm through better communication, not by arresting or suspending students. We will discuss what RJ looks like in MCPS and how it can shrink the school-to-prison pipeline! RSVP here for more details and the Zoom link: https://bit.ly/3QZlSuZ ZOOM: Tuesday, December 5, 6:30 PM Instagram Live: Thursday, December 7, 6:30 PM Montgomery County, MD has many opportunities to thrive. Unfortunately, young people of color, particularly Black youth, are disproportionately arrested and criminalized as part of a historic, racist system of oppression. Over-policing and policing misconduct are huge barriers that prevent young people from succeeding. In our winter teach-in series, you will have the opportunity to meet other young organizers and discuss the most pressing issues facing young people in MoCo, particularly with over-policing. We will also learn what it takes to organize, influence change, and build a strong base of power. We can better change the system when we understand how Montgomery County operates and what came before us.

11/30/23 Implementation of Restorative Justice Practices MCPS

11/30/23 MCPS Ant-Racist Audit Implementation Plan

You are invited to our December 2023 General Body Meeting (GBM)! In this month's GBM, we will have a teach-in about restorative justice. Restorative justice is a set of practices that allow students and teachers to resolve conflicts and repair harm through better communication, not by arresting or suspending students. Join us to discuss what it looks like in MCPS, how restorative justice can end the school-to-prison pipeline, and what we can do to make it better. This is our last GBM before 2024, so we hope to close out the year with a strong showing of youth power. See you there! 📍 8070 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 📅 Saturday, December 2 🕛 12 PM - 2 PM

It's Giving Tuesday! We are gearing up to tackle critical battles affecting young people in Montgomery County, such as racial disparities in traffic enforcement and the school-to-prison pipeline. But organizing takes resources and we need your help! Pitch in today: https://bit.ly/3RhVFsU This year, your donations will go to: - Providing stipended positions to young organizers - Printing educational materials and flyers - Hosting political and civic education trainings YPP has been active for less than five years, but our work will impact young people for many more years to come. Thanks to your donations, we have: - Removed School Resource Officers and ushered in a new wave of mental health resources for students - Conducted know-your-rights spot trainings - Trained future leaders in critical organizing skills like public speaking, political education, and mobilizing other young people to take action MoCo is stronger together! Donate today: https://bit.ly/3AXi2v0

It's almost Giving Tuesday! As a local movement-building org, we can't forge political power without the help of our community. Every contribution, big or small, will go towards building the next generation of advocates, champions, and fighters. Give here: https://bit.ly/3AXi2v0

Thanks to everyone for joining the Friendsgiving potluck!

Recently, YPP spoke at Silver Spring's Grace Church about the issues facing young people today, specifically around overpolicing in the classroom and on the street. Thank you for having us!

In the last few weeks, YPP has been collaborating with passionate MoCo high school students to conduct teach-ins about restorative justice: a non-violent alternative to traditional, punitive school discipline. We're excited to organize our peers to eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline! Thank you to the dedicated students at Clarksburg HS, Seneca Valley HS, Watkins Mill HS, and Kennedy HS for all your hard work.

Recently, Juan (YPP's Community Organizer) and Joel (YPP member) tabled at Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Spring's Global Humanities Institute. We spoke with community members about racial justice following an event with guest speaker, author, + historian Dr. Gerald Horne.

Young People for Progress wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful to organize with passionate, thoughtful, and committed young organizers in Montgomery County. We wish the best for you and your families on this special day.

Last Monday, November 20, Young People for Progress and MoCo Students for Change hosted a virtual town hall to endorse candidates for Montgomery County’s Advisory Commission on Policing (ACP). Both the facilitators and attendees had an opportunity to ask questions of the candidates. Both of our endorsed candidates, Petros Bein and Mhambi Musonda, are both passionate community leaders, dedicated racial justice advocates, and will be excellent representatives for young people's experiences with policing. We are proudly endorsing Petros Bein for the Young Adult seat (26-35yo). Petros is a member of YPP and the Ujima People's Progress Party. He is also deeply involved in the Decriminalize Montgomery County campaign to decriminalize students and drivers. He holds a Bachelor degree in Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies from Methodist University in North Carolina and is currently a graduate student in education at Coppin State. He has been a public servant most of his life, including as a teacher and firefighter. We are also proud to endorse Mhambi Musonda for the Youth seat (<25yo). Mhambi is also a YPP member, a second-year International Relations student at Montgomery College, and an alumni of Albert Einstein High School. He is currently a reporter at the MC newspaper: The Advocate. He has volunteered at legal clinics, food and and voter registration drives, and at Silver Spring Justice Coalition's Policy Committee. As background, the Montgomery County Council created the Policing Advisory Commission (PAC) in 2019 to advise the County Council on policing matters. This year, the Council renamed the PAC to the ACP. The ACP is an democratic body that provides a much-needed civilian place at the decision-making table. It has two vacant and Youth & Young Adults that must be filled so that young people, who are disproportionately affected by policing misconduct, can share their input and experiences. Read more here: https://moco360.media/2023/10/24/montgomery-county-council-changes-name-of-policing-advisory-commission-clarifies-role/

You are invited to YPP’s Thanksgiving Potluck on Sat, November 25th from 2-5 PM! We will meet at 8070 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring. Reconnect with veteran YPP members, welcome new YPP members, celebrate our achievements, and share gratitude with this amazing community that we’ve built together. RSVP: bit.ly/yppfriendsgiving

YOU’RE INVITED! The YPP Chapter at MC Rockville is having a movie night for THE HATE U GIVE. We’ll meet on Tues, Nov 21 at 3 PM @ SC 459. Come out, meet other members, and learn about how policing issues affect young people all over the country. CW// Police violence THE HATE U GIVE is a coming-of-age movie about the fallout after a high school student witnesses a police shooting.

Petros Bein, member of Young People for Progress, explained that MoCo needs to ban consent searches in order to reduce racial disparities. Traffic stops represent the most frequent form of police interaction with MoCo residents, and recent data from the County Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) paints a troubling picture. Racial disparities have persisted and, alarmingly, worsened in recent years. From 2018 to 2022, Black and Latinx drivers faced significantly higher rates of stops, citations, searches, and arrests compared to their representation in our population. “One concrete step the County can take to address these racial disparities in traffic enforcement is implementing a complete ban on consent searches. Consent searches are a practice where law enforcement officers request permission to search a vehicle without the need for a warrant or probable cause. Unfortunately, this practice has often been detrimental, and can often lead to mental and physical harm to the driver. Banning consent searches would reduce the amount of interactions that drivers have with police, which would create a more equitable and just environment for all residents. Thank you.”

Greg Brown, Public Policy Counsel at the ACLU of Maryland, said that it’s time for Montgomery County to ban consent searches. In particular, young people are more vulnerable to being intimidated into complying with a consent search. “When police pull people over, they’ll utilize consent searches against youth because they don’t know their rights. They’re not used to standing up for themselves in any formal way, especially to people in positions of power and authority. That, as I’ve been saying, is a civil rights issue that is all-encompassing and needs to be addressed not just at the local level, but in the state house.”

Join Young People for Progress’ General Body Meeting to learn more about our campaign updates and connect with fellow young organizers in the MoCo! We will host an open discussion on problems, solutions, and resources on issues that affect young people in our community. DATE/TIME: Sat, Nov 4 @ 11 AM LOCATION: 8070 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Daniel, President at MoCo Students for Change, shared these powerful words about the changes that students want to see in their public schools. As a current high school student, he says that students want more of MCPS’ restorative justice program, not a pipeline into prison. “Having more police in school only makes students feel unsafe, especially black and brown students, who aren’t able to learn as they are instead fearing for their safety. It is time that we utilize our social workers and school psychologists by ensuring that students know who they are. Many students, including myself, don’t know our school psychologist and social worker because they are always holed up in their offices instead of coming out to meet us. We need to have dedicated psychologists who can stay all day, every day, at our schools in order to support students at all times of the day. We also need to start utilizing our Restorative Justice coaches that are in each high school. Many students, including myself, don’t even know who they are or that we even have a program at our school in order to support students through restorative justice. Students deserve support and what we want are not more cops, but actual, tangible resources that help us change and become better people in the future. Thank you!”

More photos from the Decriminalize Montgomery County Campaign Relaunch Rally on October 22! We call on our elected leaders to immediately ban consent searches and build out the restorative justice program in MCPS.

On a beautiful fall day, over sixty community members attended the Decriminalize Montgomery County Campaign relaunch rally. During the rally, we heard rousing speeches from members of the community that have been directly impacted by overpolicing in Montgomery County. Petros, a YPP member, spoke about policing as a whole and challenged us to imagine a society without police. Omodamola, former YPP president and organizer at the MORE Network, spoke about his experiences with police, both as an individual and as a parent of two Black children in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Daniel, President of MoCo Students for Change, spoke about how the restorative justice program would benefit high school students like himself. Greg, Public Policy Counsel at the ACLU of Maryland, explained the issues of decriminalizing students and drivers, and connected them to youth justice issues at the state level. Next, we marched from Gene Lynch Urban Park to Veteran’s Plaza in downtown Silver Spring before eating delicious Indian food. We are grateful to be in community with many passionate and dedicated advocates. Thank you to everyone who attended! We call on our elected leaders to immediately ban consent searches and build out the restorative justice program in MCPS.

The Decriminalize Montgomery County Campaign Relaunch Rally is THIS SUNDAY from 3-5 PM! We will meet at Gene Lynch Urban Park, which is right across the street from the Silver Spring Metro Station. Come listen to exciting speakers including YPP members, high school students, and experts in the field of decriminalization. We will connect with other community organizers and eat delicious Indian food afterwards. Share this flyer with your networks and RSVP for the event at bit.ly/mocodecrim!

Thanks to all of the dedicated members of YPP who came out to phonebank and canvass today!

PAC Worksession Oct 2 2023

Restorative justice (RJ) is a set of practices that MCPS uses to repair harm through education and better communication. How do we do that? Learn more in our upcoming General Body Meeting with an MCPS RJ coach! DATE/TIME: Sat, 10/7, 11 AM LOCATION: Rockville Library, Mtg Room 1

STATEMENT: Young People for Progress Condemns Arrest of Five Bethesda Teenagers Last week, five teenagers were arrested after an alleged fight in Bethesda on Friday, September 1st. We wish the victims a speedy recovery and do not intend to dismiss the physical and emotional harm that they experienced. However, Young People for Progress strongly condemns these arrests and the charging of one juvenile as an adult. These punitive actions are the product of systemic failure. This incident highlights the need for a more compassionate approach when addressing youth offenses. We advocate for a justice system that tackles the roots of conflicts through better education, counseling, and restorative justice, rather than penal measures that worsen a cycle of criminalization. We believe that young people have the capacity to learn from their mistakes, grow, and become responsible members of our community. An arrest record can disrupt a student’s education, their future employment, and their lives. While this incident happened off-campus, criminalizing students is yet another example of the school-to-prison pipeline. Instead, we encourage the community to come together to support these young people and address the underlying issues that may have led to this incident. We hope to build a Montgomery County where these incidents can never occur again. In our staetment, we link the Montgomery County Office of Legislative Oversight’s report titled “Addressing Racial Inequity in the School to Prison Pipeline: bit.ly/44oj8Nk

On September 12, the County Council considered a bill (32-23) to weaken the Police Advisory Commission (PAC). Amyra Hasan, Young People for Progress’ Campaign Manager, spoke about how young people of color are disproportionately arrested at rates exceeding their population in MoCo. Young people should have a say in policing by keeping the youth and young adult seats. She also voiced opposition to giving voting power to the Police Chief and Fraternal Order of the Police, explaining that there is a conflict of interest. Government institutions, law enforcement included, operate effectively in a system of checks and balances. The PAC would fulfill this role. We need to keep the PAC because it helps keep law enforcement accountable and transparent to the people that it swears to serve. The PAC is an important community voice that should be strengthened, rather than weakened. We urge the County Council to vote against Bill 32-23.