Opinion: The World We Need Must Be Built By Community, Not Courtrooms

Omari Salisbury

All right here with Sean Goode from Choose 180. How are you today?

Sean Goode

I'm doing well. I appreciate you, brother.

Omari Salisbury

Alright, so Sean, I was on the internet earlier perusing the South Seattle Emerald, as I usually do. And what I see this pops up , "The World We Need Must Be Built By Community, Not Courtrooms." You wrote this? Tell me about it.

Sean Goode

Yeah, well, you know, what really pushed me to put pen to paper was our organizations been working in partnership with several others, Creative Justice, Collective Justice, Community Passageways, and we've created a blueprint to circumvent the court system for 600 to 700 young people a year by having them get referred directly from the prosecutor's office.

Everybody's bought in Dow has allocated the resources to make it happen in the in the biennial budget and, and we're excited to move forward. But as the King County Council is leaning into approve the budget, they're getting a ton of pushback from people whose jobs are dependent on kids being in cages. And I just thought it was important that I reached out to the community through the Emerald and, and ground us in the power of our collective voice and really center around some areas where we could push forward in our voice to make sure the change that we need happens for our community.

Omari Salisbury

What exactly are you wanting community members to do?

Sean Goode

To continue to do what we've been doing, of course, make phone calls to your King County Council members make phone calls to City Hall. And for those that don't live in the city of Seattle, to reach out to the council members in the cities that you do live in and talk about these very important issues that are being elevated publicly in the city of Seattle. I mean, issues like divesting from law enforcement and investing in community solutions, issues, like leaning into black brilliance in order to make decisions that impact black community. This is not a Seattle, concern. It's a King County, really Western Washington, really Washington state and regional concern. And we have an opportunity with our voices being elevated and brought together by synergy to really see things move forward and change across our region.

Omari Salisbury

Right. And why do you think council members are getting such pushback? I know, you said people want to protect jobs. But I mean, can you expound a little bit on that?

Sean Goode

Yeah, I mean, it's complicated, right? I mean, if you think about it, if you built a house based upon young people being incarcerated, and your livelihood is dependent upon young people being put in cages, and going through the traditional court system, then you're you're really tied into the fact that we need to be able to see young people go through this process in order for you to have the job that's been able to create like you're living, and I understand the complication of it all. And I get it. But I think it's imperative that all of us that are doing work that are serving community and young people, whether you're in the nonprofit industry, or whether you're in the county and city, that you're looking at a future where your job isn't relevant, like our organization shouldn't have to exist in perpetuity, because we should be at a place where young people's behavior is no longer criminalized, and work like ours is unnecessary. And we should believe in a future where law enforcement isn't necessary. I mean, why would you want to believe in a future where you had to have police in order to feel safe in community?

And so part of the challenge in envisioning these things is that there's actual people who have these jobs, and those people are impacted by these visions. But if we're responsible to one another, and we continue to lift up, those that matter the most the marginalize those that are often held victim by these institutions, then, then it then it really is a quick and easy conversation. It may be a transition for a county employee, but it's an opportunity for a young person to truly experience life free and connected to community.

Omari Salisbury

All right, and lastly, Shawn, how can people reach you reach Choose 180?

Sean Goode

Yeah, you can reach out to us social media is @Ichoose180. I'm @whychoose180. And really, there's a collective of us that are doing this. So it's creative justice, collective justice, community passageways, choose when at King County equity now decriminalize Seattle, the solidarity budget, folks, like there's, you know, everyday marchers, there's so many different entities that are responsible for the power of our collective voice. And that's really the heart of the article O, it is that what we've been able to do when standing together has given me hope, in the midst of some really challenging and difficult times. But if we begin to divide as a result of some folks that want to get reelected, so they're throwing hundreds of millions of dollars in the community, or folks that believe that there is one right way, and so we don't concede to that way, then there is no way or, you know, all the other divisive narratives, we can put all of that aside and ask ourselves, one simple question. Is this direction that these folks are heading protecting our people? Then let's go that direction, and let's go that direction together. And that's the opportunity that's in front of us today.

Omari Salisbury

All right, Sean Goode Choose 180. Thanks for taking the time.

Sean Goode

I appreciate you brother.