Nikkita Oliver's reaction to King County Executive Dow Constantine's Press Conference
By Julie-C
Nikkita Oliver spoke with Omari to give her reaction to King County Executive Dow Constantine's press conference today in which he outlined his "proposed investments in anti-racism and criminal legal system transformation" that will be included in his upcoming budget.
On September 16th, King County Executive Dow Constantine held a press conference alongside other public officials and board members of Black Lives Matters Seattle King County (BLM-SK) to highlight “anti-racism and criminal legal system transformation in the upcoming budget”. While this announcement - which will bring new financial commitments to zero incarceration- brings hopeful news, the roll out has left many in the community with mixed feelings for valid reasons.
First of all, it is no secret that the growth of Seattle’s abolitionist movement - spearheaded by efforts such as No Juvi Jail and Block the Bunker - has been an eight year slow burn with Constantine as main antagonist in the narrative. What does the omission of this history and legacy of struggle imply?
Secondly, there has been growing public concern about how BLM-SK, an entity with no official relationship to the national organization and little reported connection to any on-the-ground protests, has been positioning itself politically.
Earlier in the summer, BLM-SK withdrew from King County Equity Now - a coalition of 200 plus Black-led grassroots organizations, backpedaling both their endorsement of the demands as well as the fiscal support it had promised. Earlier this week, the organization released a public request for an ethics investigation against Seattle City Council members who have been supportive of the defund movement in a rather cryptic letter that many have noted sounds strangely Durkan-esque.
What do those on the frontlines of restorative justice and abolition work think about King County’s newfound commitment to transforming the criminal justice system? In this segment, Converge Media’s Omari Salisbury sits down with Nikkita Oliver of Creative Justice/Decriminalize Seattle to hear one reaction to the press conference and this week’s developments.
While Oliver is thrilled that after an eight year uphill battle, community-created alternatives are finally getting the attention and investment they deserve, she shares honest, heartfelt context on what this progress has really taken, shedding critical light on why holistic stories of movements are vital for instilling and sustaining the tools of radical change-making for future generations. View the full interview below.
