Dear Mayor Ras Baraka

Contacts:
Newarkwatercoalition@gmail.com
Co-founders:
Anthony Diaz & Sabre Burroughs
Author: Renee Shalhoub

Dear Mayor Ras J. Baraka,

On Friday March 12, Lamont Vaughn part of the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, the Chief of Staff of the Mayor, Amiri Baraka, Jr. and Reverend Roundtree, an advisor of the mayor confronted our Mutual Aid marchers and organizers. Our goal for the event was to hand out essential items to the community including clean water, food, diapers, wipes and plants. We were met with disruption, violence and aggression.

Mutual Aid is community-led resources for the people and by the people. Our belief is to educate and empower the community on the effects of environmental racism and how systemic racism in the form of bloated police department funding is connected to our fight for clean water for all Newark residents.

As your staff, specifically Chief of Staff of the Mayor, Amiri Baraka, Jr. was harassing us, a young woman tearfully recalled how her young nephew was just in the hospital for lead poisoning. She pleaded with Amiri stating that we cannot wait any longer to fix the pipes and provide clean water for all Newark residents. Her plea was ignored and was told by Amiri that change takes time. Reverend Roundtree exclaimed that “50% of the pipes had been replaced”. This measly excuse is the very reason we were marching. We will not wait for the city any longer.

We demand answers. How does the city plan to hold these disruptors to peaceful marches accountable? Why are you and the city threatened by peaceful Mutual Aid marchers handing out
bottled water, food and baby items? You recently passed an ordinance that will divert about $11.4 million - or 5% - from the city’s public safety budget to turn a police precinct into headquarters
for social services. How will your transfer of $11.4 million dollars from the police department to social services address this?

We demand clean water for all Newark residents. We demand an end to systemic racism and internalized oppression that you and your administration perpetuate.

Newark Water Coalition