The Problem
For decades, many New York neighborhoods have battled the same issues – gun violence, under-resourced schools, food apartheid, lack of employment opportunities and more.
Instead of strategically and intentionally investing in communities, the city of New York has invested huge amounts of money into over-policing and public safety approaches that are not working.
Introducing We Build The Block
We are a community-led movement to bring our voices to the front of the conversation on public safety
We are organizing our voices to advocate for our needs, elect leaders we can hold accountable, and build solutions to the problems we face. Our work can replace over-policing with better community developed and led models that protect and free us all.
Our 2021 Goal
Organize the community around voter participation and a
new agenda for public safety in the 2021 NYC mayoral race.
Our Approach
Organize local communities
Promote our youth-led curriculum on voter and civic engagement
Plan and lead activations on overpoliced blocks to register new voters and educate communities
Use social media and press to elevate youth concerns and solutions
Pilot new policy + protocols
Pilot new public safety models, working with community organizations, community experts, and members of the NYPD committed to social justice
Use outcomes from pilots to influence policy and protocol recommendations for a community-led public safety agenda
Influence NYC’s public safety debate
Interview and influence candidates to support a community-backed pledge to accomplish community-led public safety solutions
Build awareness about the challenges of police reform
Shift the conversation on public safety in the mayoral race through events, press, and social media
Our Team
- Dana Rachlin – Executive Director
- Michael K. Williams – Co-Founder & Advocate
- Jeremiah M. – Crew Count, Co-Founder
- Colby Dunbar – Crew Count, Co-Founder
- Royal Hyness Allah – Crew Count, Co-Founder
- Jahlil Allah – Crew Count, Co-Founder
Campaign Partners
- Life Camp
- Future Coalition
- NYCVotes
- Clergy for Safe Cities
- Build The Bench NYC
- All Good Things Studio