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GREEN LIGHT BLACK FUTURES

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In 2018, Detroit Chapter launched Green Light Black Futures, a campaign to end the end the hyper-surveillance of Project Green Light. Project Green Light (PGL) is a partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Police Department (DPD) and participating businesses to install security cameras on the businesses’ properties that feed all activity back to DPD. Surveillance conditions us to feel fear and shame, where we should feel agency, freedom, and safety. Black people in Detroit deserve to be kept safe without being watched for “suspicious activity”, and without being in fear of the police and their escalated response to “crime.”

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There is a history of surveillance being used to track and control Black people and communities of color. Additionally, a key issue with surveillance is the secrecy and lack of transparency around what information is collected, how it is used, and who it is shared with. Green Light Black Futures is developing new practices and cultures of keeping each other safe and demanding the divestment from this surveillance — as well as transparency around the records of already collected footage. As a part of our campaign, Detroit Chapter hosted the political event, "The Color of Surveillance,” and a letter-writing campaign to urge "no" votes from city council on the mandatory ordinance of Project Green Light.

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FREE STORES​

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The Detroit Chapter regularly collaborates with community members to host free stores outside of homeless shelters and at events. These free stores give out clothes, hand warmers, coats, and hygiene products to those who need them.