We invite you to join us as a coalition of organizations committed to fighting for justice and equity in our communities. Our partnership includes The Freedom BLOC, St. Ashworth Temple, Akron NAACP, and Akron Urban League.

As you may be aware, we are deeply angered by the Grand Jury’s decision not to indict the eight officers who murdered Jayland Walker. This is just one example of a larger pattern of systemic racism and police violence that has plagued our society for far too long. We demand that the Department of Justice opens a pattern-and-practice investigation into the Akron police department, a federal investigation into the murder of Jayland Walker, and that those accountable for his death be fired and prosecuted.

In the spirit of change and justice, we are organizing a series of "We Are the Change" marches for Justice for Jayland Walker and all those who have been brutally murdered by police departments across the country. These marches will take place on May 24th in Akron, OH. We aim to bring together directly impacted families of police violence, clergy, and a coalition of individuals and organizations who share our commitment to fighting for justice.

We would like to invite you and your organization to join us in this fight. We believe that your organization can play a critical role in helping us build a movement for change. We ask that you join us in marching and demanding justice for Jayland Walker. We also ask that you invite people and organizations from your networks to join us in this important work.

Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can demand justice for Jayland Walker and for all those who have been impacted by police violence.

Sincerely,

The Freedom BLOC, St. Ashworth Temple, Akron NAACP, Akron Urban League and Ohio Families Unite Against Police Brutality