Who We Are
We, as employees of the City of New York, are uniting to dismantle racism throughout all City government departments and agencies, to support the struggles of the communities we serve, and to use our voices, power, and privilege as City employees to push for a more just and equitable New York City for all New Yorkers. City Workers For Justice represents a growing network of progressive City workers committed to using our diverse skill sets, connections, and voices to support the ongoing fight for justice in New York City. We invite all current & former City workers who stand for a more inclusive, progressive, and just New York City to join our efforts, lend their skills, and elevate the emerging campaigns & struggles in our communities.
City Workers For Justice emerged in the struggle for racial justice, budget justice, and police accountability in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and subsequent national uprising. Our commitment to dismantling racism and building racial justice within City institutions informs all of our work, and intersects with our commitments to economic equality, disability justice, anti-sexism, LGBTQ+ rights, sustainability and environmental protection, immigration justice, housing justice, budgets and programs that prioritize community needs, and countless other progressive struggles. We aim to build a network of current and former City employees that can serve as an ally and valuable resource for the struggles our communities are already waging, and to elevate and fight for those struggles within the halls of City government. Together, we aspire to do our part to build a truly just New York for all New Yorkers.
Our Values/Points of Unity
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We commit to explicitly pursuing anti-racism in all its forms in our work, renouncing white supremacy and specifically anti-Blackness as we work to institutionalize dignity for all New Yorkers, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, income, immigration status, housing status, or any other factor.
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We recognize that since its foundation, our government has existed to disenfranchise and disempower Black communities, Indigenous communities, and other communities of color.
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We recognize that the same systems that have been used against Black communities have been used to oppress other marginalized communities including Indigenous and other people of color, women, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and low-income communities.
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We commit to raising and empowering the voices of the most historically silenced, violated, and oppressed communities, and using our skills and resources to support their movements and calls for change.
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We affirm the voices and stories of Black colleagues through support and active listening, as well as offering this focus to all our Indigenous and communities of color.
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We commit to trauma-informed restorative justice in all of the work that we do, to ground in radical vulnerability. We dedicate ourselves to the constant building, re-evaluation, and evolution of consensus.