SOMETHING TO SAY I’VE MADE STRIDES CHALLENGING DOMINANT NARRATIVES
The San Diego Union-Tribune Community Voices Project was established to allow people to write about what they wanted. This time, we gave the group a prompt: “Why is it important for you, your community and your culture to have a voice at the table? Share some examples where that has made, is making or will make a difference in San Diego.” This week, we publish their responses.
Having a voice at the table — and being heard — is paramount to the survival of marginalized community members who face various systemic barriers that hinder their social, economic and political progress. As a Black woman who grew up in low-income housing in an underserved neighborhood, I defied the odds placed on my life by becoming an accomplished attorney, which is why I am committed to using my voice to amplify the voices of other marginalized community members.
Because of my background, I approach issues relating to public safety with a unique lens. By having a seat at the table, I bring unique insights and concerns that would otherwise be missing from critical discussions and policymaking. My inclusion in important conversations fosters a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by my community and society at large, leading to more equitable and people-centered solutions.
My voice is vital for accountability. As the executive director of Community Advocates for Just and Moral Governance, I actively work to promote good governance and hold government accountable to everyone, particularly marginalized community members. I advocate for policies that address systemic inequalities and advance racial and social justice. My voice contributes to shaping a San Diego that acknowledges the diverse needs and aspirations of all of its residents.
For this reason alone, my voice is essential to conversations about public safety, which are overwhelmingly dominated by law enforcement. As a society, we simply accept law enforcement’s framework for understanding concepts tied to criminal justice and public safety and their definitions. Accordingly, their view becomes the dominant narrative and ultimately the norm. By adding my perspective, I challenge the status quo and provide a counterbalance to prevailing narratives. I did this routinely in my role as a commissioner on the city of San Diego’s Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention. My work as chair of its Gang Documentation Committee, where I spearheaded efforts to end the use of outdated, arbitrary gang injunctions in San Diego, exemplifies the impact of my voice in policymaking. Armed with personal knowledge about the history of gang injunctions (my neighborhood was the first to be targeted) and its impact on people I know and data showcasing the harmful effects of these injunctions, I persisted — despite strong opposition from the mayor, city attorney, chief of police and district attorney. My committee’s success in ridding San Diego of the use of discriminatory gang injunctions highlights the importance of community members’ contributions in shaping policies that directly impact their lives.
My willingness to question everyday law enforcement practices — such as the use of the carotid restraint, pretextual stops and consent searches, and the mishandling of rape kits — is rooted in the need to hold those in power accountable. By challenging law enforcement’s definition of public safety, I demand data-driven and human-centered policies and laws. I advocate for a just criminal legal system because we need one.
My voice ensures that no victim is unaccounted for. Victims of police violence are rarely given a seat at the table. When we talk about issues relating to the use of surveillance technology, for instance, impacted populations who keenly understand how police and their tools have been weaponized against them are quickly dismissed, and it is assumed by the masses that the source of their distrust stems from their criminal behaviors. We must reframe what public safety means and consider community members who are not safe during interactions with police. Why shouldn’t victims of racial profiling be centered in the framework of public safety as other victims are?
Having my voice at the table is not just vital for me and my community but for a more inclusive and equitable society that benefits everyone. My voice ensures representation and empowerment of vulnerable populations to shape decisions that directly impact their lives.
Through my advocacy and leadership, I have already made significant strides for San Diego by challenging dominant narratives. By continuing to challenge the concept of public safety, I contribute a muchneeded perspective that seeks to protect human rights, secure equal treatment, promote trust and create a safer world for everyone.
Jones-Wright is executive director of Community Advocates for Just and Moral Governance and lives in Encanto.