We have reached our goal! But you can still donate! All proceeds will be used for our Youth Education programs, including our program with Red Hook students. 

Why is this issue important?

In the past couple of months, we have seen communities impacted by COVID, over-policing, and police brutality advocate for change through protest and push to reform unjust laws. Across the country, people have taken to the streets to share concerns over the excessive and deadly use of force by police officers.

The issue of over-policing is not new to residents in Red Hook. Young people in Red Hook are targeted by police officers through unjust policies such as stop and frisk and conspiracy laws. As videos are shared depicting police officers using illegal forms of force such as chokeholds, driving into groups of protestors, and using tear gas on community members, the questions around who holds the police accountable and what police accountability means has become increasingly important. 

What is the project?

CUP is partnering with young people from Red Hook and the Red Hook Community Justice Center again, to take young people out of the classroom and into the city to ask — and answer — tough social justice questions about how the city works. 

Young people will learn how to be investigative journalists, interviewing a broad range of stakeholders — from elected officials to criminal justice advocates to communities impacted by policing. They will learn technical skills and work with a CUP Teaching Artist to understand the current systems for holding police accountable and explore alternatives to policing where communities hold the power. Most importantly, young people will learn that the places where they live are products of decision-making, and that they can talk to decision-makers themselves and hold them accountable.

At the conclusion of the project, students will lead a series of community presentations where they will present on the topic of police accountability and hold facilitated discussions with community-based organizations, elected officials, educators, and other stakeholders in Red Hook and the surrounding communities.  

Key Dates:

Fundraising Campaign: July 9th - 23rd

CUP and Teaching Artist develop curriculum: July 24th - August 25th

CUP and Red Hook Community Justice Center kick off the project: September 8th

Project Completion: November 19th

Community Presentations: December 2020 - January 2021 

What will I receive for participating?

• Listing on the CUP website and in the CUP email newsletter
• Regular updates on the project with messages from the involved young people on what they are up to in the program
• An invitation to the final public presentation of the project where you can meet the young people
• If you donate more than $100, you will receive a free copy of the final project that you helped make possible
• If you donate more than $500, you will also be listed as a supporter on the final project