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BREATHE Day 2020 Highlights and A Continued Call to Action

Black Lives Matter Foundation, in collaboration with Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) and other partnering organizations, celebrated September 29, 2020 as BREATHE Day.

BREATHE Day is a time to discuss how the BREATHE Act will #DefundThePolice and create a future where we all can thrive. 

For BREATHE Day 2020, we unveiled exclusive BREATHE Act art, provided tools on how to have conversations about defunding the police, and collectively demanded Congress take action.

In case you missed it or want to re-experience the day, here are highlights from BREATHE Day 2020:

The Importance of the BREATHE Act 

A conversation about the importance of Black voices in the 2020 election and answering the tough questions around defunding the police.

Featuring: Patrisse Cullors, Janelle Monáe

Watch on Instagram

From the Streets to Congress: A BREATHE Day Conversation with Jamaal Bowman

Join Jamaal Bowman for a discussion on how he hopes to effect change from Congress and how he plans to fight for bold ideas like those brought to life in the BREATHE Act.

Guests: Congressman-Elect Jamaal Bowman, Monifa Bandele

Watch on Instagram

Breath for Breonna

Michelle Alexander and M4BL representative Gina Clayton-Johnson connect Breonna Taylor’s case to specific components of the BREATHE Act, like  gender, justice, and the war on drugs.

Guests: Michelle Alexander, Gina Clayton-Johnson

Watch on Instagram

BREATHE 20:20—Answering 20 Questions in 20 Minutes

A 20 minute IG Live overviewing the BREATHE Act, answering FAQs, and sharing how to support this effort.

Watch on Instagram

Our Continued Call to Action

BREATHE Day 2020 may be over, but there’s still more you can do to demand change.

Our nation is facing a turning point. We can either stand up and demand change, or we can continue watching as our Black and Brown neighbors choke on expired tear gas, disappear into unmarked vans, and bear the brunt of police brutality in this nation.

The BREATHE Act is a 21st-century federal civil rights bill that will help communities of color not just survive, but thrive. We’re building support for the BREATHE Act from the ground up—and that starts with showing Congress that communities across the country demand change. Because it’s not enough to just say that Black Lives Matter—we need to live it. 

We need the BREATHE Act.