SCAR
Why not try real solutions?
Spokane could just decide to love its community more. Everyone wants less crime, but leaning on police to do all the work just creates more prisoners. We need to actually invest in our community; in each other.
Platform for Change 2.0
A movement by us, for us
Keep coming back to see updates on Spokane’s Platform for Change!
Who is S.C.A.R?
S.C.A.R stands for Spokane Community Against Racism
S.C.A.R was founded May 13th, 2017 in response to the racial violence in Spokane after a black man named William Poindexter was shot in the back by a white man from nearly 30 feet away. This was ruled “self defense” by an all white jury.
S.C.A.R is a community based racial justice organization formed out of necessity to eradicate systemic racism in Spokane County.
Our Mission is to identify and address racial disparities through community efforts including education, advocacy, research, community engagement, public policy, and challenges to the existing organizations and structures.
What is the platform for change?
The Platform for Change is a community-driven vision for systemic change in Spokane—one that embraces a holistic approach to community safety and wellness. We believe Spokane deserves a just, compassionate, and effective safety and wellness network—so we’re building it together. Since 2020, people with lived experience, research-based knowledge, and systems expertise have come together to shape this vision.
At its core, the Platform for Change reimagines what safety & wellness means. It challenges traditional definitions of “crime,” addresses its root causes, and centers shared prosperity and community care as essential to a healthy society. This is more than a policy proposal—it’s a collaborative movement to create lasting, equitable change in Spokane.
How we reimagine safety & wellness:
Police accountability
Spokane deserves a system where police are held accountable to the communities they serve. We’re advocating for increased transparency, stronger oversight, and policies that promote justice, fairness, and respect for all. Police accountability isn’t just a goal—it’s a necessity for ensuring the safety of every Spokane resident.
Invest in our community
Community safety and wellness starts with community investment. We must prioritize mental health services, affordable housing, youth programs, and resources that uplift and empower our community. By investing in Spokane’s people, we build a more resilient, supportive, and thriving community for everyone.
Transform the criminal legal system
The criminal legal system is broken, and we need to transform it. We’re calling for restorative justice, decarceration, and a shift away from punitive measures, and toward healing and rehabilitation. Everyone deserves a chance to rebuild their life, and we must address the root causes of incarceration—like racism, poverty, addiction, and mental health issues—with compassion and care.
How it started
On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds.
A video taken at the time captured 8 minutes and 46 second and was viewed across the world. It sparked a movement now popularly referred to as the “Racial Reckoning” as protests against police violence erupted across the United States.
Spokane rose up as well, and thousands of people flooded Downtown across multiple demonstrations to demand change in our local policing systems.
The local problem
The murder of George Floyd gave national oxygen to a problem that stretches across the nation, affecting small towns and big cities, including Spokane County, Washington.
Spokane’s criminal-legal and policing systems are systemically racist, and our current punitive approach to public safety and wellness does not work:
- It doesn’t heal or restore communities.
- It doesn’t provide healing to wronged individuals.
- It provides punishment instead of accountability.
Methods of involvement
Participate in a town hall:
Facilitate safe spaces for different groups in the community to discuss what safety and wellness means/looks like to them.
Join a canvas:
Door knocking, and spreading the word about P4C all throughout Spokane neighborhoods
Help draft policy that promotes safety & wellness:
- Drafters- write original content such as problem statements, and policy proposals.
- Commentors- give feedback, ask questions, and suggest edits.
- Reviewers-provide big-picture feedback on completed sections, offering suggestions, questions, or concerns.
Attend pop up events:
Show up and volunteer at P4C community events
