Abolition of Policing—A Critical Theory of Police Power

Heal Da Homies will facilitate a group discussion about the oppressive social and economic relationships that have been central to the history of the United States. They will lead us through a policing 'timeline walk,” and we will learn about the global parallels of police violence and state power in other countries, such as South Africa. The conversation will explore the relationship between the police, state power, and the ideology of crime.

This workshop is indoors and masks are welcome. The entrance to WPA is wheelchair accessible.

About the Host

Kayla Kelly (they/them) is a DC-based grassroots organizer originally from Hartford, Connecticut. In the fall semester of their freshman year of college, Kayla had founded Heal Da Homies, a multi-racial, mutual aid organization based in DC. The organization was created to meet the needs of marginalized communities that are victims of systemic racism and intergenerational oppression due to food insecurity, housing, and gentrification. Heal Da Homies, in its two years of operation, has performed direct action to benefit DC residents, which included the following: organizing low-cost flea markets to clothe low-income residents, routinely distributing meals and groceries to encampments and residents, registering residents to acquire governmental benefits, and providing accessible political education to the public. Taking on a holistic approach in acquiring racial and class liberation, the organization has been involved in providing clinical care, hosting drug overdose trainings, self-defense classes, drafting policy proposals based on the needs of the community, and being part of a community emergency response network. They’ve organized numerous on-campus protests, formulated a partnership with the American University Antiracist Research & Policy, and recently presented their work in empowering Black D.C. residents  to members of the United Nations at the UN Permanent Forum of People of African Descent roundtable.

About the Project

sowing worlds within the incompossible is an exercise in worldbuilding. The project emulates a queer community space consisting of an exhibition and a series of programs. The exhibition includes artwork by Amarise Carreras, Nelson Morales, and SHAN Wallace, who play with the tension between the everyday and the fantastical. Alongside their artwork, the installation functions as a place to come inside and read, look, gather, dream, learn, and heal. Organized by Giancarlo Montes Santangelo, the project is open through March 11.