Brother Lyle Muhammad

Well, I think that direct question, and thank you all so much for bringing light on this situation, really is a question that they need to be asked, that they haven't answered. What I will say is this, the most diabolical thing I've seen in reference to these particular cuts is the timing. A few days before summer, That's a death wish.

Well, I think that direct question, and thank you all so much for bringing light on this situation, really is a question that they need to be asked, that they haven't answered. What I will say is this, the most diabolical thing I've seen in reference to these particular cuts is the timing. A few days before summer, That's a death wish.

And so obviously people talk about campaigns about Black Lives Mattering and about impoverished neighborhoods deserving to be serviced. So if those things are diametrically opposed to the administration's agenda, then I think we just stepped up another leg in this war.

And so obviously people talk about campaigns about Black Lives Mattering and about impoverished neighborhoods deserving to be serviced. So if those things are diametrically opposed to the administration's agenda, then I think we just stepped up another leg in this war.

Well, the writing on the wall says that. And so that's why, you know, one of our approaches is, of course, we're not taking this lying down, but we're also not going to be spending a lot of time, to be quite honest, convincing those who are diametrically opposed to the work that we do, trying to prove its value.

Well, the writing on the wall says that. And so that's why, you know, one of our approaches is, of course, we're not taking this lying down, but we're also not going to be spending a lot of time, to be quite honest, convincing those who are diametrically opposed to the work that we do, trying to prove its value.

It's time for those who understand and believe this work to stop taping these kind of slap in the faces for granted.

It's time for those who understand and believe this work to stop taping these kind of slap in the faces for granted.

Great, great question. First of all, there is a lot of national organizing going on now because of this. Some institutions have already had to lay off their entire workforces, some as many as 60 individuals. I mean, you take a picture of 60 well-placed individuals who are doing violence intervention and prevention work, and you remove them, you immediately are causing a gap.

Great, great question. First of all, there is a lot of national organizing going on now because of this. Some institutions have already had to lay off their entire workforces, some as many as 60 individuals. I mean, you take a picture of 60 well-placed individuals who are doing violence intervention and prevention work, and you remove them, you immediately are causing a gap.

Other organizations that even provide technical assistance have been forced to stop their programming. And a lot of this work to our young people, too, you know, who sometimes are suicidal. So their mental health counselors and the people that they support as credible messengers, some of them have immediately been taken out of the picture.

Other organizations that even provide technical assistance have been forced to stop their programming. And a lot of this work to our young people, too, you know, who sometimes are suicidal. So their mental health counselors and the people that they support as credible messengers, some of them have immediately been taken out of the picture.

So this is really having an implosion effect across America.

So this is really having an implosion effect across America.

Exactly. Yeah, exactly how that went down. We literally received an email last Tuesday on the 22nd at 535 p.m. that notified of the termination. Literally, the faucet was cut off. We couldn't even go and get reimbursed for monies and programs that have already been spent. Literally, they sent it after business hours.

Exactly. Yeah, exactly how that went down. We literally received an email last Tuesday on the 22nd at 535 p.m. that notified of the termination. Literally, the faucet was cut off. We couldn't even go and get reimbursed for monies and programs that have already been spent. Literally, they sent it after business hours.

Now, mind you, most organizations like ours, they begin their payroll drawdown processes on the Wednesday. So this was direct and this was intentional.

Now, mind you, most organizations like ours, they begin their payroll drawdown processes on the Wednesday. So this was direct and this was intentional.

Excellent, man. Tell you, the first thing that had to come to my mind is, am I going to be able to make payroll this week? And then the second thing that came to my mind is, how many people are we going to have to lay off? And then the visualization started coming to my mind, like our peacemakers who stopped a young person on the street from cutting himself with a razor after school.

Excellent, man. Tell you, the first thing that had to come to my mind is, am I going to be able to make payroll this week? And then the second thing that came to my mind is, how many people are we going to have to lay off? And then the visualization started coming to my mind, like our peacemakers who stopped a young person on the street from cutting himself with a razor after school.