Catalyze Reform
Strengthening community-led reform efforts
Cities, counties, and local government agencies have their experts. Impacted communities should have theirs, too.
Catalyze Reform is a critical community resource to even the odds and empower local groups to take the lead on reform and strengthening independent oversight.
What kinds of reform efforts can Catalyze Reform support?
We have a network of experts who can, at no cost, support communities on whatever justice issue is important to them. This includes police, jails, schools, and other racial and social justice issues. Our experts can advise informal coalitions, “reimagining” committees, or citizen commissions.
How Catalyze Reform can support communities
Review / subject matter expertise
Catalyze Reform can review incidents, data, internal investigation reports, oversight structures, and policies and report our observations and recommendations to the community groups and/or on behalf of community groups combatting systemic racial inequities and other abuses.
Strategy / community engagement
Catalyze Reform can advise on advocacy strategy, communications, coalition-building, and community engagement. We can also conduct advocacy and coordinate community engagement on behalf of community groups, when asked to do so.
Training
Catalyze Reform can provide training to community groups on reform, independent police oversight, constitutional rights, civil rights laws, and other topics. We can also work with community groups to put together trainings for local government leaders.
“Community groups shouldn’t just have a ‘seat at the table’ that cities always offer. Impacted communities, particularly communities of color, should sit at the head of the table.”
— AARON ZISSER, Catalyze Reform founder