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Statement

Moms Group Demands Justice for Jazmine

December 11, 2018
Maternal Health

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement of Monifa Bandele, senior vice president of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on New York City’s abuse of Jazmine Headley.

“The way New York City’s social service agencies, police and courts treated Jazmine Headley was a horror show – but sadly, not a surprise. Too many young mothers face mistreatment and abuse from the institutions charged with helping them. We need accountability and reforms now.

“Like so many mothers, Jazmine Headley went to a social services office to get the help she needed. In her case, she was there to apply for a childcare voucher. Once there, apparently because she sat on the floor when no seats were available, police violently separated Headley from her child, ignoring her frantic shouts that they were ‘hurting my son.’

“This outrageous, disproportionate response continued with police taking her baby away and then putting Headley in jail. She has now spent four days in jail. MomsRising demands that she be released now.

“But releasing Headley from jail immediately and apologizing to her is not enough. We must take a hard look at how social service and criminal justice institutions – in New York City and other jurisdictions – treat the women and moms they are supposed to help. Every person deserves the compassion, dignity and respect that Jazmine Headley was denied. This must not happen to any others. It’s time for reform.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.