Participatory Defense

The Origins of Participatory Defense at Silicon Valley De-Bug
As an organization and community, Silicon Valley De-Bug has been a part of the national movement marching in the streets demanding police accountability for over 20 years, supporting families who lost loved ones to police. But the violence of the criminal justice system continues to injure people beyond the point of contact with police.

​

For us, the connection of marching in the streets to oppose police violence, and standing with the community in the courtroom to challenge mass incarceration go hand in hand. Connecting the movement from advocacy in the streets to packing courtrooms led us to creating an approach called participatory defense -- an organizing model we've developed at Silicon Valley De-Bug's Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project. Led by the very families whose loved ones are facing charges in the system, participatory defense is a community organizing model for people facing charges, their families, and communities to impact the outcome of cases and transform the landscape of power in the court system. It is a model that has been developed in the last eleven years in San Jose, CA. Since then, we've shared the model and participatory defense is being implemented in cities across the country. To learn more about participatory defense and the national movement or to find a participatory defense hub in another city, visit participatorydefense.org

San Jose, CA Participatory Defense Meetings

De-Bug’s participatory defense meetings are part of our Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project (ACJP), named after Albert Cobarrubias, one of the founders of participatory defense at De-Bug. The origins of ACJP lives on as families who once came for meetings are now organizers helping other families coming in for their loved ones. This is a legacy started by people who first came for their own cases, like Gail Noble and Blanca Bosquez, both who came for their own sons and continued to support other mothers and families that came for their loved ones.

To ask about support for your loved, please reach out to De-Bug at alicia@siliconvalleydebug.org

San Mateo County, CA Participatory Defense Meetings

De-Bug has a deep rooted history and connection to East Palo Alto throughout the last 20 plus years, eventually leading to the development of a participatory defense meeting starting in East Palo Alto in 2015, led by families directly impacted by the carceral and immigration system in San Mateo County. 

To ask about support for your loved, please reach out to De-Bug at epapartdefense@siliconvalleydebug.org