Jamar Johnson created the Change Coalition just a few weeks ago. He was inspired to act after the first large protest on Binghamton's city streets.


What You Need To Know


  • Change Coalition was founded by Jamar Johnson
  • Johnson and other community organizations met with Mayor David last week
  • $650,000 worth of investment is going into Columbus Park, police training, and mental health services

"As we marched down and I felt the energy of the young people, I said, ‘What am I doing? What can I do?’ ” said Johnson.

We're now seeing the first fruits of that action. Mayor David announced that $650,000 will help grow the city.

"The community really needs to come together and people need to sit down, discuss ideas, talk and most importantly listen. And just after one meeting we've been able to identify three key areas of consensus," said Mayor David.

A half-million dollars will help update Columbus Park in downtown Binghamton. And the community will have input in what gets constructed next year.

"This is a community thing. The fact that he is willing to sit down and put some funding, now we got to get with the greater community, the Change Coalition, and their individual groups to find out what exactly those changes are going to be," said Johnson.

Money for police training will focus on diversity awareness and cultural competency. But the Change Coalition says this is just the first step to change.

"We have to look at every system and institution. We have to look at our education system, we have to look at our criminal just system, our policing system, we have to look at it all,” said Johnson.