Black Lives Matter

We mourn the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and many other Black, Brown, Indigenous, and People of Color who have been killed by police brutality and systemic racism.

Mourning is not enough. Our members, our local branches, and our Initiative Collective as a whole all pledge to take action to challenge police brutality and systemic racism.

Some of us are taking action by participating in the Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Others are contacting politicians, circulating petitions, and spreading the word through traditional and social media. Along the way, we’re all educating ourselves about the history and ongoing reality of systemic racism and white supremacy in this country so that we can all do our part to stand up for justice.

We also pledge to support proactive community-building efforts that are rooted in principles of racial justice, environmental justice, and climate justice.

This includes outreach efforts such as distributing food and supplies to people in need, de-escalating conflicts in our communities, and supporting other community service organizations. It also includes training people in skills such as first aid, self-defense, de-escalation, conflict resolution, and bystander intervention, so that more community members can respond to crises themselves without relying on intervention by police or other outside agencies. It also includes environmental and climate justice efforts that support food autonomy, cleaner energy, and an environment free of the pollution and climate disruption that disproportionately harm communities of color. It also includes a renewed commitment to incorporating the principles and practices of anti-racism into all of our work.

We affirm that Black Lives Matter. We demand that the people and systems responsible for taking Black lives be held accountable. We pledge to develop and support efforts that make the communities we serve more livable, resilient, and just, with an emphasis on supporting community-building efforts led by Black, Brown, Indigenous, and People of Color. And we encourage you to do the same.