We are angry and heartbroken at the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We join our community and collective voices of grief; No justice, no peace!
Now, we must add George Floyd and Tony McDade to a long list of black people killed by police as well as vigilante civilians, as in the deaths of Trayvon Martin and most recently Ahmaud Arbery. Too often our world is a place of injustice, threat, suffering, and death for black individuals, children, families, and communities.
George’s death reveals, yet again, the fatal consequences of criminalizing of communities of color. Racist and hyper-militarized policing practices mean that people of color cannot even find safety in their own communities.
Our current policing practices end lives and shatter families. It is time to end these practices; it is time for change.
We affirm the courageous stand taken by Black Lives Matter on the police killing of George Floyd, and the many others before him. As people of color, we must work to address the epidemic of these killings in our own communities and beyond.
As the San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition, we uplift the call to action, which demands that local and national governments stop policing practices that criminalize communities of color. We also lift up the call of our allies and other community members to end your silence. Start or continue speaking out publicly for accountability in racial profiling, misconduct, abuse, and killings.
Our mandate is clear: Stop the criminalization of communities of color and wars being waged against our black brothers and sisters.
Additionally, if you identify as black, brown, or indigenous and need peer support or counseling during this or any time, please contact the Black Line at 800-604-5841 or the Access and Crisis Line at 888-724-7240, both available 24/7. Likewise, you can support your local organizations such as the San Diego Bail Out, March For Black Womxn SD, We All We Got San Diego - Mutual Aid, Black Lives Matter/Black Lives Matter: San Diego, etc. and lift your voice for a change. Together we can make a difference.
In Solidarity, The San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition
(Image via @ LA Johnson/NPR)
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