LULAC Ohio echoes the sentiments and voices of our national leaders and membership and stands together in solidarity with our Black community in these times of grief, mourning and action.
Let’s address systemic and cultural anti-blackness
Our Black community is hurting. Our Black brothers, sisters, and siblings have been living a reality that we cannot claim to understand. Our goal is not to replace their voices, but rather to uplift them. We acknowledge their pain and must act in solidarity.
We see you. We hear you. And we stand with you.
We stand against racism, hate, and bigotry. Our collective fight is for equality.
Together, we are confronted with the reality of a history of racial discrimination and oppression in this country. This has been the narrative that has dominated our generations as an organization and as a people.
We mourn for George Floyd, and for Trayvon Martin, Renisha McBride, Jordan Davis, Eric Garner, John Crawford III, Michael Brown, Kajieme Powell, Ezell Ford, Sandra Bland, Walter Scott, Laquan McDonald, Paul Castaway, Freddie Gray, Jessica Hernandez, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Botham Jean, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and 12-year-old Tamir Rice and far, far too many others. Fear and anger do not come close to describing the deeply rooted emotions that ravage our country today.
These lives were destroyed by the hands of those fueled by racism and white supremacist ideologies. And it HAS TO STOP.
We must take action to claim our existence. We must build stronger alliances in our lives and support those on the front lines. It is our duty to speak up against injustice, challenge and change the systems of institutional oppression. As importantly, remember to vote in primaries and this November 3rd and urge everyone else you know to do the same.
Anti-blackness is real. For too long we have failed to acknowledge our own African and indigenous roots. We must do what we can to intentionally live with that awareness and guide others to discover it. Only by acknowledging the injustices can we begin to believe that change is possible.
In the coming weeks, LULAC will be working to uplift the voices of Black leaders and the efforts of racial-justice partner organizations. Our aim is to share our platforms to also highlight the needs of our Black community.