The murders of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, Tony McDade in Tallahassee, Tennessee, and the killing of Ahmaud Arbery outside Brunswick, Georgia, and too many others are horrific reminders of the systemic racism in the United States.
The Pacific Institute condemns these senseless murders, police brutality, and racial injustice against Black people in America, which have brought us to where we are today. We can and must do better.
Systemic racism runs deep. Black people in America have unequal access to water and sanitation. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionate effects on Black people, with more cases of the disease and greater economic hardship. Black communities are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis and other longstanding environmental injustices. And the list goes on.
The America we strive for is one in which Black people are supported and do not have to fight for dignity and freedom from senseless violence. It’s an America that supports people from all walks of life to thrive.
As we mourn the murders of Black Americans at the hands of police and other crimes against Black people in America, we do not just stand in solidarity against racial injustice, we pledge to look inward, to stand up, speak out, and take action — in our own families, our communities, and here at the Pacific Institute, to build a better, more equitable future for everyone.