Dear Friends,
Women Moving Millions condemns the violent and racist acts of discrimination that have shaken our nation this past week.
This has been an anguishing time. The torrent of grief and outrage unleashed by the brutal murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police has been heart-wrenching. Black lives continue to be undervalued and persecuted by systems that wreak violence and administer unequal justice. We should be frustrated. We should be angry. Time and again, our country and its leaders have failed to live up to its established ideals.
The pandemic has unleashed unimaginable loss and has also shone a spotlight on the structural and systemic failures in our society, disproportionately impacting Black and Brown lives. We can no longer look for simple solutions and ignore that racism, gender discrimination, and violence are plagues on the progress of our nation and of humanity.
Racial justice is essential to the realization of WMM’s vision of a gender equal world. We are committed to being partners in change. Today, we offer the following pledge:
- We commit to standing in partnership with our allies to fight systemic injustice and racism by dismantling the structures that support them.
- We commit to acknowledging and understanding the consequences of our power and privilege.
- We commit to listen, learn, and bridge understanding by creating spaces to learn how to be more effective allies.
- We commit to trusting those leaders who are closest to the problem and know the best solutions for their communities and constituencies.
- We commit to prioritizing the funding of Black-led and Black-centered movements.
This journey is long, but we will travel it together.
In partnership,
Sarah and Mona
Sarah Haacke Byrd – Executive Director, Women Moving Millions
S. Mona Sinha – Board Chair, Women Moving Millions
