John, on February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery went out for a jog. He never made it home.

By now you’ve probably heard about how two white men chased down an unarmed Black man in broad daylight and fatally shot him point-blank in the middle of the street at 1pm in the afternoon. Even though the local law enforcement had video evidence from the scene showing exactly what happened, Ahmaud’s murderers were not arrested until late Thursday, May 7, a full 2 months and 2 weeks later.

Why did it take 74 days before the District Attorney pressed charges? Because on the 72nd day the video of the murder was released to the public.

Let’s be really clear here: Law enforcement knew what happened. The District Attorney had the video for months.

Justice for Ahmaud will only start now because of the public exposure, outcry, and protest.

From Ahmaud’s Georgia community members to the local NAACP, from Democratic leaders Stacey Abrams to Joe Biden, from the tens of thousands of Americans nationwide who signed petitions, including thousands of DFA members, to the hundreds of “run with Ahmaud” events held around the country yesterday to honor what would’ve been his 26th birthday, the American public demanded the men who murdered Ahmaud be brought to justice and that public pressure worked.

This injustice happened in Georgia, but it has happened in one form or another almost everywhere in America. In fact, it’s still happening and this isn’t even the latest example.

Public pressure worked now, but it isn’t the only way to get justice for Americans like Ahmaud. We can elect better District Attorneys, Sheriffs, and Attorney Generals. When we elect criminal justice reformers to these critical leadership positions, we transform the system creating safer communities and saving lives

DFA members are electing transformational leaders like Kim Foxx in Chicago, Larry Krasner in Philadelphia, Rachael Rollins in Boston, Wesley Bell in Ferguson, and most recently, Chesa Boudin in San Francisco to District Attorney in cities nationwide.

From Sheriff to the Attorney General, DFA members are driving victory in critical local races across the country. Contribute $10 right now to fuel this critical work immediately >>

Arizona to Florida, Georgia to Illinois, California to New York, Democracy for America has elected more than two dozen Sheriffs, District Attorneys, and Attorney Generals in the last election cycle alone

We’re fighting to end institutional and structural racism by eliminating cash bail and mandatory sentencing, closing for-profit prisons, and expunging non-violent marijuana convictions. Everything from banning the use of for-profit prisons to eradicating the disparities in sentencing between “white drugs” like powder cocaine and “black drugs” like crack cocaine.

The most important reform of all though may be holding bad cops accountable when they break the law.

DFA members are on the front lines in the fight for criminal justice and our strategy of fighting city by city electing transformational criminal justice warriors is working.

But the only reason we win is because of you and your support. Please contribute now to support DFA’s work fighting to elect the criminal justice leaders in communities nationwide.

We make a difference because we work together to make change happen.

Thank you for everything you’re doing to win.

— Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Chair
Democracy for America

P.S. If you haven't signed our petition demanding a fair trial and Justice for Ahmaud, please add your name now. Every signature helps us build the public pressure for accountability.