Indivisibles,

Each February, Black History Month offers an opportunity for reflection, celebration, and renewed commitment to the ongoing struggle for racial justice in America. But this year is different. The federal government is under the control of a cabal of MAGA extremists and Silicon Valley neoreactionaries, united by their common commitment to white supremacy.

Under the guise of attacking “wokeness” and “DEI”, they are systematically eradicating the foundational civil rights protections that previous generations fought for. They’re purging Black leaders from the military and government. They’re attempting to institutionalize their twisted worldview via every legal and illegal lever they can find.

For a devastating dissection of their progress, look no further than Jamelle Bouie’s recent analysis of how the attacks are rolling out across the federal government:

His attack on D.E.I. isn’t about increasing merit or fighting wrongful discrimination; it is about reimposing hierarchies of race and gender (among other categories) onto American society. And following the goals of its intellectual architects -- one of whom is infamous for his supremacist views -- Trump’s war on D.E.I. is a war on the civil rights era itself, an attempt to turn back the clock on equal rights. Working under the guise of fairness and meritocracy, Trump and his allies want to restore a world where the first and most important qualification for any job of note was whether you were white and male, where merit is a product of your identity and not of your ability. As is true in so many other areas, the right’s accusation that diversity means unfair preferences masks a confession of its own intentions.

None of this is about fairness, or colorblindness, or DEI. This is an effort to re-entrench white supremacy, to re-segregate the federal workforce, colleges, and corporate world, to penalize anyone who dares to entertain the notion that systemic racism exists.

While this moment is uniquely shocking and horrifying, it’s part of a longer pattern. When progress is made, reactionary forces strike back. From the dismantling of Reconstruction after the Civil War to the rollback of civil rights gains in the late 20th century, racial progress in America has never been linear. What we are witnessing today -- the gutting of affirmative action, the vilification of racial equity programs, and the brazen attempt to whitewash history -- is another chapter in this familiar cycle.

And let’s be clear: this is a place where everyone has a stake, regardless of your race. The unholy alliance between billionaires and reactionary forces stoke fear for a reason: so that they can keep the emphasis on what divides regular people instead of what unites us and what we all deserve. Attacks on racial equity in general and Black people specifically are used strategically -- to win elections, to destroy public services like schools and social services, to undermine the very foundations of our democracy. We all suffer when we fail to recognize this. When we fail to stand up and fight back.

As Black History Month comes to a close, I hope you'll consider supporting partner organizations that are leading the fight to stop attacks on civil rights and build the power of Black voters all year round:

Our friends at The Advancement Project bring together legal expertise and movement partnerships to fight for racial justice. Chip in here >>

Our partners at Black Voters Matter are a powerhouse of organizing to build the power of Black voters and Black communities, and dedicated leaders in the fight for voting rights. Chip in here >> 

Any celebration of Black History Month must recognize that the core rights Americans take for granted today were never universal -- they were fought for, with extraordinary sacrifice at every step of the way. Nor are they guaranteed for the future -- in fact, they’re under attack right now. Black Americans have been on the forefront of every movement for justice in American history. They have been the central driving force in demanding that our nation realize its founding promises. And today, as so much of that progress is under direct attack from the forces of backlash, of white Christian nationalism, of concentrated power, it’s all of our responsibility to honor the past and to fight for the future.

In solidarity,
Leah 

Leah Greenberg Co-Executive Director Pronouns: She/her