John,

This is not the letter I thought I would write to kick off Immigrant Heritage Month and Pride Month. Instead of sharing our line up of fierce speakers and online events, I'm emailing you with a heavy heart and request for action.

Like you, I am angered to the core of my being about the state of our nation. In the midst of an unprecedented pandemic that has ravaged communities of color and immigrant communities, we are also mourning the murders of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, the latest victims of a system that criminalizes people of color, and most especially Black people. It's past time to end the systemic racism and discrimination that led to these murders and the disproportionate impact coronavirus has had on our communities. 

Enough is enough.

I'm asking you to join New American Leaders in taking action to end systems of oppression. Here is what you can do right now to make a difference:

1. Learn our history. We are here because of centuries of oppression and racism. To dismantle systems built on anti-Blackness, we must understand how we got here. Here's a timeline of key events.
2. Protect protestors. Those who are arrested are being put in jails, where they not only face violations of their rights, but are in unsafe, unsanitary conditions, putting them at risk of being exposed to COVID-19. This resource, developed by activist Karla Monterroso, provides the names and numbers of jails you can call, with a sample script, to demand protestors be released.
3. Support groups fighting for justice. Many lists are circulating with the names of organizations you can donate to. Do what you can for the groups locally and nationally that speak to you. This is a list of local organizations in Minneapolis working on the ground as well as a list of bail funds you can support around the country. 

In the midst of these especially difficult times, I am also turning to two Audre Lorde quotes. One is, "Your silence will not protect you." But the other, equally important, is, "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."

Speak up and take care of yourself and others. We are in this together.

In community,

Sayu Bhojwani
Founder and President
New American Leaders