Hi John,

The last week has been extremely difficult. As Americans across this country rise up against systemic racism and inequality, it is clear that we still have a long way to go. Our country continues to grapple with how to move forward as a people, and at Emerge, we believe that one part of the solution is changing who is in power and ensuring that our political leaders look like the communities they serve. We will not stop our vital work of recruiting and training Democratic women who will fight for our collective future. We must face these challenges with courage and determination and step up as a community to transform our nation, and it's time that we have leaders at every level who will stand up with us.

Below is my full statement on the fight for justice for every Black American. I hope you will read it and share it with friends, family, colleagues and your extended network. Thank you for continuing to support our mission to create a more inclusive democracy. It's more important now than ever before.

In solidarity,

A'shanti F. Gholar
Emerge President


Today and every day, Black lives are to be respected, valued, uplifted and protected. Over the weekend, we saw thousands of Americans come together and raise their voices to protest systemic racism and police brutality. Americans of every background are demanding that our elected leaders and our society do better to safeguard the lives of Black Americans and other marginalized communities.

Structural racism, white supremacy, and anti-blackness are at the heart of what we are seeing in America right now, but so is the struggle to make our country better. While the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery sparked national and global protests in recent days, the frustration from injustice has been mounting for decades. Unfortunately, they are just a handful of the countless Black men and women who have been the victims of racist violence of all kinds since our country was founded.

At Emerge, we are committed to filling the pipeline with Democratic women leaders who will step up and be brave enough to enact real change. We need leaders who will take the concerns of Black communities seriously and fight for a more equitable future for our country. They must have the compassion and conviction to step forward and do something about it when our systems fall short. Currently, there are too many leaders who are failing our communities when it comes to these critical moments, and it's time for that to change.

We witness these deaths over and over again on social media and in the news with the understanding that the perpetrators will face few consequences if any. And on top of all this, Black Americans have suffered disproportionately from the COVID-19 pandemic-losing loved ones and suffering unemployment at an alarmingly high rate. The pain is almost too much to bear.

It seems that only when there is an uprising do elected leaders take the pain of Black Americans seriously but each time it happens, very little changes. Over the last two months, we have been forced to adjust to a new reality, and we have had a long time to think about how our nation will look when we get past the global public health crisis. I challenge us all to truly consider how we can radically change and update government institutions and systems that Americans depend on each day. From law enforcement to the courts to state legislatures and everything in between.

We need to change every law, system and policy that upholds white supremacy and endangers the lives of Black Americans. We demand that all our political leaders prioritize ending harm against marginalized communities and put policies in place that empower them.

While we call for justice in the deaths of George, Breonna, Ahmaud and the countless other victims of police violence, we know that is simply not enough. Until our society fully acknowledges that Black lives matter in the way we build our institutions, from the way that our streets are policed to access to quality health care and the economic opportunities afforded Black and marginalized communities, there will be no justice.

I hope you will join us in the fight.







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