Dear NRDC Activist,
The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade,
and countless others before them, lay bare America's failure to address
the systemic racism that perpetuates lethal violence against Black people.
Now is the time for justice. Now is the time to actively root out racism.
Now is the time to work toward a just and equitable society. Now is the
time to affirm: Black Lives Matter.
NRDC has a responsibility to be fully and visibly committed to the fight
against systemic racism and for justice, equity, and hope.
We stand up against hatred and injustice. We stand up for human dignity
and respect. We stand in solidarity with Black families and communities
calling for justice. We stand together with those demanding systemic
change now, and we recognize their deep feelings of anger and frustration
triggered by deeply rooted injustices. Peaceful protest builds a
durability that violence cannot.
Here are some commitments that we are making for how we will continue to
put equity and justice at the center of our work, both internally and
externally:
* We will persist in condemning anti-Black violence and calling for an
end to the systemic racism that has plagued our country and its
institutions for centuries.
* We will ensure that our work to protect people—their environment,
health, communities, and quality of life—is rooted in our fight for
equity and justice for Black lives.
* We will use our voice in this moment to amplify the voices of Black
people sharing their experiences.
* We will elevate our ability to call attention to the importance of
frontline groups, with an emphasis on those that offer legal support
to victims of racial injustice and violence.
* We will continue to call out the systemic racism that adds layers of
disadvantage and environmental injustice to Black communities.
* We will continue our ongoing work to be anti-racist and active allies
in support of Black people and all people of color at NRDC, and
throughout our work.
* We will deepen our efforts to make NRDC more holistically a workplace
that celebrates Black lives and perspectives.
There are many important organizations working to advance racial justice
in America. If you can contribute to a few of them, we hope you will,
including the [ [link removed] ]NAACP Legal Defense Fund, an organization NRDC has
partnered with on important legal fights. And the NAACP Legal Defense Fund
has themselves recommended [ [link removed] ]several organizations and funds providing
bail and jail support services to people swept up in the detention of
protesters.
Finally, I hope you'll take a few minutes to read this powerful piece —
[ [link removed] ]Confronting Racism and Brutality with Justice and Truth — from my
colleague, Mitch Bernard, NRDC's Executive Director and Chief Counsel.
As always, we thank you for your support and engagement during these
difficult times.
Sincerely,
[1]Gina
Gina McCarthy
President, NRDC
[2]Gina McCarthy
The mission of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is to
safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals, and the natural
systems on which all life depends.
[1]Charity Navigator
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