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 NAACP Legal Defense Fund, an organization NRDC has partnered with on important legal fights. And the NAACP Legal Defense Fund has themselves recommended 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 — 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,


Gina McCarthy
President, NRDC