Friends,

In July 1936, Langston Hughes wrote, “Equality is in the air we breathe… There’s never been equality for me, nor freedom in this ‘homeland’ of the free.’”

This past weekend, I found myself reflecting on these words as I wrote and processed the nationwide protests in response to the murder of George Floyd. You can find my full reflection here: [link removed]

The calculated murder of George Floyd happened in front of our eyes, making it impossible for any of us to turn away or accept a whitewashed version of the story.

The officer’s calmness betrays his sense of privilege, power, and authority; he knows that he is being filmed and yet fully believes that he will not be held to account for his actions. This must end. Enough is enough.

In moments like this, we must be both reflective and active.

This week, I called on federal, state, and local legislators to enact policies which will change our policing practices in the following ways:

At the federal level, we need legislation that de-militarizes local law enforcement and creates a nationwide policing database.

At the state level, we must ban the use of lethal restraints, ban the re-hiring of officers previously cited for abusive or violent behavior, and create effective, safe channels for officers to report abusive behavior within their ranks or from their superiors. I will be introducing these items of legislation in the General Assembly.

At the local level, we must establish a Community Review Board to hold local police departments accountable to the people they serve, promote community policing programs to build trust among local law enforcement, assess local police divisions for cultures of racism or tolerance of violence towards citizens, and provide training in cultural competencies to develop open dialogue. And finally, we must cancel local government contracts for police to be stationed at schools.

I also sent a letter to Mayor Levar Stoney calling for an immediate investigation of police misconduct and abusive actions at Richmond protests earlier this week: [link removed]

Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of our democracy, and it’s essential that we create safe conditions for community members to express their pain and be heard. As people across the country unite in peaceful protests, police officers have escalated their tactics, which does little to alleviate the concerns citizens already have about police brutality.

This past week, as I marched with the citizens of Richmond City and Chesterfield County, I also listened to their concerns. Their pain and anguish needs to be heard, but it also needs to be translated into legislative action. We have the opportunity to right the wrongs that are built into our systems and structures, and I am committed to doing that.

Amadou Diallo. Tamir Rice. Philando Castile. Marcus David Peters. Kendra James. Sean Bell. Eric Garner. Breonna Taylor. Alton Sterling. George Floyd. So many more names to add to this tragic list.

So many names that have already been lost to a history that encompasses the transport of slaves, generations of enslavement, lynching, and injustice. This is our collective history; we cannot narrate the story of America without speaking it fully and without defining a path forward that addresses its pain.

George Floyd told us he could not breathe. We have the responsibility to breathe anew for him.

-- Ghazala




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Friends of Ghazala Hashmi
PO Box 72923
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Senator Ghazala Hashmi was elected to represent Virginia Senate District 10 in 2019. She has led efforts in the General Assembly to support education, protect healthcare and the environment, and prevent gun violence. Senator Hashmi is committed to ensuring Virginia's government works for everyone.


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