Dear John,
On Tuesday, we sent out our statement on racial violence. Since then, thoughtful voices have let us know that, by using more general terms like people of color, we failed to acknowledge that the current protests are led by and for the Black community.
Our commitment to equity is also a commitment to learning from our mistakes. See below for an updated version of our statement with more explicit language. It’s important for us to highlight that we stand with the Black community, and that we support an end to police violence and racist systems that harm Black people.
The journey toward equity is never ending, and there’s no question that we’ll continue to make mistakes along the way. We’re committed to learning and growing as an organization, and we’re grateful to everyone who is on this journey with us. We’re listening, and we’re striving to do better--today and always.
OLCV’s Updated Statement on Racial Violence:
Like many others across the nation, we are grieving the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others at the hands of law enforcement. We stand with the Black community in calling for justice, accountability, and an end to police brutality.
The environment and racial justice are interrelated. Black communities are less likely to have clean air and water, have endured greater suffering from the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and face daily threats of harassment and violence from law enforcement. The racist power structures that our country was built upon lead Black communities to fear for their families’ health, safety, and lives every day. This systemic racism has to stop.
Our commitment to fighting for a healthy environment for all people means that we must fight against systemic racism, and work as an anti-racist organization. We recognize that racism dehumanizes all of us, and we are committed to taking anti-racist action. We recognize the leadership of frontline organizations and individuals, and we stand among those calling for a new society in which we are all safe to live and breathe, no matter our skin color. We encourage you to support the groups who are leading on this work, including Black Lives Matter [[link removed]], the NAACP [[link removed]], Color of Change [[link removed]], Campaign Zero [[link removed]], Fair Fight [[link removed]], the PDX Protest Bail Fund [[link removed]], and so many others. For more on what OLCV is doing, and to read our equity statement, visit the equity page on our website [[link removed]].
Sincerely,
Team OLCV
--------------------------------------------------------------
| Paid For By The Oregon League of Conservation Voters |
--------------------------------------------------------------
Oregon League of Conservation Voters
321 SW 4th Avenue Suite 600
Suite 600
Portland OR 97204 United States
Staying in touch via the Oregon League of Conservation Voters’ email list is the best way we have of keeping in regular contact with supporters like you and letting you know about the ways you can take action to protect the environment. Click here to unsubscribe from our supporter list, [link removed], but if you leave, it will be harder for you to stay involved with OLCV and continue the work that you’ve been such a critical part of. OLCV wins environmental policy fights and elections because of dedicated activists like you, and we’d hate to see you go. When you unsubscribe, you unsubscribe all of your email addresses from all of our lists. Wish to change your email address or receive fewer emails? Reply to this email.
