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, the NAACP, Color of Change, Campaign Zero, Fair Fight, the PDX Protest Bail Fund, and so many others. For more on what OLCV is doing, and to read our equity statement, visit the equity page on our website.
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