Dear MoveOn member,
The nation-wide protests all across the country are righteous and justified. They are not just in response to the brutal murder by police of George Floyd, but to the continual violence perpetrated by police against Black communities for generations. We have had enough and these protests are an expression of the anger and pain our people have for felt decades.They are also a beautiful outpouring of solidarity: We are seeing protests in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, joined by a diverse sea of people from of different race, age, culture, communities, faiths and more. They are a reminder to America that the work we must do to demand a more just and equitable country is ongoing and absolutely essential.
And while much of what we are seeing this past week is an authentic uprising of people demanding justice, it is supported by the hard work of activists and organizers all over the country who do the work day in and day out to advance racial justice in their communities, and organizations that support this work. And this is a moment where many of us can join and support the work of these critical organizations that will fight for Black lives and defend protesters now—and in the months and years to come.
The Movement for Black Lives was founded in 2014 in the aftermath of the police killing of Michael Brown and the protests that followed in Ferguson, MO. It consists of a coalition of organizations all working toward liberation for Black people and is active across the country to push for policies that advance equity for people of color.
Since the murder of George Floyd last Monday, the Movement for Black Lives has been at the forefront of the response, organizing calls to action including protecting the rights of protesters, calling on cities and states to divest from the police and invest in Black communities, and fighting back against Donald Trump's dangerous and violent rhetoric.
National Bail Out is a Black-led and Black-focused organization that works to end the horrific policy of pretrial detention and cash bail that keeps so many people of color in jails and prisons without a conviction, simply for being unable to pay. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, National Bail Out has been working to bail out Black mothers and caregivers—and now to bail out protesters who have been arrested en masse.
During this moment of so much turmoil, a donation to these organizations, no matter the size, will help. Hundreds of thousands of MoveOn members have already signed petitions, supported protesters, called on elected officials, and more, and donating is one more critical way to take action that will have impact today.
The pain and suffering being shared by Black and brown communities in this moment are palpable. And the violent, militarized response from law enforcement across the country is both infuriating and predictable.
Pelting protesters with rubber bullets the size of golf balls, intentionally targeting journalists, firing tear gas into crowds of peaceful protesters so that Donald Trump can stage a photo op, and the senseless killing of David McAtee while he gave free food from his restaurant to protesters … The list goes on.
It is long past time for radical, transformational change across the country. Will you help make it happen?
Thanks for all you do.
–Erica, Reggie, Mary, Michael, Allison, Rahna and the rest of the team
P.S. Thousands of local and national groups are working on the ground in Minneapolis, Louisville, and across the country to support this movement. As you chip in to support the Movement for Black Lives and National Bail Out, please also consider donating to local organizations—in your city or elsewhere—that are on the front lines.
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