We are hurting, but not all of us are hurting in the same ways. On streets across the nation, we are reckoning with generations of systemic racism, oppression, and injustice. We all share in the responsibility to take this moment and use it to demand accountability and change.

No longer can our response to racism — and the killings of Black Americans in our streets — be to look the other way. And more than anything, our response cannot be inaction. We must stand together against systemic racism, bias, and injustice wherever it exists.

This is an incredible moment of consequence in our country when Congress must stop and listen to the cries for justice in Black communities that have gone ignored for so long. The heartbreaking killing of George Floyd last week follows years of similar tragedies and needless loss.

Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. Trayvon Martin. Eric Garner. Michael Brown. Laquan McDonald. Philando Castile. Tamir Rice. Walter Scott. Freddie Gray. Sandra Bland. And countless others.

One life lost is one too many. We must do more than say we have had enough; we must show up and do the work to fight against injustice and racism. As your representative it's my duty to do more. I will keep showing up to listen, to educate myself, to be part of the effort to advance anti-racist policies, and to lift up voices and organizations on the front lines of the fight for justice.

That is why I am supporting Chairman Hakeem Jeffries's bill to ban chokehold maneuvers by law enforcement, Rep. Frederica Wilson's bill creating a commission on the status of black men and boys, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s resolution to condemn police brutality and racial profiling.

I recognize that this is just a start, and as the Congressional Black Caucus takes a lead in crafting legislation I look forward to discussing those bills with the many passionate civil rights activists across our district.

If you're able, please donate to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. This is our chance to stand united and push for lasting change in our communities. This is a time to listen, learn, understand, and take constructive action.

In George Floyd’s memory, I hope you’ll join me in fighting for a more hopeful, more just future.

Thank you,

Chris