We’re blown away, John.
We set an ambitious goal to raise $35,000 for bail funds and Black-led organizations across the country. In less than 24 hours, we blew our goal out of the water.
So many of you stepped up and as of today, we’ve raised $57,327.66 as a movement. We underestimated what we could do together, so now we’re raising our goal to $70,000.
Chip in $5 to frontline protesters →
Since we sent our first email, the number of people arrested across the country calling for justice for George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and defending Black lives has risen to over 10,000.1 In cities across the country, protesters are being tear gassed, assaulted, and jailed by their local police.
These peaceful protests across the country – and the world – are examples of righteous rage against racism and injustice that’s gone unchecked for far too long.
We must all rise up to meet this moment and demand change. There are many ways you can help out right now. Whether that’s joining the frontline protests, attending webinars or mass calls on how to take action, or self educating, we trust that you will make the best decisions for yourself and your community.
If you can’t take action in person, donating money (while alone isn’t enough) is one crucial way that we can all be supporting this movement and help make sure that everyone who is rising up for justice is able to get home safely – whether or not they can afford to pay their freedom and post bail.
That’s why we’re trying to raise another $12,672.34 before the end of the weekend for a group of bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizations across the country.
Will you split a donation of $5 to these bail funds and Black-led groups across the county?
The recent murders of Black lives illustrate what it means to be Black in this country. As the case of George Floyd makes clear, the presence of police even for the slightest thing can be a death sentence for Black people.
It is clear – especially in light of the police response to these demonstrations – that our safety comes from the community, not the police. The only way we’re going to stop this endless cycle of police violence is by defunding the police and investing in our communities instead.
We’ve seen the human toll of disinvestment in our communities through COVID-19 which has taken Black lives at an alarming rate. From health care, education, and criminal justice, Black people are the most vulnerable to every harm in our society.
What we’re experiencing is not new. The legacies of freedom fighters of the past have taught us that our demands for change will be met with force. But we will not let up, and that’s why we must support community bail funds, mutual aid funds, and racial justice organizations who are leading this fight.
Let’s keep rising.
Shireen
P.S. - Go to defendingblacklives.org to learn more about what you can do in the days ahead wherever you are.
1 - Associated Press
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