Friend,

Yesterday was Juneteenth—an annual celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth is a day that honors Black freedom and Black resistance, and centers Black people’s unique contribution to the struggle for justice in our country. Following the leadership of the Movement for Black Lives, CPD affiliates and allies took to the streets with hundreds of thousands of people around the country for a national day of action in defense of Black life.

Our network recognizes Juneteenth as a moment to gather our collective voices to loudly affirm that Black Lives Matter, and to advance justice, safety and liberation. The momentum of this day of action must carry far beyond Juneteenth, and we are committed to winning long-term, systemic, transformational change to create a country where everyone has the freedom to thrive. Can we count on your support to help us build real and lasting power for Black communities and communities of color across the country?

From Wisconsin to California, Illinois to Pennsylvania, and Michigan to Kansas, CPD affiliate organizations are innovating and organizing to dismantle systemic racism. Looking beyond this weekend, we cannot afford to lose the energy that organizers have created to make real progress to eliminate police brutality and violence. This is only the first step to winning the fight: defunding the police and reinvesting those funds directly into programs that allow our communities, especially Black and Brown communities, to thrive. We must continue to defend Black life, demand policies that honor #BlackLivesMatter, and make clear that we won’t tolerate anything less than full liberation for all people. Support the critical work of the CPD Network now.

In solidarity,

Jennifer Epps-Addison
Network President & Co-Executive Director, CPD