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Friend –
At 650 actions across the country — plus online with
185,000 participants on the Movement for Black Lives TV — people
gathered to celebrate, mourn, and rally for Black lives.
Juneteenth weekend was a beautiful and powerful continuation of weeks
of national uprisings.
These protests are bending the arc toward justice — it’s on
all of us to keep showing up for Black lives in all the ways we can
until justice is won. Below are some highlights from the
Juneteenth weekend, as well as opportunities to take action.
Photo credit: Jeff
Siegel
BEND THE ARC LEADERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
- In Austin, Jeremiah Fellows organized a powerful
virtual Juneteenth seder in collaboration with local Black organizers,
Never Again Action Central Texas, Mutual Aid ATX, UT Young Democratic
Socialists of America, and UT Austin Dissenters.
- In Pittsburgh, Bend the Arc leaders convened with
their neighbors to celebrate the life of Antwon Rose, who was murdered
by police on June 19, 2018. They also met with Mayor Bill Peduto to
continue advocating for the rights of protesters and a reallocation of
police funds to invest in Black neighborhoods, in partnership with
1Hood Media and Alliance for Police Accountability.
- In Louisville, leaders continued to organize
Jews in solidarity with demands from Black Lives Matter
Louisville, including justice for Breonna Taylor and David McAtee,
and public accountability from Mayor Greg Fischer and the City
Council.
- In Southeastern Pennsylvania, one of our newest
moral minyans supported local Black leadership in Montgomery County by
demanding
the resignation of Commissioner Joe Gale for racist comments
against Black Lives Matter.
- In Albuquerque, Bend the Arc leaders organized
Jews across New Mexico to join a phone zap to divest New Mexico
educators' retirement funds from private prison corporations, sign a
petition to free an arrested organizer, and call the Albuquerque mayor
with budget demands.
- On Long Island, Bend the Arc members joined a
march led by Black high school students filled with dancing, chanting,
and singing through the largely conservative town of Massapequa. They
were greeted by horn honking and thumbs up from onlookers.
- In Portland, Oregon, Jeremiah fellows hosted a
special Shabbat event for protesters joining Juneteenth events, baking
individually-wrapped challot to pass out throughout the march.
Heard during Juneteenth
“For Black people, Juneteenth is a
sacred day. We hope to add to the sanctity of that day by making it
clear that Black people will lead in forging a new world, this next
world where Black people will not only survive, but thrive in our
fullest dignity and humanity.”
— Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, Highlander
Center and M4BL
“What is broken must be rebuilt, not
reformed. We have an opportunity to cut spending for police forces
that make up colossal portions of city budgets and reinvest those
funds in a safety infrastructure collaboratively created with us. We
demand an investment in our wellness — state-of the-art healthcare,
educational opportunities, great jobs that support families, and good,
affordable housing. We demand a new way of righting wrongs that is
deeply grounded in our humanity.”
—Thenjiwe McHarris, “Cost Of Inaction:
Why We Mourn. Why We March. Why We Fight.”
“We
changed slavery in the midst of it. We changed Jim Crow in the midst
of it. We changed refusing women the right to vote in the midst of it.
We changed labor laws when men and women were dying from being
overworked and destroyed because of people’s greed. You change things
when what is happening is no longer working. It is dying and the death
has become too much and the pain has become too much. Now is the
moment. Right now.”
– Rev. William J. Barber II, Poor
People’s Campaign
SEEN ON TWITTER
HOW YOU CAN TAKE ACTION
While SixNineteen might be over, the organizing
continues. Bend the Arc: Jewish Action will continue to act
with and follow the leadership of the Movement for Black Lives — and
other Black-led partners nationally and locally, including
organizations led by and for Black Jews.
✊ Commit to action: Add
your name to the Not Free to Desist open letter from Black Jews,
non-Black Jews of Color, and allies calling for commitments on racial
equity from Jewish community organizations.
❤️ Give: If you are in a position to give at
this time, please
consider making a donation to bail funds.
📣 Get organized: Join
a Bend the Arc group in your city, and if there isn’t one already,
our team will walk you through starting your own.
✏️ Add your name: Help the petition
for #JusticeForBre reach 15 million signatures by Thursday.
Thank you,
The Bend the Arc team
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