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 As we begin to turn the page on 2020, it’s important to revisit what made the last twelve months unlike any other in the fight for racial justice. The emergence of COVID-19 that set off a global pandemic, claimed the lives of more than 300,000 Americans and highlighted how systemic racism disproportionately exposed Black and Brown communities to the effects of the coronavirus. Healthcare workers and other “essential” workers struggled on the frontlines as they were not provided the essential support needed to take care of themselves and their families.
In response to mounting xenophobia, the nation’s leading civil rights and racial justice organizations issued a joint call to action against racism targeting Asian Americans related to the 2019 novel coronavirus. And in the midst of coping with the pandemic, Black people had to endure the murders of their fellow citizens at the hands of police officers and racist vigilantes.
George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are among the 192 black people murdered this year by police or vigilante violence as of November 24, 2020. These murders –– particularly George Floyd who was heard on camera pleading, “I can’t breathe”, shocked and mobilized Americans from across the country to take note of the ongoing violence towards Black people at the hands of police officers. Millions took to the streets to peacefully protest and were met with state-sponsored violence. As the world watched on television and through social media, protesters were assaulted with chemical gases, rubber bullets and the batons of armed police.
It seemed we had finally come to a moment of reckoning, with most Americans ready to have open, honest, critical conversations about racism in America and how to achieve racial equity.
President Donald Trump attempted to halt these discussions by issuing Executive Order 13950, titled “Executive Order Combatting Race and Sex Stereotyping,” which sought to ban the very words we use to do our racial equity work across the country. The Executive Order prohibits any government training that includes words such as “systemic racism,” “white privilege,” “intersectionality,” “critical race theory,” “unconscious bias,” and “racial humility.” The ban also extended to Federal contractors and grant recipients which added an additional strain on the urgent work that’s needed to meet the moment.
In line with his attacks on Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities throughout the past four years, President Trump has also made an attempt to invalidate the votes in key swing states in cities that have majority Black populations. While these attempts have failed, the narrative that the election was stolen further creates a climate rife with misinformation and threats of potential violence.
We have gone through so much this year. Yet, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
Just last week, we saw the first COVID-19 vaccinations being administered in Puerto Rico and the United States with many state officials promising to prioritize communities most affected. If this is the case, Black and Brown people who have been most severely affected should be able to receive the vaccine by early spring.
On January 20, 2021, a new Presidential Administration will take office. This will signify a change in leadership that is desperately needed, and while we celebrate President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’ historic win, we remain vigilant in our call for the Biden-Harris Administration to center racial justice in their policies and programs.
Race Forward has already planned events to discuss how we move forward. We will kick off 2021 with #RaceAnd the Movement Forward: Looking Past the Vote and Mobilizing for Racial Justice, taking place on January 14th. Join us for the second in a series of town hall conversations that centers community power, starting with the vote, then developing movement strategy, and finally organizing for policy change. Register today for this important town hall discussion and mobilization.
Race Forward will also be participating in the fifth annual National Day of Healing on January 19, 2021. After the divisions exacerbated over the past four years, it is more important than ever that we engage in some collaborative healing events to help lay the groundwork for us to continue working on our collective vision for a more just future. See additional details on how to join, below.
Lastly, do let a friend or colleague know about Race Forward’s racial equity trainings, where they can sharpen their skills and strategies to address structural racism and advance racial equity. If you’ve already attended our Building Racial Equity (foundational) training, please join us at one of our new Organizing Racial Equity (advanced) training dates on:
In the words of late Congresswoman Barbara C. Jordan, "What the people want is simple. They want an America as good as its promise".
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