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Dear John,
COVID-19, massive layoffs, evictions, police brutality in our neighborhoods — at times, 2020 felt like a never-ending storm of crises. But through it all, there was one consistency: Racism.
The fact is, Black and brown people were the first to lose their jobs, the first to be evicted, and the last to get financial relief in 2020. Without the security that steady income and working from home brings, people of color were also more likely than white people to contract COVID-19 — and ultimately, more likely to die from the disease. Meanwhile, a few white billionaires, such as Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Walmart’s Walton family, and Tesla’s Elon Musk, got even richer during the pandemic.
These companies must be held accountable for profiting off the pandemic and off the pain and labor of low-wage Black and brown workers.
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The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor woke this country up to the fact that we need a reckoning in our justice system. But to truly honor their memory, and to honor the lives of all Black people killed, we need a reckoning in our economic system, as well. One in six essential workers are Black — yet the majority have been denied adequate personal protective equipment, hazard pay, or benefits during the pandemic.
It is clear we need more Black voices in spaces that affect Black lives and workplaces — in executive board rooms, the halls of Congress, and in union halls. That is why, this year together with our partners we launched the Advancing Black Strategists Initiative (ABSI) — to give Black workers the tools they need to forge more equitable paths into leadership roles and policy making spaces in our movement.
Moving forward into 2021, Jobs With Justice will continue to prioritize the lives of working people over corporate profits, especially Black and brown workers who have long been exploited at the hands of white supremacy and exploitation. So please, JOIN US in taking the time to create an economy and a democracy worth fighting for. The movement for working people is counting on your generous donation to keep the flame of hope burning. Donate NOW and DOUBLE your impact today!
As always, thank you for your support.
In Solidarity,
Erica Smiley Jobs With Justice |
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