Friend –

Over the past year, America has been in the midst of a racial reckoning, spurred by unjust police killings of Black people, violent attacks on Asian Americans, the continued separation of migrant families, and an election season steeped in racist rhetoric and actions.

Millions of people have marched in the streets, added to anti-racist work, and had tough conversations with family and friends in an effort to move our country closer to real liberty and justice for all.

While all of this is progress, much more must be done to make racial justice and equality a reality.

Racism has played an active role in the creation of our systems of education, health care, ownership, employment, and virtually every other facet of life since America's founding. And it's long past time to dismantle these structures of oppression in our country.

That's why the ACLU recently launched our Systemic Equality agenda, a multi-year racial justice initiative that seeks to address America's legacy of racism and systemic discrimination.

We've set an ambitious goal of raising $500,000 by March 31 to help boost our teams' efforts across the country for this initiative and other imperative civil rights work – and your support is pivotal. Please help us get there by making a gift today.

The ACLU's Systemic Equality agenda, which builds on our century of work in the courtrooms and legislatures, is holistic and includes specific demands of our nation's leadership, and is centered on four main pillars:

• Reconciling the past: The scars created by hundreds of years of chattel slavery against Black people and racially discriminatory government policies are deep and will require real resources and investment in communities that have been harmed.
• Extending empowerment: Barriers to full participation in the democratic process undermine voters of color's true political power, ultimately denying their right to elect candidates with shared values who can enact the policies that create equality.
• Building prosperity: Gaps in wealth between Black and white households expose accumulated inequality and discrimination, as well as differences in power and opportunity, that continue to limit the constitution's promise of equality for all.
• Increasing access: In order to level the playing field so that every person can achieve their highest potential, we must ensure access to the tools necessary to thrive.

Over the next week, you'll hear from other members of the ACLU team with more specifics about each of the pillars and why they are crucial to address the inequality that permeates our country's systems and institutions.

But we'll be clear right now: The Systemic Equality agenda will not be as successful without your support. We need you in this massive effort.

So please donate today to help us reach our goal of $500,000 and let us know that you're with us in the fight for equality.

Thank you,

ReNika Moore
Pronouns: She, her, hers
Director, Racial Justice Program Director, ACLU

Rakim Brooks
Pronouns: He, him, his
Senior Campaign Strategist, Systemic Equality Campaign Manager, ACLU