Monday will mark the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa massacre that left more than 300 Black Americans dead, more than 10,000 members of that community homeless, and crippled Black Wall Street and this thriving economic center. The extent to the lasting damage this mob of white supremacists wrought on this community is just now coming to light, and highlighting the work ahead of us as we undo hundreds of years of inequality and injustices. The survivors of the Tulsa massacre never saw any reparations or those who perpetrated what historians call "the single worst outburst of racist violence in American history" come to justice. Today, we continue to grapple with the threat of white supremacy and address the intersectional issues of race, class, and gender. From the GOP attempts to deny the violence that happened at the Capitol on January 6th to the ongoing fights for police reform, environmental and economic justice, we still see echoes of the same systemic racism that decimated Tulsa. We must commemorate this powerful forgotten history by continuing to fight for justice, especially during this unprecedented time in which we’re putting our city and our country back together after a year of grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Join me as I continue to lead the fight for justice as we endeavour to not just go “back to normal,” but create a more equitable future for all Americans, particularly our communities of color, who were most affected by the pandemic. Sincerely, Yvette Clarke
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