Friend,
February marks Black History Month in the United States.
It should be a chance to honor, memorialize and celebrate the rich history of Black culture in this country.
It should be a time when we recognize the patriotism, sacrifice, innovation, and courage of Black Americans throughout time.
And it should be a moment when we recommit to learning and to teaching Black History.
But it would be a disservice to do so without also recognizing that too many Black Americans are still being senselessly killed in the United States.
Every day we are painfully reminded of how far we have yet to go in the fight for racial equality. And as we fight, let the names of Tyre Nichols, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many more rally us to do what is right and just.
We need to continue to protect voting rights, invest in Black-owned businesses, and address issues of criminal justice across the country. We must act to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and ensure the return, from generations before, of illegally seized homes, land, and businesses that were Black-owned.
These were all issues I fought for in office, and I will continue to fight for in this campaign.
As John Lewis would often say to me and others in Congress, “If not us, whom. If not now, when?"
The pursuit of justice and equality for all is ongoing. Thank you for being a part of our fight for a better union.
— Harley
