01 Jun A Statement From AC&M Group

There is no quiet strength in this moment. There is no virtue in leaving things unsaid. When it comes to injustice, police brutality and the long-standing systemic racism that have contributed to these things, our community members, customers, coworkers, friends, brothers, and sisters have been left to suffer in silence and to scream in frustration, largely alone, into a void until their pained voices are raw. 

We understand that Blacks are 3 times more likely to be killed by police than Whites despite the fact that they are 1.3 times more likely to be UNARMED. On top of that, we know that 99% of killings by police from 2013-2019 have not resulted in officers being charged and only a handful of that 1% have resulted in convictions. What we’re seeing today is the result of that. We must as a nation commit to ending that today. 

The AC&M family is made of people of many different cultural backgrounds. This is our strength. As a family, we speak out. We join our voices with those who may feel as though they are alone. We stand with our brothers and sisters of all backgrounds in the fight against racial injustice and inequality of any kind. We are committed to doing our part in raising awareness about the historic oppression of African Americans and other people of different colors and persuasions. We are committed to educating ourselves, our partners, and our communities every single day on what can be done to break the silence and to take action. We will not be silent. We speak up for all of those who have been lost along the way.

Below is a list of resources to help people to better understand racism and brutality in the US against African Americans and actions you can take now to stop them.

SIGN THE PETITION FOR ARRESTS IN GEORGE FLOYD CASE
Sign the petition demanding the termination and arrest of all of the Minneapolis police officers who arrested George Floyd just before his death in custody.
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd?utm_source=brand_us&utm_medium=media

JOIN BLACK LIVES MATTER
Join and support the Movement to fight for Freedom, Liberation, and Justice
https://blacklivesmatter.com/

LEARN ABOUT THE MOST RECENT DATA ON POLICE KILLINGS OF BLACKS AND WHETHER OR NOT BLACK LIVES MATTER
https://thesocietypages.org/toolbox/police-killing-of-blacks/

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO CONFRONT RACISM
https://thesocietypages.org/toolbox/as-a-white-person-what-else-can-i-do-besides-post-my-personal-outrage-about-racism-on-social-media-not-another-reading-list/

SUPPORT THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
Support the work of EJI to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, challenge racial and economic injustice, and protect the basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. 
https://support.eji.org/give/153413/#!/donation/checkout

CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES
Understand that the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels. It’s mayors and county executives that appoint most police chiefs and negotiate collective bargaining agreements with police unions. It’s district attorneys and state’s attorneys that decide whether or not to investigate and ultimately charge those involved in police misconduct. Those are all elected positions. In some places, police review boards with the power to monitor police conduct are elected as well. Unfortunately, voter turnout in these local races is usually pitifully low, especially among young people – which makes no sense given the direct impact these offices have on social justice issues, not to mention the fact that who wins and who loses those seats is often determined by just a few thousand, or even a few hundred, votes. Contact your local representatives:
https://myreps.datamade.us/index.html

VOTE & BE INFORMED BEFORE YOU GO TO THE POLLS
Your vote matters. Elections happen every year. If we want our voices heard, we have to vote in every one of them. Register to vote and get the information you need about when and where to vote so you never miss an election. Be sure to VOTE in all local, state, and national elections. Make sure that you are informed about all local and state offices BEFORE you get to the polls.
https://www.whenweallvote.org/voting-resources/

VOLUNTEER TO HELP OTHERS VOTE
Our country and democracy are stronger When We All Vote. Join our team to help make sure your family, friends, school, and neighbors are registered and ready to vote.
https://www.whenweallvote.org/takeaction/

SIGN PETITION TO END POLICE VIOLENCE
Sign this petition calling for the end of police violence against Black people.
Color of Change—Sign a Petition to End Violent Policing Against Black People

LEARN ABOUT RACISM AGAINST AFRICAN AMERICANS
Learn about racism in America and things you can do to commit to being antiracist through an online portal to help families, individuals, and communities.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture—Talking About Race

PROVIDE BAIL FOR PROTESTORS
Help support bail for protestors through these 38 community bail funds.
Nationwide Bail Fund
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bail_funds_george_floyd

NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATIONAL FUND
Support the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans. 
https://www.naacpldf.org/

LEARN ABOUT FAIR POLICING
New Era of Public Safety: An Advocacy Toolkit for Fair, Safe, and Effective Community Policing is an initiative of the Policing Campaign at the Leadership Conference Education Fund, the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and was supported by the Google Foundation.
https://civilrights.org/wp-content/uploads/Policing_Full_Report.pdf

LEARN ABOUT POLICING POLICY SOLUTIONS
Learn about Campaign Zero, a comprehensive package of urgent policy solutions – informed by data, research, and human rights principles – can change the way police serve our communities and can protect and preserve life.
https://www.joincampaignzero.org/solutions#brokenwindows

LEARN ABOUT POLICING EQUITY
This detailed report delves into police administrative data to show disparities in the use of force. You can watch the director of the Center, Phillip Atiba Goff, deliver a TED talk on fighting racism and improving policing here. 
Center for Policing Equity—The Science of Justice: Race, Justice, and Police Use of Force