June 3, 2020
Community Vision

Dear Community,

We stand in solidarity with our communities and nation as we grieve the senseless murders of Black people by law enforcement and racist community members. Our hearts are with the loved ones of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed, Tony McDade, Adrian Medearis, Oscar Grant, and the many others whose lives were taken too soon.

Systemic racism, state violence, and dehumanizing policies are at the root of brutality against the Black community. The grief, rage, heartbreak, and anger expressed by so many is valid. We see you, we know it is too much to bear, and we apologize for the ways in which we have upheld white supremacy in this country and the harm we may have caused in our communities. The Black community deserves better and we demand accountability from police, elected officials, and our broader community to step up and take material action to address the systemic injustices that have been perpetrated against Black communities for generations. We need urgent and bold change now.

We support the resistance efforts happening in the streets, across the country, and the world. We will continue, and will deepen, our work to prioritize racial equity in our organization, communities, and individual lives in and outside of the office. Together, we need to acknowledge that the system is not broken: it was designed this way and we cannot continue to tolerate and uphold it. Silence is unacceptable, a form of complicity, and it is our duty to do better. We commit to urgently prioritizing policy change and one step we are taking immediately is refocusing an existing fund to direct resources to Black led organizations in Oakland. 

For our non-Black community members: We urge you – our friends, partners, families, and colleagues – to actively ally as an antiracist and supporter of the Black community. Sharing your grief via social media is not enough. Here are a few ways you can show up:

MAKE A DONATION

Support organizations run by people of color that fight against racism & police brutality. Here are some suggestions:

  • Black Lives Matter: Support the movement for freedom, liberation, and justice.
  • Official George Floyd Memorial Fund—Go Fund Me: Support George Floyd’s family through this fund designed to cover expenses as well as care for his children and their education.
  • Nationwide Bail Fund: Help support bail for protestors in your community.
  • Anti Police-Terror Project: Support this Black-led, multi-racial, intergenerational coalition that seeks to build a replicable and sustainable model to eradicate police terror in communities of color.
  • Black Youth Project 100: Support this member-based organization of Black youth activists creating justice and freedom for all Black people.
  • Black Visions Collective: Support this organization working for a future where all Black people have autonomy and safety in our communities.
  • Reclaim the Block: Support this organization that organizes Minneapolis community and City council members to move money from the police department into other areas of the City’s budget that truly promote community health and safety.
  • Movement for Black Lives: Support the mobilization of hundreds of thousands so that Black political power is a force able to influence national and local agendas.

LEARN ABOUT POLICE VIOLENCE & ANTIRACISM IN THE U.S.

Here are some suggestions:

We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions on how we can do better. Reach out to accountability@communityvisionca.org.