(Image by: Esie Cheng)
Civic Works as an organization and as a staff are deeply saddened over the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others, including Anthony Anderson, Freddie Gray, and Tyrone West here in Baltimore. We send our deepest sympathies to their families and all who are in mourning and outraged over the clear lack of regard for Black lives at the hands of both former and current law enforcement officials.
We stand with the oppressed, who remain victims of a racially unjust system. We stand with all of those affected by these continued acts of hate. We stand in solidarity with those fighting for equality each and every day. These tragic murders are not just an attack on humanity, they are an attack on Black lives in our country. Civil liberties for Black Americans provided by the United States Constitution continue to be ignored. This country has a long-standing history of racism and violent acts carried out in the name of hate. As a result, we understand that the anger and grief being displayed throughout our country is not new.
Time and time again we have seen these unjust murders take place at the hands of those who are sworn to serve and protect. We cannot continue to proclaim that “All lives matter,” when we have over four-hundred years of evidence that says otherwise. All lives cannot matter until BLACK LIVES MATTER.
We recognize that we do not have all of the answers for how to fix this systematic issue that continues to plague our society. However, we do intend to continue with our mission to serve our community by advocating for change in the city of Baltimore. The responsibility for change falls on all of us, and Civic Works is committed to being a part of it.
If you want to make a local impact, please consider supporting one of the following black-led organizations: