We hope you and your loved ones are safe and caring for one another during this time that weighs heavy with injustice.
Against the backdrop of a global pandemic that is disproportionately impacting Black people and people of color, the horrific killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery (among so many others) fully expose the assault on Black lives in America.
Image by Ariel Sinha
We can’t wait for one more life to be cut short to denounce this country’s long history of criminalization and state violence, rooted in white supremacy and anti-Black racism. We’re devastated that it has taken this many lives for our society to ask itself: what is each of our roles in dismantling systemic racism?
Image from Black Lives Matter
As part of the South Central community, we at SCOPE mourn the loss of life and stand in support of Black life, Black communities, and all who are demanding us to take action. As an organization risen from the ashes of the 1992 civil unrest, in a community that is no stranger to police brutality, SCOPE stands committed to fighting for racial justice and building the solidarity and collective power of Black, Latinx, and other people of color in the face of state violence and a corporate, right-wing agenda that exploits our communities and devalues our lives.
We believe that the power we’re experiencing from communities coast to coast fighting for the dignity of our shared humanity will fuel our movement. While painful and overdue, this moment of reckoning demands that we continue to fight for justice and opens up a space for transformation and a new way forward. But we must continue to struggle together and stay connected—so that we truly sustain our movement beyond this moment.
This looks like demanding that our Mayor and City leaders prioritize our health, wellness, and resilience over policing and suppression. We are proud to support our allies in Black Lives Matter-LA to enact a People’s Budget in Los Angeles based on the principle of #CareNotCops. We also believe that now more than ever, we need a just recovery from the COVID-19 crisis that centers Black, indigenous, and people of color communities to begin to repair the harm and vulnerability created by institutional racism and the long-standing economic exploitation of people of color. Lastly, this moment underscores the need to trust and support Black and Brown voices. Support grassroots organizing efforts. Become an active member in an organized movement. Our collective liberation is inextricably linked.
Again, we hope you are taking care of yourselves and each other in these difficult moments. Please know that we are with you all in community and solidarity.
