Justice for Ahmaud, Breonna, and Black Communities
Content warning: Racism, violence, anti-Black racism, white terrorism, police violence
These past few weeks and months have been heartbreaking for our entire nation and beyond. In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic taking so many lives, and in every way exacerbating centuries of systemic racism, we have learned about multiple shootings of Black people and multiple violent encounters with white supremacists and police. This is a reproductive justice issue. All children deserve to live in safe environments and parents deserve to live free from worry that interpersonal and state-sponsored racist violence could take the lives of their children.
Ahmaud Arbery was hunted and murdered in South Georgia by white supremacists in February, and there was no media coverage until video footage surfaced May. His killers were completely free until Black people organized and community members responded and called for arrests. He was 25 years old. No one can truly understand the profound shock and grief that his parents are experiencing, but Black parents live with the specter of violence at the hands of white supremacists since the founding of this nation.
Breonna Taylor was an essential worker — an EMT who had been working to save the lives of those with COVID-19. Breonna had so far survived working the front lines of a pandemic that disproportionately kills Black people, only to have her life stolen by police. Breonna was shot eight times by police officers while she lay in bed in her own home. The Louisville Police Department performed an illegal drug raid, and the officers did not announce themselves before ramming down her door at 1 a.m. and firing a total of 22 shots. Not only were they at the wrong house, but the suspect they were seeking was already in custody.
Thoughts and prayers alone will not bring justice, it is only by mobilizing for Black humanity that we can secure the safety and dignity that is everyone’s human right. These atrocities, coupled with the NYPD’s abuse of power toward Black and Brown communities during this global health pandemic, only further unearths the deep roots of racism that continuously hurt our communities and colleagues. As an institution we have committed to addressing systemic racism, both inside our organization and outside. We have a long journey ahead of us.
We encourage our community to use the resources below to stay informed and push for justice for Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.
Actions for Breonna Taylor:
https://justiceforbreonna.org/
https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/justiceforbre-breonna-taylor-officers-fired/
Actions for Ahmaud Arbery:
https://act.everytown.org/sign/repeal-SYG-Georgia
Planned Parenthood of Greater New York is proud to stand alongside our partners in calling for racial justice and saying, now and always, that Black Lives Matter and our communities deserve better.
